? Simon Bolivar Breast Star #2 ?

[Linasl]

Greetings All.

Several weeks ago I posted what I was told was a "Simon Bolivar Breast Star," but what corrected on this forum and informed it was the "Venezuelan Order of the Liberator". You can see the post topic here:

http://gmic.co.uk/in...=0

I have just acquired a much older Breast Star that I call, for lack of a better term, anther "Simon Bolivar Breast Star". This one is different though in several significant ways:

a. it appears to be made of Silver;

b. it does not mention Venezuela - instead on the front in the banner it only says "15 DE ABRIL 1810" + "LIBERTAD" + "5 DE JULIO 1811":

c. the Coat of Arms on THIS Breast Star are the same, so I assume it is Venezuelan, but of much higher quality;

d. there is a punch/hallmark on the reverse in the shape of a curved rectangle (I tried to photograph it using a magnifying glass and with and without flash.

I have attached a low resolution photo to this post, but have higher resolution (with and without flash) photos on PhotoBucket at the following link:

http://s752.photobuc...t%20Medal%20n2/

I don't know much about South American Medals, so if you do recognize this Breast Star, I have several questions:

1. Does it appear to be authentic (I assume so)?

a. is it Silver?

2. If yes, around what time period was it issued?

3. For what (is) it issued - who can receive it?

4. In how many classes does (did) it come?

5. Do you recognize the mintmark?

6. Is it rare?

Any other information would also be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Take care. Linas

[volkssturm]

a good way to date this order is for the evolutions of the shield, sometimes the horse is runing to the right looking back, some other times he is running left and a few years later running right again, few years later he slow down and looked back while running right and so on, here is a page of the evolutions of the shield http://www.gobiernoenlinea.gob.ve/venezuela/perfil_evolucion_escudo.html if you can you may use babelfish to translate it, as far I could quickly read the shield your medal seems to be used from 1859 to 1863

The motto on the ribbons where also occasionally changed with time

hope it helps

cheers Linas

[heusy68]

Concerning the Order of Simon Bolivar (sometimes refered by some sources as Order of the Libertador, but it is the same) : The breast star with the head of Simon Bolivar in center is Grand Cross breast star, the breast star with Coat of Arms in center is the breast star of Grand Officer.

Since its institution this Order has been manufactured by a lot of manufacturer Halley,Kretly & Arthus Bertrand from Paris,I saw ounce a Grand Officer star by Wolfers of Bruxelles and also one by Van Weilijk. Plus there was a venezuelian manufacturer ,Gathams Caracas who manufactured them well,but it was 100 to 80 years ago. The much recent manufactured insignia by Meyer of New York are of bad quality.

I'am pretty sure manufacturer from Madrid made some,as also Rothe from Austria.

Emmanuel