Great Dane

Hello all, I have this great photo of Samuel Morse wearing various orders. I have identified them all except the one around his neck. This photo was taken around 1865 and at that time - according to my research - he had also received: - W?rttemberg, Scientific Gold Medal - Turkey, Decoration in diamonds of the Nishan Iftichar - Austria, Gold Medal of Science Could it be the W?rttemberg medal? I don't know if the gold medals above were table medals. If it isn't one of these three, can anybody identify it? Thanks in advance, /Mike

I guess you're right since the follow-up article mentions "It is understood some of the money will go to the thieves." Good they are back, though. /Mike

I may not be native english speaking, but as I read the various articles the police mentions that "No immunity from prosecution or support for reduction in any sentence for any offender was given in return" to assure the public that the person who gets (parts of) the reward was not part of the crime, i.e. no 'dirty deal' was made. Where do you get the impression that the informant will be prosecuted? /Mike

Regarding #4: He is wearing the Norwegian Order of St. Olav. Christiania later changed its name to Oslo... /Michael

According to my newly received book by Ernst Areen about Scandinavian medals, this medal was awarded to participants (and associated staff) in the World Postal Congress in Stockholm in 1924. A larger medal in gold in a different design was awarded to the president and vice president of the congress, while a smaller gold medal was awarded to the first secretary of the congress. /Mike

That is a very relevant question. In Denmark the problem only applies to the stars (GC and Commander). Badges are rarely privately made and if they are, they're normally very easy to recognize (there is only one official maker). Metal stars were officially awarded from 1909 in Denmark, and so far only 3 different types were made of each. But of course the same jeweler (Michelsen) also made metal stars for private purchase before 1909 and actually the first official star was one of his popular types. So who can say if a star of this type is official? Sometimes you can take it apart and see a date on the inside but not always. And another question: The relatives to a deceased recipient normally receives a letter asking them to return the award. If they don't they must pay quite a large sum of money instead (but still less than it costs to make another award). But that means, that in theory some awards are 'bought free'. Now, can these still be claimed...? /Mike

Danish orders were (and still is) reclaimed very meticulously. In the early 1900s when the amount of awards had risen significantly and it proved more and more difficult to have them returned from foreigners (or rather their relatives...), it was decided that awards to foreigners should be made in silvergilt instead of gold. A matter of cutting the loss... /Mike

Posted this in another forum and would like to repeat it here (to keep the hopes up...): Chances are that the thieves are just plain stupid. Whenever a 'museum piece' of considerable value is stolen (be it medals, paintings, jewels etc) the theory of the 'evil collector' comes up, but according to authorities (at least here in Denmark) this is very rarely the case and is more a Hollywood thing... In 9 of 10 cases the thieves are just plain stupid and think that everything that glistens is gold and can be sold off easily. In the last couple of years we had the Order of the Elephant dies stolen and a targeted robbery for a Rembrandt painting from a museum. Both cases were solved and in both cased the thieves had absolutely no idea what they had stolen... /Mike

Ah, yes yes yes, I knew I had that mail somewhere Thanks again to you both by the way... I guess the Chinese order was given for his services as naval attach? by the viceroy of the Chinese province Chihli. A position he held 1903-08 (and I know for certain that he got it before 1910). He had retired from the Navy in 1903 (age) but after he returned to Denmark in 1908, he continued his career in the Navy and finally retired for good in 1918. /Mike

His name was Andreas August Kinch (1861-1929). He was a navy captain (last rank). Here is a picture of him wearing his orders (that Chinese Double Dragon order is HUUUUGE! ) Someone told me the ON award date, but sadly I can't remember who... Any help will - of course - be greatly appreciated /Mike

Sure. It's a small group, so the only other part I have is his miniatures. The Danish Order of Dannebrog was probably returned (as per regulations) and the Chinese Order of the Double Dragon (3. class, 3. grade) has - unfortunately - disappeared. He only received these 3 orders. /Mike

I recently acquired a partial group to a Danish captain (who among other things spent some years as a naval attach? for the viceroy of the Chinese province Chihli). Here is his Oranje-Nassau Knight Cross. It was awarded on 6. January 1900 (for yet unknown reasons...) Actually the picture doesn't do it justice - the gold parts are absolutely stunning!

The top one (Romanov) is worn from a black-orange-white striped ribbon. Don't know the other one. /Mike

Very nice to see your project taking shape (and at least the glue makes any - later - assumption that this is his original bar impossible...). Always good to see the orders in their 'natural surroundings' - even with a Japanese war flag as background /Mike

PM sent /Mike

I saw this in a local auction catalogue, and even if it isn't my collecting area, I'm always curious about unknown orders. The text in the catalogue only says "Bahalwalpur, enameled badge". Can anyone tell me what it is? Ed? And when was it awarded? Thanks, Mike

Great photo I think the text on the mirror is 'MOTOMURA?. If that is any help? /Mike

Peter Christian Schou was legation secretary in Petrograd from 1915 and in Washington from 1918. Then Danish general consul in Montreal from 1921, in Moscow from 1924, in Ankara and Athens from 1931, in Warsaw and Prague from 1934. He had to leave Poland after the German invasion and joined the Danish resistance group 'The Free Danes' as a protest against the collaboration policy by the Danish government. This is his list of awards (unfortunately not all awards or documents were in the box): Denmark, Order of Dannebrog (Commander)Denmark, Order of Dannebrog (Silver Merit Cross)Poland, Order of Polonia Restituta (grand Cross)Greece, Order of Phoenix (Grand Cross)Romania, Order of the Crown (Commander)Austria, Frantz Joseph Order (Commander)Austria, Red Cross Order (Offiziersehrenkreuz)Mecklenburg, Order of the Griffin (Knight w. crown)Japan, Order of the Rising Sun (Knight 1.class)Russia, Order of St. Anne (Knight)Denmark, Red Cross Medal for aiding prisoners of war 1914-19Turkey, Red Crescent medal (silver w. oakleaf)Prussia, Red Cross Medal (2. class)Prussia, Red Cross Medal (3. class)German 'denkm?nze'The 2 Prussian Red Cross medals were awarded on the same day, but he only wore the 2. class on his mounted bar. Interestingly, the Russian St. Anne knight cross was never mounted on the bar either... /Mike

Greetings all, I recently purchased a box of awards and documents to the same guy (will post more about this later). Among the various documents I found the one below, but I don't know what he was awarded...! My translation goes like this: In Anerkennung Ihrer hervorragenden Verdienste um die deutschen Kriegs- und Zivil-Gefangenen lasse ich Ihnen beifolgend eine Denkm?nze zugehen als ?usseres Zeichen der tiefempfundenen Dankbarkeit f?r die aufopfernde Liebest?tigkeit, die in der Erinnerung das deutschen Volkes unverg?ng- lich fortleben wird Berlin, den 7. Mai 1921 Der Reichspr?sident and in the lower right corner: ?ber den rechtm?ssigen Besitz der Denkm?nze ist diese Urkunde erteilt. Berlin, den 20. September 1921 Der Reichskommissar f?r Zivilgefangene und Fl?chtlinge. So what exactly is this 'Denkm?nze'? Does anyone have a picture? In the accompanying letter (in Danish) it is referred to as a 'commemorative medal'... Thanks in advance, Mike

Marvellous collection Is the white front something you can button-on if needed (it would make sense, I guess, cleaning-wise...)? I have sometimes seen other high-ranking officers with a similar type of uniform with and without a coloured front, and I have always been wondering if they were different uniforms or the same uniform with a separate button-on front. /Mike

Is that the same von F?rstenberg as in this thread: Egon Freiherr von F?rstenberg /Mike

Hello Henke, If this is a genuine "For bravery in the field" medal, I think it's quite valuable Is this (16 mm) the normal size of these medals? It seems a bit small-ish... /Mike

I believe it's the Serbian Medal for Zeal (silver - i.e. silvered bronze - version). /Mike

Here is a picture of my own Danish Chamberlain's Key from the 1746-1766 period (I just love the face below the monogram ) /Mike

Whoa! That's quite a price at eMedals... The one in my post was recently sold on eBay for 132 Euros ($180). Not to me though... To be fair, I think the price on eBay was very low. I guess the way of wearing them differed a bit from one country to another, but normally they were mounted on the belt (on the back). Some were mounted on simple pieces of ribbon (like the Danish one below), some - like the Austrian - were mounted in a more eye-pleasing way. Picture of the Austrian key is from Dorotheum. /Mike