paja

Civil Merit Medal offered by previously mentioned seller from Greece: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1900s-Serbia-Medal-Civil-Merit-/321673157303?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae536dab7 Looks like Huguenin piece but in my opinion FAKE! As the time passes things are getting worse and worse.

To be honest this is the first time I see copy of that quality... Some details did look suspicious but it could have fooled me, thanks for heads-up. Here's one usual low-quality replica. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-95674800-1424528615.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-29874600-1424528617.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-73320500-1424528618.jpg

Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing photo of your amazing collection with us! Apart from the cloth perhaps being replaced on some of them and one missing P2 everything else seems to be in order. To me the most obvious detail that right away tells me if the emblem is fake is monogram.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-19245800-1424527637.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-36670600-1424527639.jpg

One more piece with different ribbon. White lines are obviously thinner and more apart. Apart from that the ribbon itself is about 2 mm wider. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-52734900-1424527341.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-18126600-1424527343.jpg

One more 1st type from recent auction. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-30152100-1424385186.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-11527800-1424385188.jpg

Color of enamel on the red star seems to be too bright.

Once again thank you! I know next to nothing when it comes to Greek decorations.

By the way colleague of ours today sent me a link to ebay auction for one golden parachute badge! To me personally your badge has nicer details than that one, maybe because of photo or light... http://www.ebay.com/itm/YUGOSLAVIA-18K-GOLD-PARACHUTE-JUMP-INSTRUCTOR-WING-BADGE-AIRBORNE-HALO-PARA-/191515107872?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c9730a220 I saw before badge with two hallmarks on the bottom and one on the upper part of the reverse, I think it was posted on one of the ex-Yu forums.

Golden badge of the parachute instructor was instituted in 1984 and according to information I found it was awarded to parachute instructors that fulfilled the following terms: -15 years of effective parachute service as parachute instructor or parachute instructor 1st class -at least 400 jumps of which: 50 night jumps, 40 training-operational jumps during tactical exercises, 100 free-fall or 150 jumps with stabilization -that while performing duty no protective measures were imposed upon him Badge was to be awarded on May 21st (Air Force day) and October 14th (Paratroopers day) by commander of Air Force and Air Defense. About the "regular" parachute instructor badges, I never understood why would their back side be gilded. Apart from parachute badges I've seen only badges of specialists like that, and all of them were "shinny". I don't see any logic in that, for example I've seen dozens of pilot badges, held many of them in hands, not a single one of them had gilded back side. Also I don't have Official military gazette on me right now, but I saw someone posted scans of it somewhere and if I remember well that matter is not regulated...

Thank you for kind words and encouragement. I am very pleased to hear you think that way and I can promise on my behalf that I will do my best to point out fakes I notice in the future. I would also like to thank everyone else who posted helpful information on GMIC and spoke about fakes publicly. When it comes to royal, Äetnik and WW2 related militaria my biggest thanks goes to Lightfoot and Emanuel.

Thanks for photos, very nice collection, my congrats! So if I understood well there's practically no difference between decorations from those two periods. Is it known from which period are decorations made by Mappin & Webb?

I was just wondering is there a way to tell difference between 1915 and 1935 type?

Those two images are so far the best ones that I could find. Close-up of the order itself. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-77282900-1424102895.jpg

Order of the White Eagle with Swords 1st class awarded to chief of the general staff Ljubiša Diković (Љубиша Диковић). I believe he is the first recipient of 1st class order. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-95856900-1424102824.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-12268000-1424102822.jpg

Decorations awarded on the occasion of Serbia's Statehood Day (February 15). http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-93646300-1424102297.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-07122400-1424102308.jpg

I really don't know what to think about those two. Details are very poor, they have that "cheap" look, quality of the wreath and eagle are nowhere near yours,"enamel" is different, take a look at the handles of the sabers...

What about these two? Parachute instructor and 2nd class parachute instructor. Take a good look at the coats of arms and hallmarks. http://www.emedals.com/collectors-gallery/europe/yugoslavia-republic/badges/army/para-instructor-s-badge http://www.emedals.com/highlighted-offerings/europe/yugoslavia-republic/badges/air-force/a-yugoslavian-paratrooper-s-badge-eu8391 What's the deal with the gilded back sides? Are there any original pieces like that?

Linkovi ka aukcijma gde sam pronašao fotografije. http://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-Yugoslavia-Chetnik-badge-Serbia-/321636290583?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae3045017&nma=true&si=u090e01oMMm8iXXLUyLaaL8awMU%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 http://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-Yugoslavia-Chetnik-badge-/321636290075?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae3044e1b&nma=true&si=u090e01oMMm8iXXLUyLaaL8awMU%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Again many thanks for photos of original emblem. Is there any other difference between SDK and SDS emblems apart from the color of the cloth?

Thanks, as always most useful! That lot appeared in 2012. and all 5 were sold for around 150 euros which would in my opinion be more than excellent price if they were original. If I remember well the seller wrote in description that they were found at some old lady's home or something like that. What's interesting is that just couple of months later same seller sold one more for almost 100 euros. So 5 for 150, 1 for 100...

One more, Ministry of Defense insignia, similar (lower) quality. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-46237000-1423920992.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-87035100-1423920998.jpg

Illustration from the Armed Forces of Serbia website.

Thanks for photo, here's one more from some of the auctions sites, obviously lower quality, sample, different producer, fake even? http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-67313200-1423920533.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-7937-0-24308800-1423920540.jpg

And what about the type from posts #211 and #212? Thanks for sharing those articles!