Ed_Haynes

Kingdom

Nishan-i-Lmar-i-Ala / Order of the Sun

As above. Likely 4th class (numbered "4" on obverse). The badge is 60 mm.

Kingdom

Nishan-i-Lmar-i-Ala / Order of the Sun

Founded in 1920 and obsolete in 1974. It came in seven classes and two medals. This is believed to be the third class (numbered "3" on obverse). Interestingly, it is numbered on the reverse. The badge is 80 mm.

Kingdom

Nishan-i-Istiqlal / Order of Independence

Breast star of (??) 2nd class. The order came in seven classes (created 1911, obsolete with the 1974 revolution). It seems the center part has been repaired if not outright replaced. The badge is 87 mm.

Among my other minor areas, I collect and try to study the awards of Afghanistan, from the earliest awards to the present, though with a special interest in the awards of the People's Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (roughly 1978-92).

Studying and collecting these things is immensely difficult and almost no reliable sources exist.

I'll post a few things from the kingdom, the republic(s), and some unknown items.

No good source exists for the kingdom, though one has been rumored for some time, for the PDRA ("Soviet") period, we have only State Awards of Afghanistan, by G. Tisov and V. Shirshov (Moscow: ca. 1998). The Tislov and Shirshov is (1) in Russian, (2) only addresses military awards, and (3) just 72 pages, but it is, so far, all we have. What fun!

Well put, Peter!

Actually, I was about to observe that it makes "Die Kneipe" over at the WAF sound like the Times.

Source? The Onion??

What is JSTOR.org?

They make available as PDFs a VAST range of articles from academic journals.

The article isn't very deep, but worth reading anyway. Most academic libraries have JSTOR access. Try at your local university? They tend to not be very picky about walk-in patrons.

I have access through my university. What do you need?

The first article was one of a very valuable set of annual country reviews published in [Asian Survey -- am building up a complete set.

There's one somewhat similar to this one on eBay right now. May be a path to get some answers.

MONGOLIAN PRELIMINARY OFFICER CERTIFICATE. Item number: 190045580522

Thanks! Another forum denizen had already mentioned it to me. A hint, for sure.

Page 2, dated 9 July 1972.

Page 1.

Document 7

(And a final one, for now.)

A little fellow, just 85 x 58 mm.

And page 2, dated 5 November 1971.

Interior, page 1.

Document 6

I should know what this one is . . .

And second page. Whatever it is, dated 23 May 1995.

The interior page one.

Document 5

Well, it is a "mandat" for SOMETHING . . . ??

The interior, cheerful chappie and all.

Document 4

This one has actually been shown here before

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=4252

but as it now lives with me and has sprouted new mysteries. It seems to be, rather than an ID, an kind of certtificate of prior service in interior ministry, to hit other people with when you had retired.

It is in Cyrillic script, so it will seem more familiar

Late for bichig: 16 July "33" (= 1943).

Document 3

Also in bichig and hard-bound.

Tentative ID as a Do Ya (Mongolian "Chekist") ID?

See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=4252&st=09

The second. There then follow another NINE pages of text.

Only two interior pages have written additions. The first: