OvBacon

I agree that Bulgarian awards and orders are very handsome and have an appeal. I would never say that any bravery award is not "prestigious" because they are. Not all bravery awards from different countries are valued as much and some are more popular to collect and others might be prettier or uglier. There are bravery awards that are extremely rarely given and there are ones that are handed out for less than real bravery but I believe they all matter and all have some interesting history and stories to them. 

But I love these...  

I would urge you to post clearer images and an image of the back screwed off

I probably don't actually have anything useful to add to this thread but hell, I'll still add it. I love the EK because of it's elegant simplicity and I think it is one of the reasons it's image has kept a fascination even in modern society. I have 4 EK's but they are all of way simpler minds and less costly because as a business owner I can not rationalize spending to much on a "hobby" sadly. 

But to the point... the above is probably the most elegant fastening system I've ever seen on an EK. I did not know the maker or the sheer beauty of the "back" of this type of EK1. So thank you guys for showing that not only the front is stunning but that sometimes the back is even better.

It is really sad but we know it will always happen when people can make more money breaking things apart instead of leaving them together.... Even pretty honorable sellers will sell medals from one person separately... or sell mini's separate from their big brothers. 

It sucks but all we can do is try to reunite things and tell the accurate story of its history.

Does the person swearing it is original know what it is for?.... if not they clearly should not be swearing on anything. 

looks like a French silver hallmark on the suspension.

Looking at the top hatches in combination with the whole tank image I would also say it is a T-26

31 minutes ago, RedNoseScout said:

Hey Claudius.  What do u know of the L19 sinking?  I see u like WW1 German Tsiango. Do u collection uniforms?  Man-cave displays w all original minty badges?  How about an airman’s near mint silk-cloth naval officer’s  summer tunic  w officers hat belt epaulettes pants and all buttons and best part custom-made by Tsiango tailors w provenance?  I’ll have to learn how to start a new thread and do private emails.  My first time posting was today.  I see u like group sets. How many zeppelin commander r out there - 6 not in museums?  Super rarified air.   Carsten has one maybe 2.   He’s definitely has at least one PLM group set.  I avoided 2 major mistakes because of his help.   If u like group sets have u heard of Zep Commanders Frey, or Dietrich - who also headed the Ju bomber program in WW2?  Do u collect plm group sets?  Those I am told r at the top food chain.   I appreciate ur interest and will figure out how to start a new thread here.  

Without intending any insult or malice I would ask of you to put down the coffee and use some breaklines in your posts. like this...

Here is the next line which makes it so much easier on our old eyes and it makes it easier to see a next question or subject.

Keep posting but make it easier for everyone to read.

I think it would be helpful to see the back.

From the two holes I assume it is supposed to be sewed on something.

It could easily be some  sort of hunting badge as well but since oak leaves are so widely used it will be hard to narrow it down unless someone recognizes it.

I've been searching for something similar and have yet to come up with something. 

You might look into how people deal with old fur coats... There are many people that collect or reuse old coats or family heirloom.

I did a quick google search for "how to clean an old fur coat" and there seem to be many decent sites with suggestions.

I'm pretty sure it is gilded bronze

I'm just curious about the huge amounts of  items you ask identification for. Are you running a shop? The things you seem to have are of such a wide variety and yet you seem to have very limited knowledge or interest in specific areas. I'm curious if you are just asking for info so you can resell items at a better price.

12 hours ago, saxcob said:

He is wearing the order of St. Olav.

The first image was more an indicator of Fallières not necessarily taking his predecessors protocol of wearing the LD very seriously.... What is really interesting is the order in the second image as it is the same order that  Laurentius asked about. I know the Militaire Willems-Orde was awarded to some statesmen but I was unaware that Wilhelm II was the last to receive it (btw it was 8 September 1889). 

Here he can be seen wearing another order that is not the Legion D'Honneur. Maybe he wasn't so precise in his choices of bling

This photo is from that same visit in 1911. 

He would have had to wear the highest Dutch order he had received when visiting the Netherlands officially. When for instance the Dutch Royal family visits the UK they will be wearing a British order and not a Dutch. It looks more like a order of William  

Agreed... It is so good to see that it is still possible for people to get recognition for doing something for others and not for themselves. 

3 hours ago, 922F said:

Jacob's Court Jewellers suggests 46 Galerie Montpensier, Palais-Royal, Paris address from 1888.

It was used prior to 1880 and into at least 1925

I do like the award... It looks nice and so as long as you didn't pay an arm and a leg I would think you did a nice purchase and have a handsome cross in your collection. 

I have a hard time distinguishing any camo from the dotted stains on the whole photo. So it might be that there isn't really any camo but that the photo is damaged or that any existing camo looks different because of it. 

As far as I can tell it really is an organization that bears some resemblance to trade unions. And so I assume this is an award to members of the union that have performed special service to the group. You can always look up "Les sociétés de secours mutuel" 

I was able to find the Belgian organization in the state papers of 1952 and it translates as an organization for mutual aid/support. 

It is French and there is a Belgian equivalent that does have a crown.

from the document I would say it was handed out in 1964 but as shown the diploma does not belong to the cross.

and from some really rapid googling I found multiple knights crosses for around 15-20 Euro

I'm curious what makes you believe this is a U-Boat emblem.

But as far as I know only U-483 had an emblem showing a white elephant on a red shield bus as there is no image of it it would be near impossible to determine if this is it and then if it is an originally worn device. 

4 hours ago, heusy68 said:

Hello Gentlemen,

Nowhere in the Luxembourg legal text concerning award, there is a mention of swords crossed above center of a breast star. In the german, romanian, & bulgarian system, it would indicates an award to a military in peace time. But no such things exist in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. 

Obviously the breast star is guenuine , but typical manufacture from Arthus Bertrand. 

We can assume that this breast star is a "freak" as Ernst Blass had had manufactured items that never existed, in the purpose to deceive collectors. 

I remember having seen this star at the time of the auction, better if no body has bought it.

Regards.

     Emmanuel

Out of curiosity.... how would we be certain the star is genuine and not just a genuine breast star where someone added swords that were never there. If swords on top is not a "legal" version within this order my assumption would be added later to enhance value or to get credit for services not rendered or I could see that a jeweler/producer created the star that did not have the tools to make it and made it in a non confirmative fashion. 

What I find interesting about this photo is that there are 24 medals awarded to men and only 3 to women. This is an image a town-hall where the major is awarding medals during the annual "ribbon rain" where Dutch some citizens receive medals for public service etc...