Romanian Order of Michael the Brave - Help please !

[lilo]

Dear All,

before buying the Order of Michael the Brave I need your precious help to try to understand better the manufacture of this Order.

I have below attached a photo of two 1916's Crosses, each of them having a different blue enamell : the one on the right has a 'transparent' blue enamel; on the contrary, the one on the left has the matt / dull blue enamel.

Some questions :

1) Must I consider both of the crosses I have posted below, as produced during WW1 (and/or soon after) ?

2) Does the difference in the Enamel indicate a different maker / producer of the Order ?

3) Does the difference in the Enamel indicate a different time of production of the Order ? And, If yes, which is the Enamel used in the WW1 era production : the matt / dull or the 'transparent' one ?

4) Does the 'transparent' enamel indicate a 'modern reproduction' or is it a WW1 era production ?

Many thanks in advance to all that will give me their help.

Awaiting to hear from you

Best Regards

Lilo

Edited August 23, 2014 by lilo

[Carol I]

I have taken a look in my picture archive and I have found some images of badges exhibited in the National Military Museum. Although there appears to be some variation in the shades of blue of the various crosses, they all appear to have opaque enamel.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_08_2014/post-2129-0-97498900-1408834627.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_08_2014/post-2129-0-53460700-1408834614.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_08_2014/post-2129-0-41062600-1408834605.jpg

[lilo]

Hi Carol I,

Many thanks for your replay !

So, must I deduce that the Cross with a transparent enamel is a reproduction / copy ?

I made a search on this forum and discovered a post where 'fake vs original' Michael the Brave crosses were discussed but, unfortunately, in this topic the various images are vanished so no comparision is possible.

I also read some other topic on the argument on another Romanian forum but I have not well understood which are the particulars we must check to make the difference between a fake and an original (also in the Romanian forum the photos are vanished or are very tiny to see the various differences).

I would like to avoid to spend my money in a NOT Original Cross, so below, I'll post the photo of the front and of the back of the actual Cross I want to buy. (N.B.: If you click on the below image, a bigger one and more detailed will open)

I would like to receive your precious opinion - in the open forum and/or by MP (as you prefer) - but please let me know your thinking about this cross : The invite is not only to Carol I (that I, again, thanks) but to all member that have knowledge on this particular Order.

Awaiting to hear from you

ATB

Lilo

Edited August 24, 2014 by lilo

[Carol I]

Leaving aside the enamel, the images are of two different crosses: the one to the left is the reverse of a 1941 model and the one to the right is the reverse of a 1916 model. Furthermore, the crowns surmounting the cross are quite different in the two images. Sorry.

[lilo]

Hi,

You are rigth : I mixed up the images.

Now the correction is made !

Edited August 24, 2014 by lilo

[Carol I]

I have found another image of the 3^rd class cross in the collections of the Royal Military Museum in Brussels and this one also has opaque enamel.