Some items I picked up in Rome last weekend

[Paul L Murphy]

Here are a few items I picked up in Rome over the weekend. The first is very nice Italian ribbon bar. Any help in identifying the blanks is appreciated as always. What I have is

Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Republic (pre 2001); Officer's 25 Year Service Cross

Unidentified; Silver Merit Medal of the Italian Red Cross; Donat's Cross of the Order of Malta;

Unidentified; Order of the Holy Sepulchre (not sure what class); Order of St Gregory (not sure what class)

[Paul L Murphy]

Next up a nice post WWII US Air Corps ribbon bar. I ned help with the last two ribbons. I presume the plane blue ribbon is n Italian AL Valore Militaire (given that I found it in Rome) but the final ribbon eludes identification. It is red with a brownwish centre stripe and what looks like a Belgian crown. Any ideas anyone ?

[Paul L Murphy]

Next up is a modern pair of Italian Army Engineering Corps metal collar badges. At EUR 4 for the pair I could not really say no.

[Guest IMHF]

Thank you for sharing

Lorenzo

[Paul R]

Paul,

Those are some awesome finds. I really like the US WW2 ribbon bar. I have never seen those last two ribbons on a US rack before. What was the Italian medal awarded for(criteria wise)?

[922F]

First group, second row unknown (black/blue strips with one star) may be the Italian Army long command medal.

First group, bottom row unknown (red w/white/gray side stripes and one crown) could represent a Yugoslav White Eagle officer. If so, given other context, it might likely be an King Peter exile award. Another award with similar ribbon is the Czech White Lion Order but stripes would be unquestionably white. Neither of these two, however, would customarily use a crown on ribbon distinctive device.

Second group, last place (red/black/red with crown) may be an ephemeral award. The color combination fits with the Congolese Order of Merit (1959) but a rosette, not a crown, would distinguish the officer grade. Belgium's Yser medal/cross --not a likely candidate here--has a similar ribbon too.

[Paul L Murphy]

Paul,

Those are some awesome finds. I really like the US WW2 ribbon bar. I have never seen those last two ribbons on a US rack before. What was the Italian medal awarded for(criteria wise)?

The Al Valore Militaire was a gallantry award, similar to the US Silver Star.

[Paul L Murphy]

First group, second row unknown (black/blue strips with one star) may be the Italian Army long command medal.

First group, bottom row unknown (red w/white/gray side stripes and one crown) could represent a Yugoslav White Eagle officer. If so, given other context, it might likely be an King Peter exile award.

Another award with similar ribbon is the Czech White Lion Order but stripes would be unquestionably white. Neither of these two, however, would customarily use a crown on ribbon distinctive device.

Second group, last place (red/black/red with crown) may be an ephemeral award. The color combination fits with the Congolese Order of Merit (1959) but a rosette, not a crown, would distinguish the officer grade. Belgium's Yser medal/cross --not a likely candidate here--has a similar ribbon too.

Many thanks for the comments, certainly food for thought. The first group bottom row ribbon is red and white, the colours are definitely white when see in reality rather than light grey. However the crown certainly throws me as well.

The last ribbon on the second group is still confusing. I doubt if a serving US airman would put an ephemeral award ribbon on his uniform, but you never know. The crown makes me think it is north European but I cannot place it.

:cheers:

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

All of them are Italian/Holy See:

Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Republic (pre 2001); Officer's 25 Year Service Cross

Medal for Meritorious Service in the State Police (15 yrs); Silver Merit Medal of the Italian Red Cross; Donat's Cross of the Order of Malta;

Order "Pro Merito Militense" of the Order of Malta (Commander); Order of the Holy Sepulchre (not sure what class); Order of St Gregory (Officer)

Judging from the classes, the ribbons must have belonged to a high-ranking commissioned police officer.

Edited February 16, 2011 by Lukasz Gaszewski

[TacHel]

I'm usually not into ribbon bars, but those are real stunners! Good for you, great acquisitions!

[Ulsterman]

Ywah- I'd be happy to have either or both in my collection.