Elmar Lang

Hello, he looks like a Non-Commissioned Officer from an assault troop unit (Sturmtrupp), decorated with two Tapferkeitsmedaillen (1st and 2nd Class in silver) and the Karl-Truppenkreuz. It could also be that the first medal is a Bravery Medal in Gold (Goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille). Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, in the next days I'll take some pictures of the piece. It doesn't look like the cross posted from the colleague Carol I. My cross is a silver gilt, four-armed maltese-type cross; centre medallion in gold, white and green enamel (the double-C royal monogram, wanting); the suspension is a royal crown, hinged to the upper arm of the cross; on the crown's reverse there is a vertical loop. The decoration's reverse is plain, with two tiny rivets to fix the obverse centre medallion. The overall finish is of the best quality. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, in a group of orders and decorations, I've found a piece of this Rumanian award. It looks like a knight's cross, but its suspension is a royal crown with a loop on the reverse, hinged to the cross'upper arm. Pity, the double "C" monogram is lost from the centre medallion; the reverse is plain. Material, gilt silver; the centre medallion, gold and enamels. Measures: h. 66 mm. (incl. crown); w. 46 mm. What class could this cross be? I didn't know that the order "Pentru Merit" could have a crown suspension (or is it the Military Class, similarly to the Crown Order?). Many thanks in advance, Elmar Lang

It should be a NCO of the Royal Hungarian Honv?d. Best wishes, Enzo

Hello, the piece looks like a privately-made 1812 medal, with engraved inscription and large ribbon loop (rememebering that of some old, Austrian decorations). It has a nice look and patina: what metal does it look made of? Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, on June 20th I did a trip to Osnabr?ck and participate to the K?nker auction of Orders & Decorations. A surprise was lot 7847, where a St. George Medal 1st Class (Number 1176) offered at a (honestly, VERY convenient) price of Euro 2.000,- it found its new proud owner at Euro 52.000,- (plus buyer's premium). Not bad indeed... especially for the happy vendor of that surely fine piece. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

The Feldzeugmeister rank's name remembers when in the past, the "Feldt-Zewgg" (as I've read it in an ancient book) or the Feld-Zeug meant the group of artillery batteries and their supplies of ammunitions. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, yesterday, I came back home after many days spent abroad. After a deeper exam of the pictures, I can also affirm that the star is an alteration from another star: the Bulgarian St.Aleksander star with diamonds is a most possible "base" to start making the present piece. As said in one of my preceeding messages, it is strange that a single (instead of double) "A" mark appears having been struck on the pin (besides this, the mark doesn't look correct). A picture is not definitive to give an opinion, but, the star's centre looks of different manufacture (and the stones with a different shade of colour). In my opinion, this breast star is an assembly of a later Bulgarian star, most possibly made in the '30s, with altered (or fake) marks on the pin. No wonder that some "creative" would produce such forgeries, since the market of Imperial Russian orders is very "active". Never forget that who'd be going to spend 700.000 Euro could feel VERY angry when discovering that his expensive order is a fake... Best wishes, Enzo

Thank you Roman. This star is of outstanding quality, typical of the Austrian jewelled stars. Is it in your collection? Best wishes, Enzo

I'd be delighted to see the pictures of the obverse and reverse of that Austrian-made Russian breast star... Best wishes, Enzo

The marks look in order, although -in my opinion- it's quite strange that single "A" mark instead of the usual two ones. An overall view of the order would be fine to see, to definitively ascertain if it's a pre-1918 piece. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

It is the medal awarded to the troops of the Army Group South (see the inscription on the medal) when they left Hungary. In 1991, Hungary, turned to democracy, kindly asked Russia to withdraw her occupation forces, stationing there since the repression of the uprising in 1956. I think that very few Hungarians went to cheerfully salute the leaving troops... Best wishes, Enzo

...I can't wait! I think that book will be my livre de chevet! Elmar Lang

Hello Marc, In one of your posts, I've read "...The Russian Ministry of Culture has recently published a fairly lavish book that lists all the serial numbers of such stolen orders and medals (I had it in my hands, A4 format and a couple of hundred pages) with details about their disappearance...". Where would this book be available, or downloadable? Thank you very much for your help, Elmar Lang

Hi all, now, I see some "light at the other end of the tunnel"! I beg your pardon for my ignorance... I didn't know that the Russian Authorities published a list/book about stolen Soviet Orders & Decorations. This would be an invaluable help to collectors and/or dealers. Where would this book be available? Best wishes, Elmar Lang

I understand that this discussion opens many problems on how "legal" phaleristic collecting could be. Let's say my thought in simple words: what could happen if -in the western world- a group of Soviet orders would be offered for sale at an auction? I mean with well visible and indicated serial numbers, etc. In the recent past, I've seen that in at least two auctions (f.e. Basel, Switzerland, January 2007) all soviet pieces have been withdrawn from the sale. In November 2007, at the NY Markov auction, all numbers were clearly visible and nothing happened. At a recent Auction in Hamburg, the reverse of all Soviet orders was visible, but the numbers were covered with some "X". Could be a risk, if a collector would sell at auction his USSR pieces, collected in the 80s-90s? A Russian dealer, recently warned a western European auctioneer on not to show or quote any serial number on his catalogues (except sentences like "4-digit number" or "with serial number", etc.), to avoid a serious reaction from the Russian Government. I think that this warning is very strange, because either the number is quoted or not, Russian authorities could react the same... I'm lost... Elmar Lang

Hello, a very fine group indeed. The price... adapted to the type of clients buying Russian and Soviet orders. I see that everything is described; details about the numbering, papers, etc. What could happen if the Russian Government would say that this group belongs to Russia's Cultural Heritage? This question is connected to the topic I've started some days ago (Numbers or not numbers?). Best wishes, Enzo

Dear Richard, thank you very much for your invaluable help. Now I'll be able to better describe those curious medals! I hope too, to see the book about warlord decorations be published soon... Best wishes, Enzo

Hello, we all see that the market of Soviet (and, generally, Russian awards) is very active, and I remember about strange things happened at auctions where pieces from the USSR were for sale: most auction houses describes them indicating the number engraved on the reverse, other show them with the numbers covered with "XXXX". In 2007, at an auction in Basel, Swtzerland, all Soviet decorations have been withdrawn from the auction, after an action of the Russian Government. In other words, are us from the western countries allowed to possess, buy, sell and auction Soviet Orders? What's the real situation? Best wishes, Enzo

A very fine piece, especially for the perfectly preserved case. I must compliment for this piece. Elmar Lang

Hello, I've just seen that on the catalogue of the coming Thies auction, it's offered an interesting 1813 Grand Cross (lot 455). Looking at the iron insert, it shows all the details of the original Gleiwitz cast-iron cores; only the silver frame seems different from the awarded pieces. It is described as an early piece, made in the 1st half of XIX Century. In my opinion it's an important piece. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, I must say that the piece offered for sale on eBay is a poorly made cast copy of the original badge. I think that in no way it could deceive a collector. The metal looks like tin; the pin couldn't be wronger and no attempt was done to give the reverse a "better" appearance. Best wishes, Enzo

...and the reverse:

Continuing the discussion about the Grand Cross, I'm posting two badges of old manufacture; the first of a very early type, with a simple ring suspension (the crown was fixed to the sash ribbon); the second, of the same period, but "updated" in the 1st half of XIX Century, by order of the Chancellery: in this case, the original uniface crown was modified adding a long suspension ring and a smaller loop to link it to the cross. The obverse:

Hello, during the reign of Maria Theresia, the two highest merit orders were instituted: the Military Maria Theresia Order (Milit?r Maria Theresien - Orden), to recompensate officers for the highest acts of gallantry in time of war; the Order of St. Stephen (K?niglich hohe Ritter-Orden vom Heiligen Stephan dem Apostolischen K?nig), to recompensate the highest civil merits. Both orders, in their definitive organization were divided into 3 classes: Grand Cross (Gro?kreuz); Commander (Kommandeur) and Knight or Small Cross (Ritter; Klein-Kreuz). These orders belong to the highest old-Austrian signs of honour and the original pieces are from very rare to extremely rare, in any classes. In the last 40 years, many copies appeared on the market, mostly made by the famous jewellers Rothe & Neffe in Vienna. These pieces weren't intended to deceive collectors; they were simply made and sold as copies, a last example of the high craftsmanship of austrian order-makers. Lately, it happens that such copies (especially those of the Maria Theresia Order) appear "upgraded", being struck with faked old-austrian silver (or gold) assay marks. The trained "eye" of a collector can detect such pieces, because of the different workmanship between a pre-1918 and a post-1918 order. Other copies are made in Hungary, but their quality is so low that even a quasi-absolute beginner won't fall in error. Best wishes, Enzo