Great Dane

I bought an Epson V500 scanner a couple of months ago (my HP4200 wouldn't work under Vista and HP did not intend to update the drivers). So now I'm waiting for the goodies to knock on my door... P.S: It's a great scanner - I can recommend it. /Mike

Hi Christer, Magnificent photo of Cederschi?ld (why do you call him Silverschi?ld later?). Allow me to make some corrections. According to my books he was decorated with the Danish Dannebrog as: Knight 31 Oct 1903 Com 1st cl 22 May 1935 (I can't find his Com 2nd cl award date - in 1932 he was still Knight, so maybe he jumped a step...) Grand Cross 24 Mar 1952 /Mike

Allow me to add one of my groups to a Danish recipient (haven't found out who he is yet...) The Winter War medal has the correct reverse for foreigners (and this one also without bars). Medal no. 4 is the Comm. cross for the Home Front (Kotijoukkojen risti), which apparently could be awarded to foreigners? /Mike

Nice collection, congratulations Which bars are found on the foreign versions (I know that in theory they might all be possible, but still...)? /Mike

I think all the remarks about the Swedish Order of the North Star actually refer to the Swedish Order of the Sword. The ribbon for the Order of the North Star was black until 1973 and after that blue with yellow edges. /Mike

"That might help in identifying the other medals." I think we have identified them all? Commander 1. class of the Greek Order of the Redeemer (neck badge + star mounted on right chest) Commander 1. class of the Danish Order of Dannebrog (neck badge + cross on chest) Grand Cross of Austrian FJ Order (Sash + GC star on chest) /Mike

Hi Paul, Never seen them before (at least not that I can remember...), but "Sporrong & Co" would indicate a Swedish origin. /Mike

I once discovered a seller on eBay who were selling 'short', i.e. selling items that he would afterwards buy cheaper and pass on to the buyer. Turned out the 'seller' had visited a dealer and seen a box of orders that the dealer hadn't had the time to display or promote. The 'seller' asked if he could take pictures of the orders 'for personal use'. Then he put the pictures on eBay without owning the items. He put a reserve price on them a bit higher than the dealer's prices, so he wouldn't lose money on the auctions. Still as fraudulent as your guy, and when I made the dealer aware of it, he decided never to sell anything to him ever. Not sure if your guy is doing the same since he hasn't put a reserve price on them? Maybe he is not very bright? /Mike

Veteran, take a look in the latest auction catalog from Palthey (Palthey), lot no. 87 (text and picture). It might provide more information. /Mike

I plan to keep it here for the next 3 centuries... /Mike

Actually yes... There is a small Ex Libris (looks old) from a guy called Alfred Watkin and a 'note' saying 'withdrawn' from the University of Minnesota. /Mike

Since the Danish Order of the Elephant is out of reach for us commoners, today's delivery by FedEx made me a happy camper It is Jens Bircherod's "Breviarium Eqvestre seu de Illustrissimo et Inclytissimo Eqvestri Ordine Elephantino" from 1704. It may not contain much in terms of recipient lists, but it is one of the first written sources to deal with the history of this order (even if - in 1704 - the order was already 240 years old). The book contains some beautiful copper engravings. When King Christian V introduced the Order of Dannebrog in 1671, he apparently felt the need to have some regulations put down, so both orders (the Elephant and Dannebrog) got their statutes in 1693. Bircherod's book may have been inspired by the publishing of these statutes. Yes... I love books... /Mike

Hello Stefan, It doesn't really say much. Just that he is awarded the 'Military Medal' in gold for his services. I guess the French paper is a translation of the Persian one. /Mike

The top neck order is Henry the Lion, followed by the Russian Order of St.Anne, the Russian Order of St. Stanislaus and then the Chinese Order of the Double Dragon. /Mike

And if you don't already know it, he received the Dannebrog Commander 1. class on 29. July 1902. /Mike

OK, I admit that the mystery ribbon is a little to the pink side, but ribbons do fade differently. Like these two bars (same age):

Could be dirty and faded...

I'm guessing saschaw is referring to the group below. My research on the internet showed me that the oakleaf was an official decoration, but nobody seems to know why it was added. My recipient (a diplomat) got his Red Crescent medal around 1922-23, but I don't know for what. /Mike

Danish Order of Dannebrog? The 'dimensions' are spot on. There was a strong connection between Mecklenburg and Denmark due to royal relations in the early 1900s... /Mike

(Post deleted due to lack of knowledge ) /Mike

Thanks, Ed, your group is pretty nice too (the owner probably had a much harder time earning those than my diplomat ) I got my diplomat's Romanian Order of the Crown (Commander) too, but didn't get his Austrian Franz Josef Order (Commander) or his Polish Polonia Restituta (Grand Cross). Too bad they were auctioned off as single lots His Danish Dannebrog (Commander) was returned and his Greek Order of Phoenix (GC) and Russian St. Anne (3. class) was not at the auction so who knows where they are... /Mike

If it's Imperial Germany only, then the choice is easy since this is the only group I have with Imperial German stuff /Mike

Stunning - simply stunning /Mike

It's a matter of conventions, I guess: Normally: Knight 1. class = Officer Commander 1. class = Grand Officer In many cases the breast star for Grand Officers (aka Commander 1. class) is identical to the breast star for Grand Cross. /Mike

Excellent! One more mystery solved Thanks! /Mike