Markus

Very nice Nick. The second medal, breaststar with wreath ornament, is the first time I have seen this type of workmanship. Very unique and a real beauty! Thanks for posting these. Markus

Thanks Paul. Yes I was pleased with the repairs. Now I will no longer pass on some of the medals that are missing enamel, knowing it an be repaired. Markus

Hi New World. On these lion and sun medals he charged 75 euros per medal for restoration. I imagine that it all depends on the amount of enamel missing that needs restoration that determines the cost. He is pretty responsive if you send him a photo via email for an estimate. Markus

Back of the medal.

A close up of the medallion.

This is a type Lion and Sun medal very seldom seen that I purchased from the Netherlands. It seems like the others of this type were also in Netherlands auctions. Quite a large faced lion with attitude. There is a silver mark of a wild boar indicating French made. Finely pierced with no maker marks looking like late 1800's manufacture period. This is an early Bertrand made Lion and Sun based on set seen in auction with identical medallion painting that was marked with makers mark.

Yes they were in your bling bling thread on Persian Lion and suns: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/53958-bling-lion-and-sun-orders/ Initially they were in a European auction and now are resting in Najafcoins site marked up triple from the auction hammer prices. Najaf lists them as having mine cut diamonds. The photo with the red velvet background must have been taken from the first auction of them.

This is a nice grouping of Persian Lion and Sun medals with jewels that I found on a Spanish Medal Forum. No mention as to where the collection picture came from but must be a museum or a very wealthy collector.

Thanks Nick! Appears to be of Austrian or Russian make.

Hi Gavin, Yes the Boulanger and Wolfers are also at the top of my list for the most beautiful medallion paintings. As far as I know the specification's of the Lion and Sun orders were detailed in sizing of the orders but I have found deviation in the sizing of the Commander badges. The specs on the size in the 3rd class state a 7.0 CM diameter of the badge, which the Boulanger 3rd class meets exactly, but most of the others I have seen are smaller in size. Third class: a six-rayed star in cut silver with sharp Gothic points; the rays grouped in fives; the groups separated by small plain rays enameled in green. In the centre, a round gold disk bearing an image of a lion facing left, all enameled in natural colors. In the background and arising from the horizon, an image of the sun in splendor, bearing a male face, enameled in white, and surrounded by narrow rays. The disk garlanded by a single circlet in silver with half ball finials. Attached to the top of the star, a sunburst in cut silver, issuing from a single half ball finial representing the sun. The sunburst is attached to a vertical suspension loop in cut silver. The diameter between the furthest points of the star measures 7.0 cm. The third class is suspended from the ribbon, around the neck.

Close up of the medallion.

This is the Boulanger 3rd class badge next to a Boulanger 2nd class breast star showing the exceptionally large size of the 3rd class badge.

The address on the makers plate is 24 Rue de La Paix which was Boulangers address from 1896-1910 time frame.

The Boulanger medals are exceptionally well made. It is also larger than many other commander badges of the same class. The medallion is painted on glass with gold foil showing through the back.

A stamp and signature on the back of the Firman document.

A Boulanger (French made) 3rd Class Lion and Sun medal with original Firman award document. The award document is dated 1907.

This is Belgian Lieutenant General Gustave Fivé with a Persian order of Lion and Sun and a Chinese Double Dragon Order. http://www.ars-moriendi.be/FIVE.HTM

This is Lieutenant General Benjamin Ceulmans, a Belgian officer awarded a Persian Lion and Sun medal in 1902. From a really nice Belgian web site with lots of military photos:http://www.ars-moriendi.be/

Hey Nick, Another excellent thread! These Republican uniforms and order medals are just incredible! Thanks for all this great history and eye candy. Markus

Thank You Nick for creating such a great site! GMIC has really helped collectors world wide in creating a incredible knowledge base on ODM and has multiplied the enjoyment level of this hobby for many. Markus

Remember this beautiful Aftab set up for auction ( posts #15 and #16 in this thread )? Hammered at 65,000 Euros! So adding commission fee on top of that would make this Aftab set over 103,000 US. Dollars. I would take the red Italian sports car instead. :P

What beautiful Double Dragon stars! Thanks Nick & Gavin for such a nice thread. There certainly was a lot of variation in the different maker versions of this order. Gavin I think your medal marks will remain a mystery in that they are so abstract. Such great eye candy! Markus

This is the second medal I had repaired, a Persian made Lion and Sun with pretty rough green rays. Very pleased with the repairs. The repair specialist is Barry Sheppard in the UK, His email is watatutu@gmail.com. I can give the highest recommendation for his excellent work. It is best to email him a photo of the medal for an estimate of repairs.

Received some repaired medals back today from an enamel repair specialist. Initially I had some trepidation in sending these medals out to be repaired and was worried that the repair quality wouldn't match the original enamels. The medals had missing green enamel on the rays and that tended to glare out as faults. I am very pleased with the outcome of the repairs and am very happy that I took the jump. The repairs match the original enamels and it is impossible to tell which rays have been worked on. The repair specialist is Barry Sheppard in the UK, His email is watatutu@gmail.com. I can give the highest recommendation for his excellent work. It is best to email him a photo of the medal for an estimate of repairs.

This is the other medal I had repaired. The green enamels were in pretty bad shape.