Persia - Order of the Lion and the Sun

[JapanX]

100% Persian Lion with very interesting card alongside ;)

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

[drclaw]

Wow! I've never seen these in their original case before.

The case appears very similar to the late Ottoman Order of Medjidies.

[JapanX]

The box looks very much like typical box made by Saniolmamalek in Teheran.

Although red color is atypical. Usually the color is black or brown.

Coat of arms looks slightly different too ...

I'll post additional examples in a couple of days ;)

Edited August 21, 2012 by JapanX

[JapanX]

Here they are these boxes from Saniolmanalek, Teheran

This one for 3rd class

[JapanX]

Comparison

[JapanX]

Series of 3rd classes from this maker

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

1st class with wrong (seller didn`t find the green one ) ribbon

[JapanX]

100% original Saniolmamalek from 1908

[jentiff]

This is a quite amazing photo of the Shah Mozaffar ad-Din (Reign 1896-1907) visit to England in 1902 with King Edward VII and the Princes of Wales Victoria. This has to be one of the biggest gathering of Persian Lion and Sun medals displayed in a group photo. The Shah visited the United Kingdom in August 1902 on the promise of receiving the Order of the Garter as it had been previously given to his father, Nasser-ed-Din Shah. King Edward VII refused to give this high honor to a non-Christian. Lord Lansdowne, the Foreign Secretary, had designs drawn up for a new version of the Order, without the Cross of St. George. The King was so enraged by the sight of the design, though, that he threw it out of his yacht's porthole. I am guessing that this photo was taken on the very same Royal Yacht. However, in 1903, the King had to back down and the Shah was appointed a member of the Order.

Just found some caption ID on this photo:

Seated in the picture from left to right:

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales George V,

His Majesty the Shah of Persia,

Her Majesty Queen Alexandra,

His Majesty King Edward VII and Her Royal Highness Princess of Wales Victoria.

NOTE: The diamond on the cap of Mozzafar-e-Din Shah, The Shah of Persia, is the famous "Darya e Noor" aka "Sea of light", it is the sister diamond to the "Koh e Noor" or "Mountain of Light" which is now part of the British Crown Jewels.

Standing from left to right:

Ala-ol-Saltaneh (Minister in the Persian Embassy in London),

Seif-ol-Sultan, Hakim-el-Molk Grand Vazir Secretary of State for the Imperial Court ,

Movassagh-el-Molk,

Fakhr-el-Molk,

Prime Minister of Persia Mirza Ali Asghar Khan Amin-al-Sultan Atabak e Azam

Husseingholi Khan Navab,

Amir Bahador Hossein Pasha Khan (Minister of War)

Paul Ketabchi Khan,

Vakile-e-Doleh,

Mohandess-ol-Mamalek,

Movassegh-ol-Molk,

Mirza Ebrahim Khan (later Hakim-el-Molk) Hakimi Physician to the Shah (Mirza Mahmoud Khan's nephew and son in law)

Movassagh-e-Doleh,

Doctor Sir Hugh Adcock,

Hajeb-e-Doleh Davaloo Qajar, Ebrahim Hakimi's cousin,

Prince Arthur of Connaught and Doctor C Lindsey.

Hello,

My great-great grandfather was H.H. Topakyan (persian consul of new york circa 1900).

I have tons of signed portraits, awards, etc in my possession. I have been researching for quite sometime on what looks to be an original photograph of the one you posted above. It is in its original large frame (no glass), and slightly damaged across George V's face. Knowing the extensive collection HH had of high profiles, I had little doubt it was an original.

Can you tell me anything more about this photograph in the respect of rarity? Should I be regarding this as a valuable possession or merely a cool souvenir?

I would appreciate anything you could tell me.

file://localhost/Users/jentiff/Desktop/photo-1.JPG

[Markus]

Hello,

My great-great grandfather was H.H. Topakyan (persian consul of new york circa 1900).

I have tons of signed portraits, awards, etc in my possession. I have been researching for quite sometime on what looks to be an original photograph of the one you posted above. It is in its original large frame (no glass), and slightly damaged across George V's face. Knowing the extensive collection HH had of high profiles, I had little doubt it was an original.

Can you tell me anything more about this photograph in the respect of rarity? Should I be regarding this as a valuable possession or merely a cool souvenir?

I would appreciate anything you could tell me.

file://localhost/Users/jentiff/Desktop/photo-1.JPG

Hello Jentiff,

Wow, congratulations on such a rich ancestral heritage! Regarding the group photo taken on the Royal Yacht, I do not have an original of it and found it in digital form on a blog site. I imagine that an original photo of this event would be very scarce with the ravages of time and limited distribution, so I would say yours is quite rare. Many of the original prints probably went back to Persia with participants of the visit, so given the political upheaval in Persia, I imagine many of these photos were destroyed. The other photo I posted of the Shah with the King & Queen on the Royal Yacht is from an original photo postcard I have in my possession. Any of the images or medal photos that you wish to share of this splendid era of history would be most welcome! Any Persian Lion and Sun medals In your possession?

Best Regards,

Markus

markustruckee@gmail.com

Edited August 25, 2012 by Markus

[Mitya Ivanov]

Dear friends, the Lion and Sun here - on this paper napkin - of what class is it?

[Markus]

Dear friends, the Lion and Sun here - on this paper napkin - of what class is it?

I would think a 4th class knight model.

Markus

Edited August 26, 2012 by Markus

[JapanX]

Dear friends, the Lion and Sun here - on this paper napkin - of what class is it?

Doubing Thomas

5 rays (actually 5 bunches of rays) = 4th class

Lately it was back of the photo, now napkins ...

What's next?! :whistle:

Edited August 26, 2012 by JapanX

[Mitya Ivanov]

_{Who knows, friend?}

_{Smth SPECIAL, I think.}

_{My interest in Iranian orders and symbolism is deeper than yours:)}

_...

_{If samovars decorated with Persian lions and suns grab you, BTW?}

[JapanX]

_{My interest in Iranian orders and symbolism is deeper than yours:)}

_...

Definitely!

_{If samovars decorated with Persian lions and suns grab you, BTW?}

You are intriguing me :whistle:

[Mitya Ivanov]

Since you have an e-mail - an undisputable sign of technical progress inside our Wild Russia! - I'll send you some pictures:)

[JapanX]

Since you have an e-mail - an undisputable sign of technical progress inside our Wild Russia!

This + I read the Sun every day ...

Refined "new Russian"

[Mitya Ivanov]

"The Sun ain't gonna shine anymo-o-o-o-ore..." (с)

:)

Edited August 26, 2012 by Mitya Ivanov

[JapanX]

"The Sun ain't gonna shine anymo-o-o-o-ore..." (с)

Sounds familiar ...

Iron Maiden?! :whistle:

Edited August 27, 2012 by JapanX

[Mitya Ivanov]

Walker Brothers:) Nothing about lions:)

Edited August 27, 2012 by Mitya Ivanov

[JapanX]

Luckily we have another opportunity to examine this Saniolmamalek piece in interesting red box (posts #523-525).

Exellent photos ;)