Great Dane

Still a nice flea market find I guess this is how it was supposed to look like in all its beauty /Mike

You're not missing much in this case At the top it says "with up to 3 swords", then some codes for the colors (red and yellow) and at the bottom it says "made of gilt metal and red enamel". The reverse of the medal says "For Bravery" and "Armed Forces" (or "Defense"). /Mike

PM sent. /Mike

Hmm... so much for the good intentions... Sent an e-mail asking for payment options etc. They replied that they would send me an invoice (and send the book when the invoice was paid). That was the 25. June - never seen an invoice or anything... /Mike

Absolutely beautiful group But it kind of makes you wonder how to interpret 'numbers awarded' compared to how many are in circulation...? Does his Order of the Crown count as one or two...? /Mike

Yup, it sure is. The obverse showing the head of King Oscar II (1872-1907). /Mike

Very nice picture I did a little research... Danish Order of Dannebrog awarded 10. September 1894. Swedish Medal 'Litteris et Artibus' awarded 1894. Now, why was a navy commander awarded the 'Litteris et Artibus' medal normally used for actors, painters, writers etc.? Well, it turns out that Herman Gustaf af Sill?n was also a painter (naval themes) Can't help you with the Romanian Order of the Star though... /Mike

A small correction: Gabe = gift /Mike

Herr General, Does this card by any chance have a date? Anything on the back? /Mike

Jacky, You are correct that he must be Danish since he wears the Silver Merit Cross (the text under the photo is Danish as well). One small correction: The Dannebrog Silver Merit Cross could be awarded to anybody regardless of if they had received a grade of the Dannebrog order or not. After 1952 only recipients of the Dannebrog (i.e. Knights or higher) could receive the Silver Merit Cross. /Mike

Certainly a clerical person of a sort, recognizable by the collar. A bishop is a good guess since he is wearing the Grand Cross of the Dannebrog order (note that clerics wear the Grand Cross badge around the neck and not with a sash). /Mike

Hi Roeland, Search the GMIC forum for 'Stolen Valor Act'... /Mike

Hi Roeland, Don't know if this is of much help (but at least a starting point): Collections Online Note that it is similar but not 100% identical... /Mike

The last one seems to be the British Queen Victoria Jubilee Medal 1887 with 1897 bar. No. 4 looks Austrian... /Mike

I believe what you refer to is the socalled 'Flandernkreuz'. An unofficial award worn from a red-white-black ribbon. The legend on one side says "Zur See Unbesiegt Im Felde" and on the other "Marinekorps 1914/18" I would say that $80 is pretty much the going rate for these... /Mike

Skarpskytteforening = Sharpshooting association (or 'club' would be more precise in this context...) /Mike

Nice order That may have been the influence, but the fact is that the Dannebrog Silver Merit Cross ("Dannebrogsm?ndenes H?derstegn" in Danish or "Dannebrogstecknet" in Swedish) was never used - and was never intended to be used - as a long service award for NCOs and lower ranks. When the Swedish orders were abolished in 1974, I believe some are still awarded to foreigners? Which ones are they? /Mike

I was having the same doubts as Kim when I saw the sword and crown device... Could it be something from Schwarzburg? I believe they used the same colors... /Mike

Leibregiment? /Mike

Oh, I'm not an expert in these things but 'dyb' means 'deep' and 'vad' means a small river (is it 'creek' in US english?). /Mike

Yes, Dybwad (or Dybvad) is a normal Scandinavian name Probably used in Northern Germany as well (in the mixed Danish-German region)... /Mike

No, I can't think of any places that would have pictures of him (and believe me, I have been giving it a lot of thoughts...). I have never heard of a painting. One place you could try is 'Ordenskapitlet'. Any Knight (or higher) were invited to send a description of their life when the order was awarded. I don't know what the exact policy is concerning public inspection of these, but you can always try to ask - maybe he attached pictures to his description. The address is: Ordenskapitlet Christian VIIIs Pal? Amalienborg 1257 Copenhagen K /Mike

Singles were/are normally attached with a safety pin (i.e. not on a metal bar), so no loops would be necessary. But your guess is as good as mine... Yes, shifting the Crosses/Stars to the right side when a sash was worn does make sense... But still - out of curiosity - are there any more loops higher on that side? What about ones just covered by the 'fold over' (near the buttons)? /Mike

Hi Mark, I see your point, but instead of making a button hole in the last medal ribbon maybe he just mounted the last medal as a single. That way he could push the end of the medal bar under the button and do the same with the last ribbon. At least that is the way I would do it if I was wearing his medals I don't know how much attention you should give the uniform in the photo. Obviously it must be another uniform since yours doesn't have any loops where he's wearing the Dannebrog GC Star. Or am I wrong? Another thing that keeps 'irritating' me is the position of the loops down the right side - why are they placed so low? Why not between the upper buttons along the side? They look more like loops for Crosses/Stars, but that doesn't make much sense... Are you sure you found all the loops on your uniform? /Mike

Hinged crown and no balls on the tips of the cross arms usually means an old type. My guess would also be mid XIXth century. The really old ones had very small top crowns... /Mike