Ed_Haynes

Based on recent discussions, musings, and observations, may I suggest the following (more complex) categorization of our snouts: Type 1.1 (Mongol legend, crude construction, mirror reverse, integral number) - Low = 9/High = 393 Type 1.2 (Mongol legend, crude construction, mirror reverse, engraved number) - Low = 396/High = 399 Type 2.1.1 (Mongol legend, mirror reverse, serial number at 10 o?clock) - Low = 32/High = 496 Type 2.1.2 (Mongol legend, mirror reverse, serial number at 7 o?clock) - Low = 221/High = 4100 Type 2.2.1 (Mongol legend, flat reverse, silvered brass, serial number at 8 o?clock) - Low = 865/High = 1806 Type 2.2.2 (Mongol legend, flat reverse, silvered brass, serial number at 6 o?clock) - Low = 1124/ High = 1958 Type 2.2.3 (Mongol legend, flat reverse, silver) - Low = 4164/High = 4586 Type 3 (Cyrillic legend, unnumbered) When I have a chance, I shall try weighing my specimens on MY NEW SCALE. (You will soon come to hate the fellow forumites who urged me and advised me in getting this scale!)

At the risk of working at cross purposes, here is my latest revision of my checklist, which Jan and I have bounced back and forth, both in person and by e-mail. This has also been discussed in person with Dr. Battushig and others in Ulanbaatar. A few cautions: 1- This is a work in progress - help, please! 2- Mongolian names are not up to date, but I'm too jet-lagged to fire up Mongolian Cyrillic fonts just now. 3- I have grave doubts that all these varieties really are varieties. They may just be variation in the manufacturing process, different batches of enamel (especially on things like the Mother Heroine awards), variability in where the engraver of the day chose to put the serial number, etc. In some cases, where there are islands inside known serial number ranges, I am sorely tempted to collapse these variations, but have kept them separate for the time being. Until we know more, we just don't know enough. (Should we have that printed onto a forum t-shirt?) 4- It goes without saying that the "Polar Star" makes less and less sense. As the most commonly awarded order, we are facing the question of what was done when old varieties were turned in for new ones. 5- Some additional items will probably need to be added, but I think it may be long enough already. The question of date ranges is, for my money, still open and evolving, and is another question, related but separate. Though what Bob and Jan have done and are doing may be getting us closer to some answers. Right now, we just need award booklets by the meter. Unfortunately, this PDF file is too large to upload -- grrrr -- get it from: http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/Mongol...20checklist.pdf

China 1842 For the First Opium War. Named: "* * ROODUR SING, 2nd REG. BENGAL VOLUNTEERS * *". Looked for him on the very fragmentary -- in all senses -- rolls that survive in the national archives in New Delhi (the only way to determine the parental regiment). No joy, but I haven't given up yet!

"Before" and "after" pins from the KGB/FSB Border Guards Museum in Moscow. Once they discerned my odd interest (well, they thought it was odd), they humoured me with these pins.

Oh, goodie! Hero Star at the top, let me jump in on that obvious bit of non-wisdom. Now to squint . . . .

I have been hoping for a clearer picture (too)! If we ever find a good picture, we have the source: http://www.medals.lava.pl/cu/cu2.htm Now, if only we knew WHAT they were all awarded FOR!

Wood, and very solidly made. Will drag out the camera and try some shots. Much more robust than usual Japanese boxes.

Captain Thakur Karam Singh, Malerkotla A nice mounted-as-worn (and cased, nicely fitted, from Hamilton) group from the latest medal-yatra. 1- Durbar 1911 - named "3. CAPTAIN THAKUR KARAMSINGH TEHRIGARHWAL" 2- Jubilee 1935 - unnamed 3- Coronation 1937 - unnamed Research underway.

I'd agree, except that this was created in March 1938 (but when were the insigniae actually struck?), while the familiar (type 2) Shoigunjinsho wound badges were created in August 1938. As with so many other things, we need to know more.

Box interior.

Reverse.

Obverse.

Box. (I think I have it the right side up?)

Order of Freedom of the Mongolian Democratic Party B # B50.

While we have dealt with the ongoing MPRP (Mongolian Peoples' Revolutionary Party) awards after the onset of democracy, there are also the other political party awards, especially those of the Mongolian Democratic Party and the Social-Democratic Party of Mongolia (Battushig p. 78). These are especially interesting for, if as is anticipated, there may soon be a new set of new Mongolian awards, they are likely to draw upon the design "standards" set by these awards.

Document interior. (Facing page blank.) (This also came with an undocumented MYRL badge -- B# V06 -- and it is tempting to wonder if they all belong together?)

50 Years of Mongolian Pioneer Organization, 1925-75 (B # U19)

And the interior of the document for this one.

50 Years of Mongolian Revolutionary Youth League, 1921-71 (B # V07)

A youth pair 1- 50 Years of Mongolian Revolutionary Youth League, 1921-71 (B # V07) 2- 50 Years of Mongolian Pioneer Organization, 1925-75 (B # U19)

I'm in love . . . . Thanks.

. . . and. These many be laundry lists (which I doubt) or documents of great historical importance (which I also doubt). But they are clearly a part of the "sceret history" of this group. Translations have been requested and are to be reported here . . . .

. . . and . . .

. . . and . . .

And now for the surprise . . . . Wadded up in the bottom of the box -- and totally overlooked by the seller and, therefore, not seen in detail by me until this very moment -- were additional documents.