Ethiopian extravaganza! The mailman arrives...

[Chris Boonzaier]

To avoid the idiot at the airport confiscating my souveniers, this time I mailed the good stuff... and it actually arrived!!!!!

[Chris Boonzaier]

3

[Chris Boonzaier]

They are some pretty big awards....USB Stick for comparrison...

[Markus]

Very nice Chris! I like the hand wrought designs of the Ethiopians pieces. These pieces add a bling factor to your collection.

What was the justification for customs seizing your earlier pieces?

Markus

[Chris Boonzaier]

Very nice Chris! I like the hand wrought designs of the Ethiopians pieces. These pieces add a bling factor to your collection.

What was the justification for customs seizing your earlier pieces?

Markus

A dumb a$$ with the power of authority. No idea what he was looking at, but the power to confiscate it as "national treasures"

[Mike Dwyer]

Very nice, Chris! I have one of those commander's grade neck badges myself.

Edited August 14, 2011 by Mike Dwyer

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi Mike,

how did you swing that ??

[Mike Dwyer]

Hi, Chris,

I have been very active with The American College of Heraldry for many years. The former president of the college, the late Dr. David P. Johnson, was an close acquantaince of H.I.H. Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, president of the Crown Council of Ethiopia. Prince Ermias lives here in the States. He is the only son of the youngest son of Emperor Haile Selassie I. One day I received a very attractive certificate in the mail from the Crown Council stating I had been made a commander of the Order of the Star of Ethiopia for my "services to the arts" for my service with the ACH. I was kind of blown away, to say the least. Dr. Johnson had nominated me. A few years ago a joint meeting of the ACH and one of the prince's charities, the Imperial Society of St. George of Lalibela, was held in Charleston, South Carolina. Prince Ermias was there and I got to meet him. Because I helped with the event, the Crown Council made me a knight of the Order of the Ethiopian Lion too, so I have two Ethiopian orders.

That photo was taken at the Charleston event which is the only time I've ever worn the neck decoration!

Edited August 15, 2011 by Mike Dwyer

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi Mike,

who is the maker on your piece?

My intereset in Ethiopian as a small sideline stems from the fact that we have adopted a baby Girl from Ethiopia.

Best

Chris

[Mike Dwyer]

Hi Mike,

who is the maker on your piece?

My intereset in Ethiopian as a small sideline stems from the fact that we have adopted a baby Girl from Ethiopia.

Best

Chris

Hi, Chris,

Unfortunately, I don't know. I've looked it over very carefully and I don't see any maker's marks or names anywhere on it, the back is completely smooth and there's nothing on the ring or around the edges. I bought the piece from another member of the order here in the States who had been promoted to grand cross and didn't need it anymore. He did tell he he bought it used and had the gold finish on it re-done due to the finish being damaged.

[Herr General]

Mike, would it be possible to see your certificat?

[JimZ]

So do you mean that you're awarded a certificate to an order without the order itself, being left to your own devices to try to find the order, which I take is not that easily available..... Funny way of doing things :)

[Mike Dwyer]

So do you mean that you're awarded a certificate to an order without the order itself, being left to your own devices to try to find the order, which I take is not that easily available..... Funny way of doing things

Yes, but that's the way it works, at least with the Ethiopian Crown Council. You have to either locate used medals, etc. or hope someone has modern copies made. For the Order of the Lion I was originally told they were impossible to find, but then someone here in the States had a few miniatures made and that's how I managed to get one. I seriously doubt I will ever see a full sized one. The miniature I have for the Order of the Star is also a modern copy.

Edited August 15, 2011 by Mike Dwyer

[Mike Dwyer]

Mike, would it be possible to see your certificat?

Let me see what I can do!

[Mike Dwyer]

Mike, would it be possible to see your certificat?

I've never had it framed, it's still rolled up in the original tube in was mailed in. It's too big to fit in my scanner, so I had to lay it on a flat surface, place large coins at each corner to hold it down and photograph it. It's a bit fuzzy. The star on the certificate is actually golden colored, but it looks black in this poor photo of mine.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Mike Dwyer

[Ulsterman]

Very,very cool. I am green, green with envy.

Most of the awards of the star-a major civil service and military merit order-were listed in the Negerata Gazzette'. There's only one full run copy in the USA-at the Library of Congress.

[JimZ]

Yes, but that's the way it works, at least with the Ethiopian Crown Council. You have to either locate used medals, etc. or hope someone has modern copies made. For the Order of the Lion I was originally told they were impossible to find, but then someone here in the States had a few miniatures made and that's how I managed to get one. I seriously doubt I will ever see a full sized one. The miniature I have for the Order of the Star is also a modern copy.

I will rephrase "funny way" of doing things with "interesting way" instead. Although with collectors, I guess there's always fewer of these medals around.

Thanks for the info Mike.

Jim :cheers:

[Herr General]

Jah-Jim, ever found Dutch medals awarded to ethiopians?

[Jah-Jim]

Jah-Jim, ever found Dutch medals awarded to ethiopians?

No, just Dutch + French medals to those who helped free Ethiopia in 1941.