Royal Abu Bakar museum, Johor.

[Raz]

Here's some pics from my visit to the Royal Abu Bakar museum located inside the

Istana Besar (Grand palace) in Johor, Malaysia.

The building itself was completed in 1866 and in 1982 the doors were opened to the

public to showcase the collection of personal possessions of the Johor Royal family.

Much of the artifacts in the palace belonged to Sultan Abu Bakar who himself

was a friend of Queen Victoria. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order

of St. Michael and St. George.

Sultan Abu Bakar himself. The Star of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George

can be seen being worn on his left breast.

The Palalce:

Inside the humid throne room where the orders and decorations are kept.

Edited November 1, 2007 by Raz

[Raz]

Sorry for the bad quality but allegedly no photography was allowed inside the palace,

so these were taken when the coast was clear (ie when the dudes with he M16 weren't around).

If anyone wants to put a name to these awards and decorations please do so. There were some

labels but many of the decorations didn't have any descriptions.

Some of the ribbons of the decorations were badly faded and there were some signs of insect damage.

The museum conservators really need a royal kick in the arse!

Edited November 1, 2007 by Raz

[Raz]

More:

[Raz]

even more:

Edited November 1, 2007 by Raz

[Raz]

lastly...

The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George . I was glad to see this on display.

Edited November 1, 2007 by Raz

[922F]

Thanks for posting this! I last visited this palace about 5 years ago; you are quite correct vis-a-vis opposition to taking pictures! I didn't get any at all. Wouldn't be so bad if any sort of catalogue [illustrated ! even] existed.

There were more European [Franz Joseph, Iron Crown & Imperial Russian St. Anne? plus others] and Asian [Japanese Sacred Treasure & Hawaiian Crown Order especially] items on display then. Did you see any Dutch Orange Nassau insignia or Indonesian sultanate materials? I recall a jewelled Cambodian Royal Order commander badge as well. In discussion with an "assistant curator", I hinted about insect and sunlight damage and mentioned that several sashes had been wrongly attached to badges but see those concerns were ignored. At least the enamels do not appear to have suffered additional damage!

[Hugh]

Thanks for posting these; terrific pictures under the circumstances.

To think I lived across the Causeway from these for 7 years and never got over to see them !

[Ed_Haynes]

Very nice, thanks for these!

[Raz]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Those were the only decorations they had on display today.

This was the only decoration I did see with major enamel problems.

They had other fantastic items in the other sections of the palace, daggers, samurai swords, stuffed tigers,

but there were too many museum staff around to risk a pic and possible erasure of my memory stick.

Edited November 1, 2007 by Raz

[Ed_Haynes]

Yes, that Order of St. Michael and St. George has been worn a great deal. While jumping on a trampoline?

But many of these pre-WWI badges (as this seems to be) had pretty fragile enamel.

[Carol I]

If anyone wants to put a name to these awards and decorations please do so.

To the left there is the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Romania on a wrong ribbon. The correct ribbon is probably the one below (if I guessed the faded colours right).

[Raz]

Thanks for that Carol.

Can anyone see any other errors?

[James Hoard]

Wonderful set of pictures and thanks for posting.

Herewith, my stab at identification:

Darjah Kerabat Sri Indira Mahkota Pahang Yang Amat di-Hormati (the Most Esteemed

Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang), First class or DK I.

Darjah Kerabat Selangor Yang Amat di-Hormati (the Most Esteemed Royal Family

Order of Selangor), First class or DK I.

Darjah Kerabat di-Raja Yang Amat di-Hormati (the Most Esteemed Royal Family

Order of Perak), Second class (??) DK II.

Darjah Kerabat Yang Amat di-Hormati or, Bintang al-Yunusi (The Most Esteemed

Family Order of Kelantan or, the Star of Yunus), DK.

Darjah Utama Kerabat di-Raja Trengganu Yang Amat di-Hormati (the Most Esteemed

Special Royal Family Order of Trengganu), DKT.

[James Hoard]

Further identifications

The Most Esteemed Special Royal Family Order of Trengganu (Darjah Utama Kerabat

di-Raja Terengganu Yang Amat di-Hormati), DKT.

Darjah Kerabat Yang Amat di-Homati (the Most Esteemed Family Order of Brunei),

now the Second Class DK II.

KBE breast star, type II (left) and the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand (Mongkut Siam), Knight Grand Cross, sash badge on incorrect sash

ribbon.

The Most Esteemed Family Order of Johore (Darjah Kerabat Johor Yang Amat

di-Hormati), Grand Commander, DK

GBE breast star (type I) (top left), KBE neck badge (type I) (top right).

GBE sash badge (type II) (bottom far left), KBE breast star (type I) (bottom left), the Most Exalted Order or the White Elephant (Moha Wahra Bohru) Knight Commander neck badge (bottom right) and breast star (bottom far right)

[James Hoard]

A few more identifications, where possible.

The Most Illustrious Order of the Crown of Johore (Darjah Mahkota Johor Yang

Amat Mulia). Knight Grand Companion SPMJ

Top row, left to right: The Most Esteemed Family Order of Johore (Darjah Kerabat

Johor Yang Amat di-Hormati) first class (1) and second class (2), The Most

Illustrious Order of the Crown of Johore (Darjah Mahkota Johor Yang Amat Mulia)

first class (3) and third class (4), Sultan Abu Bakar Medal (Pingat Abu Bakar

Sultan) first class (5) and second class (6), King George V Silver Jubilee Medal on wrong ribbon (7) and King George VI Coronation Medal (8).

Second row, left to right: The Most Esteemed Family Order of Johore (Darjah Kerabat

Johor Yang Amat di-Hormati) first class (1) and second class (2), The Most

Illustrious Order of the Crown of Johore (Darjah Mahkota Johor Yang Amat Mulia)

first class (3) and third class (4), Sultan Abu Bakar Medal (Pingat Abu Bakar

Sultan) first class (5), unknown (6), King George V Silver Jubilee Medal on wrong ribbon (7) and King George VI Coronation Medal (8).

Nishan-i-Osmanieh (the Imperial Order of the Osmans) 1st class of Turkey, breast

star and sash badge.

[James Hoard]

A few more IDS

GCMG breast star on incorrect sash ribbon (left) and the Order of the Rising Sun of Japan, First class, breast star and sash badge (right)

The Order of the Dragon of Annam, Grand Cordon, breast star and sash badge (left) and the Royal Order of Cambodia, Grand Cordon, breast star and sash badge (right)

Bottom far left: the Imperial Order of the Double Dragon of China, First class, First grade - sash with the Prince of Wales's Gold Medal incorrectly in the place of the sash badge (the actual sash badge is shown bottom far right).Top: GCMG breast star with KCSI breast star

immediately below.Top far right: the Most Noble Order of Kamehameha I (Kamehameha I e Hookanaka), Knight Grand Cross breast star.

Top far left: the Most Noble Order of Kamehameha I (Kamehameha I e Hookanaka), Knight Grand Cross sash badge.

Top far right: the Order of the Crown of Italy, Grand Cross breast star.

Bottom: the Order of the Crown of Italy, badges of a Commander and Knight Grand Cross either side of a Grand Cross sash ribbon.

[Raz]

Thanks James :-)

[James Hoard]

Thanks James :-)

My pleasure.

However, I do need to make one correction:

This has been incorrectly labelled. It should be the Most Illustrious Order of

the Crown of Kelantan, or the Star of Muhammad (Darjah Kebesaran Mahkota

Kelantan Yang Amat Mulia, Bintang al-Muhammadi): Knight Grand Commander or Dato'

Sri Paduka-SPMK, collar, sash and breast star.

[Yed]

Darjah Kerabat Perak (1st class)

[Yed]

DK Perak (old version)

DK Perak (new version)

[Yed]

Sultan Sir Abu Bakar

[peter monahan]

Yed

Welcome to the GMIC!

Thank you for bringing this thread to the top of the list again with your post. I'd forgotten how lovely some of the orders and groups in that museum are. Is it in your home town or did you have to travel?

Peter

[Yed]

Yed

Welcome to the GMIC!

Thank you for bringing this thread to the top of the list again with your post. I'd forgotten how lovely some of the orders and groups in that museum are. Is it in your home town or did you have to travel?

Peter

Hi..

Thank you and glad to be part of GMIC..

Sorry for the late reply as I was busy with work.

Yes the museum is in my hometown (located in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia)

The museum (is actually the Grand Palace = Istana Besar) is under renovation now as our new King/Sultan will be crowned this year probably in May 2014.

[Yed]

Sultan Sir Ibrahim of Johor (1873-1959) with his daughter Princess Mariam

About the medals can be read in my blog

http://johordihatiku-ahmad.blogspot.com/2013/12/almarhum-sultan-sir-ibrahim-dan-darjah.html

Edited January 17, 2014 by Yed

[Yed]

The late Dato' Abdul Hamid Yusof - 5th Chief Minister of Johor (Menteri Besar Johor)