Markus

Gabriel Bouffet 1850-1910 was an accomplished French official who finished his career as French Counselor of State. His awards: Knight, legion of Honor 1884 Officer, legion of Honor 1889 Commander, legion of Honor 1909 Commander, Nichan Iftikhar Grand Officer, Royal Order of Cambodia Grand Officer, Order of the Dragon , Annam Knight, Order of Christ, Portugal Knight, Order of Leopold, Belgium 2nd Class Order of Sacred Treasure, Japan 4th Class, Order of Civil Merit, Bulgaria Grand Officer, Order of the Lion and Sun. Persia

Definetly a Bertrand lion and sun. The Lemaitre is my favorite of this latest group posted! It is interesting that Lemaitre also skipped the green enamal rays of this breast star like they did in the earlier Lemaitre posted. Nick, you certainly are an industrialist phaleristic. Thanks for all your great contributions! Markus

It is a good thing that Wladimer Guedroitz is so rotund, giving ample space to display that massive medal collection! It looks like there are two lion and suns stacked right on top of each other. Thanks for posting! Markus

I will take my cheap small digital camera on that excursion just in case it is confiscated! The pricey camera stays in the hotel room.

That is exactly the site I had in mind! Must have been an officially sanctioned photo session. Already have some of these photos in my personal collection, but will not post any due to copy right notice. Incredible collection!

What a bummer! Thanks Mitya. Museums all differ immensely as to permitting photography. The Legion of Honour museum in Paris permits photography of all their beautiful order medals, so long as flash is not used. I have seen some photos of the lion and sun medals at the Topkapi palace on the internet before, so they must have been taken secretly. Markus

Nick, your posts are incredible! THANK YOU! Markus

Hi Mitya, Do you know if these Topkapi display Persian medals can be photographed in the museum? I am going to Istanbul to this museum at he end of August. Thanks for all your great posts! Markus

This is such a great thread and very informative. I have a maker's mark that I haven't been able to identify yet and could use some help. The marks are on a Boulanger Lion and Sun medal. Boulanger has outsourced some of their medals to other medal makers for manufacturing. It looks a lot like Lemaitre's mark, but the "E" looks pretty clear. The letters appear to be E and L. Any ideas? Jean-Chrispohe of http://www.phaleristic.com kindly identified this mark for me as Edmond LEMAITRE, this house is an old orders maker. Lemaitre bought BOULLANGER in 1920, and was finally absorbed by ARTHUS BERTRAND in1937. The mark is EL with a grenade with 4 flames in the centre. So there was an Edmond and a Gaston Lemaitre mark.

The maker marks on this medal appear to be the initials E and L. Does anybody have any ideas which French maker had this mark? Jean-Chrispohe of http://www.phaleristic.com/ kindly identified this mark for me as: Edmond LEMAITRE, this house is an old orders maker. Lemaitre bought BOULLANGER in 1920, and was finally absorbed by ARTHUS BERTRAND in1937. The mark is EL with a grenade with 4 flames in the centre. This mark was used between 1865 to 1905.

The back of the Boullanger medal.

Close up of the Boullanger medallion.

Here is a new addition to my collection courtesy of jkmilitaria.com . A beautiful Boullanger made 4th class for civilians Lion and Sun. It was thought that the Boullanger firm outsourced some of their medal manufacturing to other makers. This style is pretty distinctive with rays of gold foil showing through etched glass. There are two maker punch marks identified by Jean-Christophe, of http://www.phaleristic.com. The maker marks are for Edmond LEMAITRE, this house is an old orders maker. The mark is EL with a grenade with 4 flames in the centre. The Lemaitre enterprise was founded in 1785 by l. Boudier, jeweler. In 1836, it is headed by François Hippolyte Lemaître, and then in 1875 by his son, Edmond Lemaître. In 1905, the son of Gaston Lemaitre became the owner. In 1920, Lemaitre purchased the firm Boullanger. Became Lemaitre & Fills in 1922. Lemaitre & Cie in 1936. Purchased by Betrand in 1937. So Lemaitre was making medals for Boullanger before they acquired them.

Incredible portraits and medals! Thanks Nick!

Wow thanks Nick! Rare indeed!

The asking price is $5,750 or best offer. This is very reasonable for Najaf! However one's sense of beauty would have to be quite warped to appreciate this piece.

Thanks Nick! I saw that one on eBay as well being sold by Najafcoins. Dang that one sure is ugly compared to the other Aftab orders posted. The visage looks like it has a bad hangover and is subject to spousal abuse.

I think the badge was made specifically to be a sash badge and must have been accompanied by a breast star companion piece. As for the ribbon, since as we all know it must be red , must just be a bad dye job. :cheeky:

Cool medal Nick. Looks to be a variant of order-of-nishan-i-limi (order-of-arts-science).

Another first! The jeweler definetly took some artistic liberties! Thanks for posting the additional images. No other lion painting has come close to this one in style as well. Markus

Hi Mat, What a find that one was! It would be interesting to see the back of the medal. Try hitting more reply option button to get attachment buttons. British makers of Lion and Sun were very rare. Markus

The Russians had so many makers with some of the best jeweled Lion and Sun medals! I thought you were supposed to be the PR person for Russian made! I always eagerly await your fantastic posts Nick! The eccentric one of a kind nature and sun painting of Mat's medal remind me of this one in the Spada collection. Markus

Hi Mat, Thanks for sharing that unique lion and sun medal. The first one of its type I have ever seen! Eight rays is usually the number of points and rays on a 1st class breast star. On all the other Lion and Sun medals I have see the green rays are between the points and not following the point tip line. I agree with Nick in that it is European or Russian made. I suspect that it was a one of a kind made medal by a high end jeweler for the client. Is this piece in your collection? Do you know if the stones are glass or gem stones? An amazing piece! Markus

Owain, thanks for posting your beauties! All your lions are so unique and represent quite the range of artwork for the Lion & Sun order. I don't know if you are interested in restoring the rays to your military Lion and Sun or not. I have had great results with a restorer in England. See my post under preservation and restoration topics. Markus

What an incredible find! Great portrait loaded with medals and character! Thanks Nick! Markus