Italy - Order of Merit/Republic good?

[P.F.]

Gentlemen,

I was thinking of purchasing this Italian neck order. Compared to others i have seen it looks very "shiney" but that could be the camera? I have never had one before nor held one in my hand.

These are the only pictures i have. It comes in a green case.

-What period is this one?

-Is it a good one?

Thank you for the help.

Kind regards

Pierce

[P.F.]

Case

[P.F.]

Close-up 1

[P.F.]

Close-up 2

[Tim Tezer]

Sorry for the late reply, but I just stumbled across this posting. The Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy was established in 1951. The design was changed completely a few years ago (2001, I think) to resemble the Kingdom-era Order of the Crown. The green case is correct, and judging by how "shiny" it is, I would say this is a later production piece, at least last quarter of the 20th century.

Tim

[922F]

Early [1951-late '60s] Italian Merit Order commander badges are usually made of gilded silver and usually so marked on the bottom edge of the lower cross arm or top cross arm edge. Cravat loops may also be marked. Special order ones, made at the honoree's expense, were available in 14 & 18 k gold & so marked in same places. Gold ones are very delicate and easily deformed. Rarely, a maker's mark will appear near the silver [gold] fineness mark. Later ones are usually made of bronze gilt and not maker marked. Your vendor should be able to tell you if this piece is marked.

Early cases [green] have the Italian arms in thin metal attached to the outer lid, later ones have it stamped in gilt like this one. Makers include Johnson, Cravanzola, & Ponzi all of Rome among others. Often the interior case lid has a gilt stamped maker's label. Your vendor should be able to tell you if the case is marked.

A relatively common decoration that appears not to be copied in the commander grade yet, the price ranges from US$145-$200 with case regardless whether silver or bronze gilt, maybe $300-$350 in gold. An uncased bronze gilt commander with miniature & lapel pin but no case sold at the OMSA convention for $140; a silver-gilt one with case & miniature but no lapel pin went for $170. Very poor copies of knight and officer badges exist; these may have the letter "C" on the reverse lower arm.

[Tim Tezer]

Great information! Thanks for that, 922F.

[Tim B]

Yes, thank you!

Good detailed information on authenitic items is good, but to also have some ideas what to watch out for is always a big plus!

Tim

[922F]

My pleasure. I should have noted 'Gardino, successor to Cravanzola, in Rome' rather than Cravanzola in Rome' among others, made first type insignia. Gardino took over Cravanzola's business before WW II--J.R. Jacob's book "Court Jewellers" has exact information. A couple of other makers including, in the 1950s, Alberti of Milan and, in the late 1990s, Guccione [mispelt but you get the idea] in Rome also come to mind. Presently, a U.S.A. eBay vendor offers a lst type Grand Cross set for about $1,000 & another has a star opening for about $400--though both stars are maker marked [and possibly have silver fineness marks], prices are too rich for my blood. You may want to look on Italian eBay for less expensive options.

Without access to the order statutes at present, I don't remember whether there is a regulation difference in the size of the stars relating to the grade [grand officer versus grand cross]. However, cased grand officer sets usually have a 75-80 mm diameter star and grand crosses an 85 mm. or slightly larger diameter star. I have seen a couple of grand cross badges that are larger than the commander size badge usually attached to sashes but do not know if that is statutory. Badges attached to collars are by statute commander size. Two different types of collar are reported but the statutes describe just one--the other type may be Johnson-made samples or a fantasy.

Tim is correct about the reason for the insignia change and approximate year of statute amendment but Tammann says that the statute changing the insignia format took effect in 2003. His beautiful Gardino made cased silver gilt GC set with hallmarked gold central badge and star five pointed stars did not sell at the 2008 UBS Geneva auction; the reserve price [including auction commission & delivery] was about $550.

For a while, the President of Italy website supplied information on the country's awards. I have not checked that recently.