Markus

A Zanzibar, Order of the Brilliant Star, Sultan Khalife (I) bin Said type (1888-90), Star, 85mm, by Haley maker, Paris. Love the look of this toughra, made of raised gold metal with inlayed red enamel surround.

Thanks Paul & Ulsterman! Managed to receive my medals after convincing customs that the Persian medals had European makers. Learned valuable lessons on importing medals. Next time I will give the info for invoice included in package. Markus

It has come to my attention recently that the US Customs office has a strict import ban on anything Iranian. The medals in my shipment from a European dealer were very old Persia Lion and Sun medals made by European makers, but the dealer had listed Iran medals on the commercial invoice and that stopped the import dead In the water, held by customs. Hope I can resolve this situation. The FedX agent said even persian antiques that were made many years ago are banned from import. So buyers of Persian/ Iranian medals beware of import ban!

A Halley made 3rd class Lion and Sun military division. A very early made piece with incredible medallion painting. Recently up for auction at Galerie Numismatique.

A French made 2nd class breast star with stars affixed between the rays. Generally a style used before 1872. The painting looks very much like an earlier Halley made breast star posted.

Although this is technically an order of Nishan-i-Agdas, I am posting it here in the Lion and Sun section, since the medallion art relates. Recently up for sale in the French Auction house Beaussant Lefévre. A very Early Kretly made piece.

A Bertrand made Lion and Sun order, 2nd class Breast star. This is the typical later time period painting seen on Bertrand Lion and Sun medals.

A Chobillion French made 4th class Lion and Sun medal recently in the Dorotheum auction.

A Russian made 4th class badge missing suspension. Hallmarked on the back with NP for Nikols Plinke and St. Petersburg hallmark. Recently in the Dorotheum auction.

A Vinc Meyers & Sonne 4th class Austrian made Lion and Sun recently in Dorotheum auction. I love the Austrian paintings, so different and unique.

A Russian made 3rd class Lion and Sun with St. Petersburg hallmark.

A French made (has french silver hallmarks) Breast Star 1st class recently at auction.

An early unique Military Lion and Sun from Dorotheum auction house

This is an early military class, Persian made Lion and Sun from a recent Dorotheum auction.

A 1st class Russian made Lion and Sun Breast star of military class, recently up for auction at La Galerie Numismatique auction. The medal was made by Dmitri Ivanovich of ST. Petersburg Russia before 1899. An interesting piece that has red rays and a red sash badge that seems to frequently occur with Russian made Lion and Sun orders.

This is the 3rd class sash badge included in the set.

This is a beautiful Bertrand made Grand Cross Lion and Sun set in original case that has an early hand painted "Fat Cat Lion" medallion. Galerie Numastique was the auctioneer. The set has a 1st class Breast star and a 3rd class sash badge. The later made Bertrands Lion and Sun medals look quite different.

For the Ethiopian fans, militaria agent posted quite a few medals up for sale this month. https://www.militaria-agent.com/cgi-bin/custom/suche.pl?datei=&blockno=1&blocksize=50&beding=Ethiopia&sprache= Markus

Hi Irish Gunner, The back of the Kaiser Family postcard is rather domestic, " The Warmest Wishes for you and your family from your friend, always Emmy" sent from Berlin to Buenos Aires Argentina. The other two just have Virginia Gutierres name on the back, so all these seem to have been sent by the same person.

The 3rd postcard is of Kronprinz Wilhelm.

The second postcard is of Prinz Ernest August (Herzog zu Braunschweig und Lüneburg) with Prinsessin Victoria Luise ( Von Preussen).

This is not my area of expertise, so I don't know if this section of the forum has any interest in picture postcards of the Kaiser era or how common these items are. Going through some of my old photo postcards I tripped across them. This first postcard is a photo collage of the Kaiser family, sent from Berlin on 3/23/1914.

Now that is a beautiful face and high quality workmanship! LOL!

This is the later type Bertrand Lion and Sun and can be seen in enamel painted style and glass with gold foil type paintings. The second image is Gavin's beautiful Bertrand enamel painted lion and sun. The gold foil type seems to be the most frequently seen and Gavin's style Lion and Sun i have seen only one time.

I am very happy to have confirmed the maker of one type of Lion and Sun that has been puzzling for a while. Remember this fat cat Lion and Sun that is very distinctive, that was posted by me earlier in this thread? It is a early Bertrand Lion and Sun. I confirmed this finding a marked set in an auction with the identical style lion and Sun. The later types of Bertrand are also unique in terms of Lion and Sun paintings. This is the early Bertrand Lion and sun painting.