Bayoswede Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Well its a little off topic but it is a bar with a EK II and a Vet org medal so not complete off maybe But the thrill here is the 3rd and last medal on the bar a Bulgarian medal of merit, it looks like it is a Gold medal???? Theese are extemely rare and only about 67 have been awarded and only the people who before had the highest possible order from Royal Bulgaria. And this soldier/officer?? With only a EK II no long service , no other high awards and a post war vet medal?? I thought it must wrong it could?t be a gold medal after all. So I didn?t bought it, now did I do the right thing or???? sellers pics : Christer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Lovely Godet bar with their trademark "license plate" tag.I have NEVER seen the gold class Merit Medal with Crown before. It's on a peacetime ribbon, so most likely for some sort of war merit. God knows what rank "NCO" got it. I have never seen one before to even GUESS. As you say, no long service cross, so somebody with that sort of rank, "for war's duration?" A Beamter of some kind? The highest Bulgarian medal you are thinking about is what this Colonel is wearing in 3rd place:So: EXCEPTIONALLY nice medal bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saschaw Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 It looks gilt but some people let their bronce decoration gilt to look better. May this be the case here?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I've never seen a bronze class that was not CHOCOLATE colored Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saschaw Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Me neither, not of those - but many other things. Would the combination make sense withe a Golden one? I'd wonder, but don't know ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
922F Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Tend to agree with Saschaw and, yes, gilded Bulgarian medal "embellishments" are not unknown, especially in "foreign" groups. Besides merit medals, gilded examples of apparently lower classes include bronze-gilt Bourgas Railway medals {awarded "gold" ones were in gold}, 1893 bronze-gilt marriage medals {awarded "gold" ones were either gold or silver gilt} and 1908 proclaimation of kingdom crosses {only statutory metal is bronze}. It is true that Ferdinand in Coburg exile "arranged" Boris type Bulgar awards for "deserving persons". He continued to hand out his 25th reign anniversary medals {apparently without reference to Sofia} and may have presented merit medals bearing his effigy as well. Besides residence servants and Coburg hangers-on, some of Ferdinand's boytoys would be likely suspects for who knows what grade of his merit medals. Bayoswede is correct in the total "official" number of awards of the golden merit medal with crown to Bulgarians, according to both Petrov and Denkov. Petrov and Denkov searched Bulgarian War and Foreign Ministry and Royal Court archives in attempts to find the number awarded to foreigners without success to date. I'd guess at a relatively small number of such awards. According to original statute, gold merit medals {with and without crown} were made in gold. Silver gilt & bronze gilt examples are generally thought to be fakes {gilded lower classes}. When this group appeared on eBay, my initial reaction was that the medal had been gilded and the selling price seems to reflect that thought. Given the other items on the bar, that conclusion appeared rational. For that reason alone, it probably is an actual gold example!! The Bulgarian Order of Merit, usually called the "Pour le Merite", is the 3rd award in Rick's picture. Quite rare in gold and generally of approximately equal rank to a Military Merit Order Grand Cross in that metal. In silver, about equal to a St. Alexander Knight without crown. This officer's example seems to be on the war time ribbon--same ribbon as Rick's merit medals posted above. This Order could also be awarded on the St. Alexander ribbon for civil services, like the merit medal example in Bayoswede's picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccj Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Lovely Godet bar with their trademark "license plate" tag.I have NEVER seen the gold class Merit Medal with Crown before. It's on a peacetime ribbon, so most likely for some sort of war merit. God knows what rank "NCO" got it. I have never seen one before to even GUESS. As you say, no long service cross, so somebody with that sort of rank, "for war's duration?" A Beamter of some kind? The highest Bulgarian medal you are thinking about is what this Colonel is wearing in 3rd place:So: EXCEPTIONALLY nice medal bar. A very nice photo of a Bulgarian officer. Rare to find photos of Bulgarians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Card Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Gentlemen,I posted this bar last week on the ?Medalbars showing Dutch Awards?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Card Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 (edited) For reference, here is a close-up of the Bulgarian medal.Regards,Wild Card Edited March 25, 2008 by Wild Card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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