Eric Schena

I have a pair to the same individual with award dates as follows: Silver Cross of Merit: 22 July 1956 Gold Cross of Merit: 4 May 1966 Maybe there was a specified time frame for long service awards depending on what the service actually was. If folks would like to see this pair, let me know and I'll get some scans posted.

Hi all: Not to steal Paul's thunder, but according to my copy of Court Jewelers of the World, Souza was in business at the Rua Aurea 107 address in Lisbon during the royal (pre-1910) period and was at Rua Aurea 14 when the book was written (1978). Hope that helps! Eric

Hi Artan: Thanks for your comments! That is a lovely collection of the BEO you have! I have a Silver Medal and the Accession Medal, but most likely, I expect these photos and threads like this is as close as I will come to the BEO. Here's a better pair of photos of the badge that was in that same lot on eBay. Side note to everyone: If these photos are from someone here, let me know and I will give them proper attribution/credit.

Here's the reverse of one of the stars (not sure which) and the case:

Just to keep this thread alive with Wied era stuff, back in 2005, an eBay seller had several pieces of BE insignia in a large red case that looked like it could have been an award case, but who knows. I saved off the photos for my own reference purposes, so I thought I could share them here. I don't recall who had this set of insignia otherwise I would give them credit here...

Hi Artan: If I may ask, is that Shevket V?rlaci wearing the PFA badge? Cheers, Eric

Artan: I am speechless here! That is the very first award document I have ever seen or even heard of for any Wied era decoration, or heck, even a Zog era award! I echo 922F's "treasure trove" remarks - I have learned a lot from your posts and photos. Thank you very much for sharing! Cheers, Eric

Artan: I am in awe of the photos and information you have been bestowing upon this forum! If I may ask, have you considered writing a book? if so, I certainly would be first in line to buy it, as well as help in any way possible. Cheers, Eric

I am curious now, there is a military version of the Black Eagle? Everything I have read about the order was that there was only the one version and have never run across a photo of an example with swords.

Hi Bob: I have seen that book series - they are rather expensive, but they look very interesting and thorough. There is also a book called Albania at War, 1939-1945 by Bernd Jurgen Fischer that is very interesting, too. It has a lot of details about the Italian occupation period and the start of the Albanian partisan movement and the rise of communism. It can be a bit of a slog (academic books can be that way :-) but worthwhile in its detail. There are a couple of other books I have read or are reading but they do not deal with the communist period (King Zog of Albania: Europe's Self-Made Muslim Monarch and The Six Month Kingdom: Albania 1914). I think in general collector interest in Albania has never been huge (some would say desultory at best), but then again, that is precisely what attracted me to the field... Cheers, Eric

Thank you for the information - I didn't even know that badge existed! Cheers, Eric

Hi Artan! I know it is not of much help, but in the photo with three men, with one man in civilian dress between the two uniformed officers looks like he could be wearing the Albanian badge for the Greek & Yugoslav campaigns in 1940-1941. Unfortunately, other than that, there is not much I can add. As a side note, the photos you have been sharing have been fantastic! Thank you very much for sharing them! Cheers, Eric

Here's a bronze gilt one with three rivets - it's really quite something in hand:

Hi Anatoly: Feel free to add my scan to your site if you wish - always helps to have a running catalogue of all the various types.

My understanding is that unlike any other Eastern bloc country, the Romanian government made distinctions along "class" lines. The top party leaders got gold ones, the higher level party functionaries got silver-gilt versions, while the bulk of the populace got these. It was like this even for other awards, as well. I got this one from a contact I have in Romania who has an astounding personal collection of RPR and RSR decorations.

I wish I had some documents to add to this list, but they have been hard to come by for me. I may have a few scans of some, though, that were not in my book. I'll see what I can dig up.

Here's an example of the Romanian Hero of Socialist Labor from the RPR period. It's a nice screwback bronze gilt version - this screwback device was also used for the ones in gold and silver.

Been some time since this thread has seen some activity, so here's a type II RSR version of the Order for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country. Shame it has some scratches on the obverse and reverse, but considering this type was awarded for all of two years, I am not complaining...

Oh, and I forgot... The first photo of Hoxha with his dress uniform, I was actually making reference to the last of his three neck badges. So in summation: he is wearing (from top to bottom): Bulgarian Order of 9 September 1944 1st class with swords, Albanian National Hero (the first type), and below that the Yugoslav Order of the National Hero. Artan, thank you for posting these photos - they are superb and have helped me gain a better understanding and appreciation for Albania's decorations!

I don't have a link. My friend in Berlin saw it when he was there in the 1970s and took a photo of it (it's the one I used in my book for the type 1)

Collect Russia added some useful information on their Hero of Romania star that is worth a look. Apparently, there was an article on these decorations in the Sept/Oct 2004 JOMSA (I am not a member, believe it or not, so I didn't know to look there, for what it is worth).

Those are fabulous photos! I have seen a picture of the first type and it's illustrated in my book, which came from someone I know from Berlin who went to the Hungarian War Museum. I have never seen them in wear nor knew that there was an intermediate form. This is why sharing this information is important - we're finally documenting and studying these wonderful rarities and placing them in proper context :jumping:

That is a fantastic photo. Notice he is also wearing the Yugoslav Order of the People's Hero around his neck below the Bulgarian 9 Sept 44 1st class with swords. Great stuff! Thanks for sharing.

I am definitely straying into unknown waters, but in my other collecting 'verse, I collect European colonial coins from around the world. In my travels there, I came across the name of a book about the numismatica as well as medals and decorations of Papua New Guinea: From Cowrie to Kina : the coinages, currencies, badges, medals, awards and decorations of Papua New Guinea by William J Mira Publisher: Sydney Spink 1986 ISBN: 095932030X 9780959320305 OCLC: 242670226 I do not have the book myself and have not seen a copy for sale, but I offer the bibliographic information anyway that may help people interested in them.

Hi Anatoli: I'll see what I can do about getting good pics of it. I did get a RPR period Hero of Socialist Labor star (bronze gilt). That one I will have to post in a separate thread. All: From what I know of them, if the Collect Russia one is gold, the badge should be marked. Every Romanian decoration I have seen made of gold or silver has marks, but I gladly defer to those more experienced with these decorations.