Rusty Greaves Posted June 17, 2022 Author Posted June 17, 2022 (edited) Above is a high-resolution image of a Mixed Court badge form an Arabic language Facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1888017644632861&set=-العدل-أساس-الملك-الصفحة-الرسمية-لموقع-الملك-فاروق-الاول-فاروق-مصر). This photo can be zoomed for additional detail. The minimal amount of text associated with this badge provides a translation of motto, but no additional information. There is no description of this badge nor any images of the reverse. The calligraphy of the central tablet matches what I assigned to Froment-Meurice Group 2 badges, as defined in my post of 6 September, 2021 (5th-10th photos). The workmanship is consistent with the very high-quality execution seen on Froment-Meurice badges. The tugra is oriented correctly (as on all Froment-Meurice-made badges), and the tugs are angled slightly to the right, as seen on the example from 10 March, 2021 auction by Ader of Paris, Lot 227 shown as the 9th photo in my post of 7 September, 2021. The general color in the photo appears very gold, but I do not think this is an Appeals Court badge. It is probably a gold and silver District Courts badge. The upper draping and the lateral folds of the mantle appear to be silver (showing what looks like a different color than the gold seen on the cords with tassels at the upper corners of the mantle, the border design on the lateral mantle folds, and the fringe) with gilt design on the borders & fringe. These color differences can be seen better when the image is enlarged. The tablet shows many deep parallel scratches at the superior end that are associated with damage to the enamel. There are a few other areas of lesser enamel loss on the central tablet as well. Edited June 17, 2022 by Rusty Greaves
Rusty Greaves Posted June 19, 2022 Author Posted June 19, 2022 (edited) Owain sent me a link to a 19 June, 2022 auction by Helios Auctions (Auction #33), on the invaluable.com website that included a silver Froment-Meurice Mixed Court badge (Lot 43). The 5th photo included here is cropped from a copyrighted image by Invaluable LLC. (https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/a-rare-ottoman-empire-egypt-judges-badge-by-frome-2d040dba00). I could not download most of the high-resolution images from the invaluable.com website. However I could download them from the liveauctioneers.com website. The 1st-4th and 8th photos come from the same listing of this Helios Auctions badge that are archived on the live auctioneers website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/130336279_a-rare-ottoman-empire-egypt-judge-s-badge-by-froment-meurice). High-resolution image of the obverse of this silver Froment-Meurice made badge from today's auction by Helios Auctions (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/130336279_a-rare-ottoman-empire-egypt-judge-s-badge-by-froment-meurice). The photo can be enlarged for greater detail. This example is in excellent condition. The auction description is mostly accurate and provides measurements (12.2 cm x 9.2 cm [4 13/16 x 3 5/8 in] and weight (168 g [5.9 oz]). The calligraphy of this badge most closely matches that seen on some of the badges I have previously identified as Group 2 in my discussion of 6 September, 2021 on this thread (5th-9th photos). Some aspects of the diacritical marks on this Helios Auction example are slightly different from those on almost all of those I illustrated as Group 2 Froment-Meurice calligraphy (for example, the badge illustrated above in my most recent post of 17 June, 2022 here on this thread). However, it appears to be an exact match for the calligraphy seen on the a silver badge made by Froment-Meurice from photos of a July 2015 auction by Clarke Auction Gallery offering, Lot 0235, archived on the liveauctioneers.com website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/38904932_silver-froment-meurice-egyptian-badge) that is the 9th photo in my 6 September 2021 post (also included as the 6th image in this post) discussing variation in the calligraphy of the central tablets of these badges . In fact, scratches on the reverse of this Helios Auctions badge make me certain that it is the same badge as was offered in that July 2015 Clarke Auction Gallery, Lot 0235 listing (see the last 2 images below in this post). High-resolution image of the middle and superior margin of this same silver Mixed Courts badge from the Helios Auctions listing. This image also can be zoomed for greater details. High-resolution photo (that can be enlarged) of the middle and inferior margin of this silver badge from the Helios Auctions sale today. Zoomed, the image shows the correct orientation of the tugra on the Order of Medjidie with the tuğs rotated slightly to the right (~30 degrees) as seen on most other Froment-Meurice badges. High-resolution image of the reverse of this same silver Mixed Courts badge from today's Helios Auctions offering. This image of the reverse from the archived listing of this badge on the liveauctioneers.com website shows the "FROMENT-MEURICE" maker's name. Cropped close-up of the central tablet inscription of the Helios Auctions example. Compare the calligraphy with that of the Clarke Auction Gallery example from their July 2015 auction, shown below. Also note in the above image the slight rotation to the right of the 3 tuğs at the superior portions of the tugra in the Order of Medjidie. This is seen on most Froment-Meurice examples (see the 5th-10th photos in my post of on this thread showing and discussing the orientations of the tugra in the Order of Medjidie across different makers of this Mixed Courts badge). Low-resolution cropped image of the central tablet calligraphy of the Clarke Auction Gallery example from their July 2015 auction (Lot 0235) archived on the liveauctioneers.com website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/38904932_silver-froment-meurice-egyptian-badge). This badge was offered in a Froment-Meurice case with 2 illustrations of an Egyptian judge or court official wearing the Mixed Courts costume of the stambouline coat, a bicolored sash with a badge attached, and the tarboosh, as well as another other unidentified medal. I illustrated this badge and all of the associated materials in this lot in my post of 22 January, 2019. In fact, I believe that a set of scratches on the reverse underneath the name "FROMENT-MEURICE" on this Clarke Auction Gallery badge matches precisely those seen on the reverse on the Helios Auctions offering (see the 2 photos below), indicating these are the same badge. Above is a close-up image of the "FROMENT-MEURICE" name on the reverse of the Clarke Auction Gallery July 2015 auction from the archived listing on live auctioneers.com (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/38904932_silver-froment-meurice-egyptian-badge). Note the configuration of the 7 scratches below the makers name, between the two rivets, and at the level of the upper portion of the 2 rivets (especially the two sets of double scratches in the middle). Compared with an enlarged view of the same area on the Helios Auctions example (by zooming the image below) this same set of 7 scratches is present on the reverse of the badge that was auctioned today by Helios Auctions. High resolution close-up image of the "FROMENT-MEURICE " name on the reverse of the Helios Auction badge (from the archived listing of this badge on the liveauciotneers.com website [https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/130336279_a-rare-ottoman-empire-egypt-judge-s-badge-by-froment-meurice). When this image is enlarged, there are 7 scratches visible below the middle of the "FROMENT-MEURICE" name just parallel with the uppermost portion of the 2 rivets. The configuration of these scratches exactly matches those seen on the previous photo of the reverse of the badge from the July 2015 Clarke Auction Gallery offering. Note especially the 2 sets of double scratches that are the upper and lower 3rd-4th set of scratches from the left side, that match exactly those seen in the above Clarke Auction Gallery image. Additionally, the "FROMENT-MEURICE" name (when enlarged) shows the same die wear or incompleteness of portions of the stamped name as seen on the struck impression visible in the photo of the Clarke Auction Gallery example. Also of interest is the different positions of the rivets on the above photo compared with the photo from the liveactioneers.com archive of the Clarke Auction Gallery in the previous photo. It appear that some reconditioning has been done to this badge, possibly to tighten these rivets (perhaps resulting in the curved scratch above the left side rivet) in addition to the significant cleaning and polishing evident in the photos from the Helios Auctions listing. Edited June 20, 2022 by Rusty Greaves adjusting spacing of the small image as the text centering feature is not working
Rusty Greaves Posted July 5, 2022 Author Posted July 5, 2022 (edited) I have found an example of the Mixed Courts judicial badge that matches the very idiosyncratic calligraphy on the British Museum's Mixed Courts badge that I illustrated on this thread in my post of 6 November, 2020. This badge matching the British Museum badge's calligraphy is shown in the first and second photos below. The British Museum badge (Registration Number: 2009,4007.754; Asset Number 748897001; shown & described in my post on this thread of 5 November, 2020) exhibits calligraphy that matches no other Mixed Courts badge I have found previously an online images (principally from online auction sites). The obverse of the British Museum silver example is illustrated as the 3rd photo in this post for comparison with the image of the gold Mixed Court badge illustrated in the first photo here. This recently-found badge with the matching calligraphy comes from a highly controversial collection whose owners have recently been prosecuted in Egypt for illegal possession of this hoard of jewelry, artwork, and more ancient antiquities. Moderate-resolution image of a Mixed Courts' badge with calligraphy that matches the very unusual form of the inscription seen on the British Museum holding (principally in the form & placement of the diacritical marks). There is no photo of the reverse of this badge. This photo comes from a Twitter post by Essam Abdelhamid (@essamabdelhami7) on 8 June, 2021 (https://mobile.twitter.com/essamabdelhami7/status/1402353219922235392/photo/1). This photo on Essam Abdelhamid's Twitter post derives from one of a couple other sources that included a watermark on the photo of the badge. Note that this badge appears to be gold (gilt? I have not been able to see the Egyptian assay marks on the other example of an Appeals Court badge in the photo of the reverse that is not high enough- resolution to read the hallmarks), indicating it is a badge of the Appeals Court. The only other gold Appeals Court badge that I have encountered is an example made by Wolf Horovitz that was shown in an illustration on Flickr until early 2017, although that image no longer appears there, and I have not yet found an original source for the photo of that unique gold (Appeals Court) example (I first illustrated the obverse & reverse of the Horovitz Appeals Court badge as the 4th & 5th photos in my post of 24 March, 2017 on this thread). There is some obvious visible damage to the enamel of the calligraphic inscription and a small, square area of discoloration around the lowermost right diacritical mark. An image from a posting by the family of Judge Ahmed Abdul-Fattah Hassan (https://besraha.com/17780/انفراد-موقع-بصراحة-ينشر-50-صورة-من-داخل-شقة-الزمالك-الشهيرة) illustrating this Appeals Court badge along with some of the other medals in the collection. The badge may be resting on its case. Several other photos in this post show other jewelry and paintings found in the Zamalek apartment in Cairo of Judge Ahmed Abdul-Fattah Hassan. Unfortunately, no image of the reverse of this badge is available, and there is still no information about the manufacturer of this badge, that also should be the maker of the British Museum example. However, the image above shows the Mixed Courts badge resting on a square background that is likely the case for this badge and may be marked inside with a manufacturer’s name. The provenience of this Appeals Court badge is from an extensive collection of valuable jewelry, artworks, and antiquities that created a scandalous set of news stories when inadvertently discovered in May 2021. It was reported as a secret hoard in an apartment in the Zamalek area of Cairo owned by Ahmed Abdul-Fattah Hassan and his family. Judge Hassan was a Counselor at the Kuwaiti Court of Cassation and former Vice-President of the Egyptian State Council. The family attributes much of the collection to items collected legitimately by Ahmed Abdul-Fattah Hassan and inherited from his father, Pasha Ahmed Abdul-Fattah Hassan, Minister of Interior during the reign of King Farouk I. The Egyptian government considers the extensive collection of valuable jewelry, painting, and Ancient Egyptian artifacts to violate it’s inheritance laws (not reporting a valuable inheritance within a prescribed period, presumably for taxation purposes), and has prosecuted Judge Hassan and his wife for “trafficking in antiquities”. A series of sensational news stories have followed the discovery and litigation of the family for what has been termed the infamous “Zamalek apartment treasures" (i.e., Arabic language news stories:https://www.mobtada.com/egypt/1056049/صور-تحف-ومجوهرات-مبتدا-يكشف-كنوز-شقة-الزمالك-الثمينة, from 7 June, 2021; https://www.dostor.org/3474472, from 8 June, 2021; https://www.albawaba.com/ar/أخبار/كشف-أسرار-كنوز-شقة-الزمالك-المثيرة-للجدل-صور-1432480, from 9 June, 2021; https://www.elwatannews.com/journalist/محمد-سعيد-الشماع-وبسمة-عبد-الستار, from 25 May, 2022; and English-language news stories: https://dailynewsegypt.com/2021/06/14/cairo-court-announces-3-decisions-in-zamalek-apartment-case/, from 14 June, 2021; https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2021-06-17-the-holdings-of-thutmose--hatshepsut-and-abd-al-malik-bin-marwan---the-treasure-of-zamalek-is-causing-an-uproar-in-egypt.BkgwAYm_iO.htm, from 16 June, 2021; https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/1233/459409/Egypt/Courts--Law/Egyptian-judge-faces-trial-for-illegal-possession-.aspx, from 2 February, 2022; and https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2022-02-17-the-accused-judge-accused-the-inventory-committee-of-“stealing-rare-antiques-”-egypt-bans-publication-in-the-“zamalek-apartment”-case.By_HoDCoyc.html, from 17 February, 2022). Judge Ahmed Abdel-Fattah Hassan, the former Vice President of the State Council and technical advisor to the President of the Constitutional Court of the State of Kuwait, and his wife were each sentenced on 18 June, 2022 to 5 years in prison and fines of 1 million Egyptian pounds (US $53,000) each (https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContentP/1/468176/Egypt/Zamalek-apartment-antiquities-trading-couple-sente.aspx). Image of the obverse of the British Museum Mixed Court badge (Registration number: 2009,4007.754; and Asset Number, for non-commercial research use, is 748897001; this image is copyrighted by The Trustees of the British Museum, but may be reproduced only for non-commercial uses), for comparison of the calligraphy with the first photo in this post showing the calligraphy on the "Zamalek apartment" example (from: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_2009-4007-754). This silver badge from the British Museum and the gold badge from the "Zamalek apartment" legal case are the only examples I have seen with this form of the calligraphic inscription, and were presumably made by the same as-yet-unidentified jeweler. Edited July 5, 2022 by Rusty Greaves
Elmar Lang Posted August 14, 2022 Posted August 14, 2022 This thread about the badges for the judges of the Mixed Courts is extremely fascinating. Here, this intricate subject is excellently explored. The news about the "Zamalek Treasury" (my wife and I, spent 10 days at a small, but beautiful hotel in the heart of Zamalek, back in 2001, after she was ready after a period of work at the INA conservation laboratory in Alexandria, as a base for visits to museums, monuments and excavations) Thank you for the always interesting updates, Enzo (E.L.)
Rusty Greaves Posted September 22, 2022 Author Posted September 22, 2022 (edited) I recently came across photos of two additional Froment-Meurice made Mixed Courts badges, both offered with cases. I have illustrated both of these badges below. I also have included below images of all of the few other Froment-Meurice cases that I have encountered on auction websites. Above is a moderate-resolution image of a Silver Mixed Courts badge made by Froment-Meurice. This is from an upcoming 15 October, 2022 auction catalog listing by Éditions V. Gadoury (https://www.gadoury.com/en/auction). The catalog images are archived on the CoinArchives website (https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=5900840&AucID=6751&Lot=225&Val=5eaa847541b755f1fcf3fa6839f0432f) and the NumisBids website (https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=6035&lot=225). The description identifies the badge as silver and measuring 85 x 120 (mm). The height measurement is a bit imprecise as the majority of these badges are identified as being between 85-88 X 115-118 mm (most measured as 115 mm in height). I am unsure whether the photos might show some gold on aspects of the design, suggesting it could be a District Courts badge (i.e., the embroidery border of the mantle appears more gold than the upper folds of the mantle, especially in the next photo below of the badge in the case, but it is hard to discern with the possible silver tarnish). This badge is offered in an associated case marked with Froment-Meurice's name. The reverse is described as bearing a Froment-Meurice maker’s mark, but no photo of the reverse is provided. The description spuriously identifies the well-known goldsmith François-Désiré Froment-Meurice (who died in 1855) with the design of this badge, that was actually designed ~1875 by his son, also a decorated goldsmith, Pierre Henri Émile Froment-Meurice (usually shortened to Émile Froment-Meurice). The calligraphy is consistent with the Froment-Meurice group 1 style that I have previously identified in my post of 6 September, 2021 here. It is especially similar to the example shown in the 3rd photo of that post illustrating the central tablet of a silver badge from a 3 June, 2015 auction by Dreweatts & Bloomsbury, (Lot 175), archived on the-saleroom.com website. The overall workmanship is consistent with the quality of Froment-Meurice badges. The tugra in the Order of Medjidie element is oriented correctly, showing the slight rotation of the tuğ to the right, as seen on several Froment-Meurice badges (see especially the 5th & 6th photos in my post of 7 September, 2021 discussing different orientations of the tugra on badges made by different ateliers). Moderate-resolution image of the Éditions V. Gadoury badge propped in its case. The case is marked “FROMENT-MEURICE 372. RUE ST. HONORÉ PARIS”. This is the address marked on almost all cases for Froment-Meurice badges. However, one eMedals example sold in a Froment-Meurice case is marked “46 RUE D’ANJOU PARIS” that was the mansion in which in which Émile Froment-Meurice and his wife, Rose Tossin de Moncourt lived until its catastrophic collapse on 21 April 1913 that killed them both (see my post of 15 August, 2015 on this thread, and below in this post). The case is notably in excellent condition compared with many examples, except for a dent to the lower right front corner, visible in the photo above of the badge resting propped up in the case. This image also shows well the catch opening mechanism on this case. Moderately-high resolution photo of the obverse of a silver and gold Mixed Courts badge made by Froment-Meurice from a 15 June, 2022 auction by Million, Lot 322 (https://www.millon.com/catalogue/vente1688-manuscrits-arts-dorient-et-de-linde-juin-et-juin/lot322-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice). This photo can be enlarged to see some greater detail of this badge's design and execution. The auction description identifies the materials as silver, vermeil, and enamel. The term "vermeil", also known as “silver gilt”, refers to high quality silver (pure or sterling) that is plated with a thin layer of gold, usually by electroplating. This indicates that the Million auction badge is probably a District Court badge. Gold details may be discernible on the rayed embellishment, the fringe of the mantle, the border embroidery of the mantle, the tassels and their cords on the corners of the mantle, the star above the central tablet, the tuğ on each side of the inscribed central tablet, the oak and laurel branches, and the order of Medjidie element. The superior folds of the mantle appear to be contrasting silver (as the photo above of the Gadoury badge in its case visually suggests). There may some additional vermeil on other elements that are hard to distinguish because of the tarnish on this piece (i.e., the central tablet, the rays around the star above the tablet, and the crown; portions commonly gilt on other District Courts' badges). The calligraphy matches that of the Froment-Meurice group 1, as I defined it in my post of 6 September, 2021 on this thread. The Million example's calligraphy most closely matches that seen on the central tablets of the Heritage World Coin Auctions, Lot 36093 (1st photo in my 6 September, 2021) post) and the Joseph Timmerman’s district Court badge made by Froment-Meurice from a September 2014 auction by Jean Elsen & ses Fils S.A.(Lot 1730), archived in the acsearch.com website (2nd photo in that same post discussing variation in calligraphy on these badges). There may be some loss of enamel on some of the alif vertical strokes on the right side of the central tablet. The tuğ on the superior portion of the tughra shows the same slight rotation to the right seen on many (but not all) Froment-Meurice made Mixed Courts badges. The badge measurements are given as 84 mm x 117 mm, and its weight is 167 g. Moderately-high resolution photo of the reverse of the same Mixed Courts badge from the 15 June, 2022 auction by Million (Lot 322) showing the "FROMENT-MEURICE" maker's mark. This can be zoomed for additional detail. Moderately-high resolution photo of the same Mixed Courts badge from the 15 June, 2022 auction by Million (Lot 322) showing the badge in the medal bed of its associated case. This image can be zoomed for slightly better details. The blue color of the case lining is uncommon for the small sample of Froment-Meurice cases I have seen from auction sites. This case, and that from the Clarke Action House example shown below, illustrate some variation from the predominance of maroon silk (on the case lid) & velvet (on the medal bed). This case also identifies the Froment-Meurice workshop address as "372. RUE ST. HONORÉ PARIS”. The Million auction photo shows the same latch mechanism configuration as seen on then Gadoury auction example above. Below are examples the other Froment-Meurice cases I have seen from auction sites to document some variation in their exterior covering and interior lining colors. The single eMedals example with a different address also is illustrated below. Low-resolution image of a silver Mixed Courts badge attributed to Apostolo N. Gennaropoulo (of Greece) in its case. The photos come from a 2014 eBay auction archived on the WorthPoint website https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ottoman-empire-egypt-khedivate-judges-982926374). Not all of the original photos in this listing are still archived on the WorthPoint web record. This badge was offered with a portrait photo of Judge(?) Genarapoulo wearing the court costume of stambouline coat, tarboosh, a bicolored sash, and the Mixed Court badge. I initially illustrated this badge in my post of 1 December, 2016 on this thread, and have periodically illustrated it and other photos from this auction in my posts here. This badge is marked on the reverse with both the name “FROMENT-MEURICE” and the diamond-shaped maker’s mark with the central rose and the name “FROMENT-MEURICE”. This is one of only 3 badges I have encountered with the additional rose maker's mark of Froment-Meurice. The latching mechanism is slightly out-of-focus and the exterior push button release is cropped out in the original image, but it is identical to those shown above for the Gadoury and Million 2022 auction examples. Close-up image of the Froment-Meurice makers mark in gold ink on the upper lid interior's silk lining of the case for the Gennarapoulo badge showing the "372. RUE ST. HONORÉ PARIS” address. Exterior case for the Gennarapoulo badge showing its untextured coating and dark blue color, as well as the form of the catch release push button. Low-resolution image of a silver Froment-Meurice badge resting in the medal bed of its case from a 20 July, 2015 auction (Lot 0235) by Clarke Auction Gallery in Larchmont, NY (USA) that is archived on the LiveAuctioneers website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/38904932_silver-froment-meurice-egyptian-badge). This shows the pale blue silk and velvet lining of the case and the same form of latch release mechanism as seen on the other 3 cases shown above. It also illustrates the dark blue color of the exterior of this case. This badge's Lot included 2 photos of an Egyptian Mixed Court official wearing the stambouline coat, tarboosh, and a bicolored sash with the court badge, and an odd medal with a case (possibly a fantasy piece or some kind of private or civilian insignia). This same badge was recently polished and sold in a 19 June, 2022 auction by Helios Auctions (Auction #33), with photos archived on the invaluable.com website (https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/a-rare-ottoman-empire-egypt-judges-badge-by-frome-2d040dba00) and on the and on the liveauctioneers website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/130336279_a-rare-ottoman-empire-egypt-judge-s-badge-by-froment-meurice). I posted multiple photos from the Helios listing of this badge in my post on this thread of 19 June, 2022. The recent Helios auction listing makes no mention of the associated case, portrait photos, nor the other medal included in the 2015 Clarke Auction Gallery listing. High-resolution closeup image of the Froment-Meurice name and address at 372. rue St. Honoré, Paris on the pale blue silk of the upper case lid lining, from the same Clarke Auction Gallery 2015 listing of this badge. Moderately high-resolution image of a silver Mixed Courts badge resting in the medal bed of a case marked with the name of Froment-Meurice. From a 13 June, 2018 eMedals auction, Item: EG2365 (https://www.emedals.com/egypt-kingdom-a-khedivate-badge-of-office-for-the-legal-administration-of-egypt-the-suez-canal). The badge is unmarked (a photo of the reverse is provided in the archived eMedals auction listing) and was assumed to be made by Froment-Meurice. However, my comparison of the calligraphy on the central tablet indicates that it matches that seen on badges made by Rudolf Stobbe of Alexandria not Froment-Meurice. See my discussion of this under the 10th photo in my post of 6 September, 2021 (in the section describing calligraphy of this badge under the subsection heading: "Mixed Court badge alleged to have been made by Froment-Meurice ("associated" with a case marked "Froment-Meurice")". This indicates that either the entire badge was made by the Stobbe workshop (many Stobbe badges are unmarked on the reverse, as is true also for some Froment-Meurice badges) or a possible Froment-Meurice badge has had the central tablet from a Stobbe badge added. The low-resolution images of the obverse of the June 2018 eMedals badge make it difficult to compare the workmanship of this badge with other examples of Stobbe and Froment-Meurice badges. However, one of the photos of the obverse in an oblique orientation does appear to show the tuğ of the tugra in the Order of Medjidie design element in an inverted position (the tuğ pointing downward). This is not seen on any Froment-Meurice badges but is present on all Rudolf Stobbe badges (see below). My conclusion is that this is a Stobbe-made badge combined with an unassociated Froment-Meurice case. The case lining is interesting because it is the only example I have seen that identifies the home address of Froment-Meurice (“46 RUE D’ANJOU PARIS” ), not the usual workshop address at 372. rue St. Honoré. Émile Froment-Meurice retired in 1907 and sold his business workshop and clientele to Georges Auger. Auger was a goldsmith-jeweler living in Paris and included the name Froment Meurice ("Auger-Froment Meurice") in his business name for an unspecified time after purchasing the Froment-Meurice atelier (see my discussion in the 1st paragraph of my 15 August, 2019 post, and the last photo in that post showing an example of the Laotian Order of the Million Elephants and White Parasol with the interior case labelled Auger-Froment Meurice). Some of my discussion of this in the 19 September, 2019 post is a bit confusing, but Georges Auger's father (Alphonse Auger) had an atelier located at 54 rue Etienne-Marcel, place des Victoires, Paris at least since ~1890. The label in the Order of the Million Elephants case I illustrated in that 19 September 2029 post uses that address along with the name "AUGER-FROMENT MEURICE". It is unclear how long Auger may have used the 372. rue St. Honoré workshop (as a secondary atelier?) and how or when he disposed of that property. I wonder if the above eMedals case with the address of Froment-Meurice's home (46 rue d'Anjou) might indicate some continued fabrication (or sale of extant stock) of Mixed Courts badges following his retirement and sale of the 372. rue St. Honoré workshop in 1907? As noted above, the mansion at 46 rue d'Anjou collapsed on 21 April, 1913 killing Émile Froment-Meurice and his wife (see below). Photo of the exterior of the Froment-Meurice case offered along with the Stobbe-made Mixed Courts badge from the 2018 eMedals auction (Item: EG2365). This shows the maroon textured paper case covering and the missing catch release button (the interior latch can be seen to be missing in the above photo of the open case). Moderate-resolution image of the obverse of the eMedals badge from the 13 June, 2018 eMedals auction, Item: EG2365. This photo shows two aspects of the badge design that are diagnostic of Stobbe-made badges and confirms that this badge is not associated with the Froment-Meurice case offered in this auction. As discussed in my post of 6 September, 2021 on this thread, the calligraphy on the central tablet of this badge shows the forward non-parallel orientation of the 5th alif vertical stroke from the right of laam, slanting forward one noktah, is identical to the noted variation seen on all identified (and a couple suspected) Rudolf Stobbe-made badges. At least some of the Wolf Horovitz-made Mixed Courts badges also have inverted tughra. The tuğ are pointing downward (rather than their correct orientation upwards) on the tughra in the Order of Medijie element, clearly indicating Stobbe manufacture of this badge (in my post of 7 September, 2021 discussing variation in the the tughra, I used a slightly lower resolution image from eMedals as the 15th photo in that post-this image can be zoomed to show clearly the inverted orientation of the tuğ in tughra). Front page of Le Petit Parisien from 26 April, 1913 carrying the story of the collapse of Froment-Meurice's mansion at 46 rue d'Anjou, Paris and Émile Froment-Meurice's death. See my post of 15 August, 2019 discussing some aspects of the life, family, and death of Émile Froment-Meurice. Photo of the collapsed Froment-Meurice mansion at 46 rue d'Anjou in Paris. Both the above page from Le Petit Parisien and this contemporary photo of the destroyed mansion come from: https://www.richardjeanjacques.com/2019/02/les-froment-meurice-2-eme-partie-emile.html Edited September 24, 2022 by Rusty Greaves
Rusty Greaves Posted November 4, 2022 Author Posted November 4, 2022 (edited) While checking on addresses of the J. Lattes shop in Cairo recently I came across some additional information about two manufacturers of the Mixed Courts badges. I found a few listings of business addresses for Zivy Frères & Cie. and Rudolf Stobbe that provide some additional background on these ateliers. Zivy Frères & Cie/Jules Cesar Zivy I first posted about the single example of a silver badge made by Zivy Frères & Cie. that I have come across on 24 April, 2019. An advertisement shown in that post (8th photo) identifies the Alexandria shop at 10 rue de Chérif Pacha in Alexandria and two other business locations. A manufacturing location in Paris, 24 rue Buffault (9°), produced some goods that Zivy Frères sold in Egypt. This may include the one example of a Mixed Courts badge that appears to have a French maker’s mark but no Egyptian silver hallmarks (6th photo in the 24 April, 2019 post). That advertisement also identifies the town of [La] Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland where watches and clocks sold by Zivy Frères & Cie. were made. I also posted an image of a business card for Zivy Frères & Cie. in that post (7th photo) showing the 10 rue de Chérif Pacha address in Alexandria, the manufacturing address in Paris (24 rue Buffault), and the [La] Chaux-de-Fonds horology workshop. An advertisement for Zivy Frères & Cie., shown in my post of 8 December, 2019 on this thread (3rd to last image) states that they had locations in Paris (no address given) and 10, rue Chérif Pacha in Alexandria. That advertisement also identifies a founding date of 1863 for the business. Another advertisement shown in the same 8 December post (2nd to last image) gives the addresses as 10 rue Chérif Pacha, Alexandria and the Paris address as 4 rue de Chateaudun. This also mentions the watch making workshop in La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The final photo in that 8 December post shows the storefront of Cesar Zivy, who I suspected may have been one of the Zivy Brothers (from: the www.925-1000.com website's Middle East Tradesection: http://925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53896#p171422). At the time I posted that image of the Cesar Zivy storefront, I did not know where that was located (Cairo was suggested in the www.925-1000.com website, but I had no corroboration of that until now). nor was I certain of his association with Zivy Frères & Cie. These current discoveries of addresses associated with both Zivy Frères & Cie. and Cesar Zivy indicate that Cesar was one of the Zivy brothers. The recent information I have found places this store in Cairo. The only jeweler named Zivy in the broader business of ivy Frères & Cie. I have been able to identify is Jules Cesar Zivy. I have no names of other Zivy brothers. Some biographical information is available about Cesar Zivy, principally that he is credited with founding the Le Nil Masonic lodge in Alexandria. This lodge was dependent on the Grand Orient of France (Raafat, Samir, Freemasonry in Egypt: is it still around? Pt 1. Insight Magazine, March 1, 1999; reprinted in GFN Cyber Mason Vol 5, No 2 =Feb 2010; pp 3-5; http://fsantoke.byethost3.com/gfn-news/feb10.pdf?i=1). Jules Cesar Zivy is identified as a Jewish merchant selling watches during the earliest period of their popularity in Egypt a the end of the 19th and earliest 20th centuries (still principally for identifying times for prayer rather than more secular uses of timepieces - alla franca [alafranga] timekeeping, Kupferschmidt 2015: 235). (Kupferschmidt, Uri M., 2015. On the diffusion of “small” western technologies and consumer goods in the Middle East during the era of first modern globalization. In A Global Middle East: Mobility, Materiality and Culture in the Modern Age, 1880-1940, edited by L. Kosma, C. Shayegh, and A Wisnitzer. I. B. Tauris & Co. London, pp. 229-262). An interesting side note is that the large number of Jewish goldsmiths, silversmiths, and watchmakers in Egypt has a legacy to this day of using certain Hebrew words as a "secret language” employed by metalsmiths and merchants in the markets to communicate clandestinely in front of non-Jewish customers (Huji, Jacky, The secret language of Cairo’s jewelry merchants. Al -Monitor 25 September, 2013: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2013/09/Cairo-gold-market-jews-language.html). Above is a high-resolution image of an advertisement for Cesar Zivy from pg. 157 of The guidebook Cairo and Egypt: Life in the Land of the Pharoahs, Being a Pictorial and Descriptive Guide to Cairo and the Nile, by Hallil J. Kemeid, 3rd Edition, 1899-1900, Simpkin, Marshall, Limited, London, Printed by A. C. Tenter, London. This online document is from the British Library digital archive: https://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ark:/81055/vdc_00000005E506#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0&xywh=-309%2C-104%2C2025%2C2348. This advert identifies his shop in the Halim Pasha’s Building (between Shepheard's Hotel and New Hotel) in Cairo, a branch shop on Chérif Pasha Street in Alexandria, the Paris manufacturing location on 65 rue de Chabrol, and the Swiss watch making location in La-Chaux-de-Fonds. It also identifies a store and workrooms in the Crédit Lyonnais Bank in Cairo. Of interest, this advertisement links Cesar Zivy with the rue Chérif Pasha address where Zivy Frères & Cie. was located. This makes a strong case that Jules Cesar Zivy is one of the Zivy brothers of Zivy Frères & Cie. This advertisement also is another that confirms the founding date of the various Zivy Frères & Cie. businesses as 1863. Above is an image from page 65 of the 1899 publication Cairo and Egypt: Life in the Land of the Pharoahs, Being a Pictorial and Descriptive Guide to Cairo and the Nile, by Hallil J. Kemeid, 3rd Edition that shows the storefront of the Cesar Zivy shop in Halim Pasha’s Building, Cairo. This is a different view of the store than the previous image I posted on 8 December, 2019 as the final photo in that post, showing a different view of the same storefront of Cesar Zivy, (see below). Above is the image I previously posted on 8 December, 2019 showing another view of the Cesar Zivy storefront. The configuration of the building is identical, indicating it is the Halim Pasha Building as well (from: the www.925-1000.com website's Middle East Tradesection: http://925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53896#p171422). This photo may come from 1901, but that date is unconfirmed. Note that the construction of the doors and windows are identical to the above image and the details of the Halim Pasha Building visible in both photos also are the same. Above is a high-resolution scan I made of an invoice from Zivy Frères & Cie. in Alexandria from 29 May, 1926. This identifies the 10 rue Chérif Pacha address, the Parisian workshop at 24, rue Buffault, and the Swiss manufacture of timepieces from La-Chaux-de-Fonds. Underneath the name “Zivy Frères & Co” the Cairo (linking it to Cesar Zivy’s shops) and Alexandria locations are identified, and a facility in Port Said for which I currently do not have a street address. Although I have only encountered one example of a Mixed Courts badge made by Zivy Frères & Cie., these data help better identify this minor manufacturer of these court regalia. Rudolf Stobbe I also found a small amount of information relative to Rudolf Stobbe, whose Mixed Courts badges are represented more commonly than Zivy Frères & Cie. I previously posted three advertisements for Rudolf Stobbe in my post of 24 September, 2019. One identifies that his shop was located at 29 rue Chérif Pacha, Alexandria (3rd photo in that post). The second advertisement for Stobbe (4th photo in that post) identifies the same Alexandria address and a second location in Opera Square, Cairo. The third advert (5th photo in that same post) identifies the Cairo location as his manufacturing workshop address. An advertisement in my post of 8 December, 2019 (2nd photo in that post) also identifies a business location in Opera Square, Cairo and the rue Chérif Pacha, Alexandria location. Both the badges made by Rudolf Stobbe (1st & 2nd photos in my post of 24 September, 2029) and the marking inside the Pierre Crabitès case (the only Stobbe case I have seen, 1st, & 5th photos in my post of 2 December, 2019 on this thread) specify Alexandria as the location associated with these Mixed Courts insignia. The 1908 6th edition of Egypt and the Sûdân: Handbook for Travellers, 6th Edition, by Karl Baedeker, Karl Baedeker Publishers, Leipzig Dulau & CO., London, Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York]; available online on the HathiTrust Digital Library website: https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008885623), identifies Rudolf Stobbe at Place de la Opera, Cairo (pg. 36 of the section on Lower Egypt (238th page in volume). The 1914 7th edition of Baedeker’s Egypt (available on the Internet Archive website: https://archive.org/details/egyptsdnhand00karl/page/n7/mode/2up) lists Stobbe at Shârie el-Manâkh 28, Cairo (on pg. 41 of the section on Lower Egypt, 245th page in the volume). I have not previously seen this address (very near the J. Lattes shop at 30 Sharia el-Manakh, Cairo) associated with Rudolf Stobbe. An 11 February, 1916 mention in the Supplement to the London Gazette (https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29471/supplement/1650/data.pdf) identifies Rudolf Stobbe only with the 29, rue Chérif Pacha, Alexandria address. Although the above high-resolution image does not have one of the various street addresses associated with Stobbe or a readily legible date, it is an example of stationary of Rudolf Stobbe. The destination is the city of Besançon in eastern France near the border with Switzerland. The red 5 millemes Sphinx and pyramid design stamp is an 1888 issue. The postmark is 6 May, probably 1901. This is from the philatelic website siegelauctons.com (https://siegelauctions.com/2020/1226/pdf/1503.pdf). Edited November 4, 2022 by Rusty Greaves
Rusty Greaves Posted November 14, 2022 Author Posted November 14, 2022 (edited) I may have identified an individual in an unnamed portrait that I posted on this thread on 27 February, 2021. I have tried comparing this individual with portraits of Mixed Courts judges and officials, especially those in the 50th anniversary publication Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926: Livre d'or Édité sous le Patronage du Conseil de l’Ordre des Avocats á l’Occasion du Cinquantenaire des Tribunaux de la Réforme, par le journal des Tribunaux Mixtes. Alexandrie, Egypte, Février 1926. I recently found several photos in an archive of a Minister in the US Legation in Cairo, Bert Fish, showing him with my wife’s great grandfather Pierre Crabités. The Bert Fish Archive is located in the Special Collections of the dupont-Ball Library at Stetson University, DeLand, Florida, where Fish graduated in their first law school class of 1902. Bert Fish (1875-1943) was a US judge and a partner in a successful law firm who made significant wealth in real estate. He retired from law in 1927 after a failed bid for the Florida state senate. He made a large donation to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential campaign and took on a position with the Democratic National Convention. Fish applied for a U.S. foreign service position and took an assignment in Egypt. He was made Minister (Envoy Extraordinaire and Minister Plenipotentiary) of the US State Department’s Legation in Cairo and arrived there in 1933. He served in that role until 1941. He also was the first US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1940-1941 and subsequently as Minister to the US Legation in Portugal until his death. There are many photos of Fish from the archive at Stetson University showing him in various roles throughout his career, and a large number are from his appointment in Egypt showing him with various Egyptian politicians and notable foreigners in Egypt in the early 20th century. There are several showing him with Pierre Crabités, the President of the Appeals Court, Jasper Brinton, and other justices of the Mixed Courts. One shows an American judge whom I feel is the same as the individual depicted in my previous 27 February, 2021 post. Undated image of an unnamed official of the Mixed Courts wearing a bicolored sash and judicial badge over a western style jacket rather than the stambouline coat. I believe that comparison of facial features indicates this is a portrait of Robert Llewellyn Henry, Junior (born 1882, his death date appears to be unknown). If this unnamed portrait is Judge Henry, it would likely have been taken at the time he was appointed to the court in 1924. The bicolored sash is slightly unusual if he was appointed as a judge, these sashes are normally worn by the Parquet and officials (not judges) of the Mixed Courts. This image is from a 28 July, 2018 eBay auction that is archived on the WorthPoint.com website (https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/egypt-vintage-photograph-white-1939040741). Portrait of the District Court of Alexandria from February, 1926. This is a plate from page 192 0f the 50th anniversary publication Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 Livre d'or Édité sous le Patronage du Conseil de l’Ordre des Avocats á l’Occasion du Cinquantenaire des Tribunaux de la Réforme, par le journal des Tribunaux Mixtes. Alexandrie, Egypte, Février 1926. Judge Robert Llewellyn Henry, Jr. is seated at the front on the viewers’ right in the light-colored suit. This image can be zoomed to compare with the previous photo suspected to be Judge Henry. I included this photo and all of the names of the other individuals in the room in the 5th image of my post of 18 April, 2019. If the previous portrait is Judge Robert Llewellyn Henry, Jr. he would only have been only about 1 year 4 months younger than in the above group photo. Although I have done as thorough a comparison of the previous unnamed portrait as possible with the photographic record of the Mixed Courts at my disposal, I am not 100% certain of the identification I am proposing. The hairline of Judge Henry seen in the February 1926 image of the Alexandria District Court in assembly appears a bit higher than on the previous portrait. The slightly different views of the face of Judge Henry in the 1926 assembly photo compared with the Worthpoint.com offering make comparisons of facial elements difficult. However, there appears to be enough similarity in the nose, mouth, chin, eyebrows, hairline, and ears (see the next photo below). I believe these represent a significant chance that the WorthPoint subject can be reasonably identified as Judge Robert Llewellyn Henry, Junior. The brief information in the 50th anniversary publication Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 states that he was named to the Alexandria District Courts on 10 November 1924. Other sources also identify him as a Rhodes Scholar in 1904, a former law professor at the Univ. of North Dakota and the Univ. of Iowa, an instructor at officers’ training camps 1917-19, a member of the U.S. War Department Board of Contract Adjustment, and a lecturer at Oxford Univ. prior to his appointment to the Mixed Courts. Like his death, I have found no information about the date when he retired from the Courts. The above photo is identified as dating to April 18, 1935. In the front row is Bert Fish (2nd from L) with Americans Judge Robert Llewellyn Henry, Jr. of the Alexandria District Court (far L), Jasper Yeates Brinton American jurist and the President of the Appeals Court in Alexandria (2nd from R), and James Rives Child (1893-1987), secretary of the U.S. Legation in Cairo (far R). Childs was a career diplomat and a scholar, with 4 of his books about Giacomo Cassanov that focused more on the 18th century rake's scholarly endeavors, mathematical acumen, and life as an adventurer rather than as a promiscuous lover. None of the Egyptians behind the Europeans are identified. They are probably the U.S. Legation’s kavass (armed guards), but the visible faces are not those of Bert Fish’s two personal security kavass. This image can be zoomed for some additional detail. From the Bert Fish Archive in the dupont-Ball Library at Stetson University, DeLand, Florida the identifier of this image is bfp014 (https://cdm17290.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17290coll1/id/93/rec/112). This photo is copyrighted by Stetson University, DeLand, Florida and may not be reproduced without permission (http://stetson.edu/library/permissions.php). I have received permission to use this image here on GMIC. Edited November 14, 2022 by Rusty Greaves
Rusty Greaves Posted January 31, 2023 Author Posted January 31, 2023 (edited) I first illustrated the set of awards to Alexander Cockburn McBarnet in my post of 18 April, 2019 on this thread, following a post by Egyptian Zogiston 7 November, 2017 with a link identifying this mounted set of awards (and much other material) during an 8 November, 2017 auction by Brightwells archived on the saleroom website. Lot 282. In my post of 18 April, 2019, I included a relatively low-resolution image of McBarnet's Mixed Courts badge and other awards as the 3rd image and I summarized what I learned of his career in Egypt. The image below is higher-resolution than the previous illustration I used in 2019 and comes from the Brightwells 8 November, 2017 auction listing that is archived on the Saleroom website (https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/brightwells/catalogue-id-srbr10077/lot-b19bfcb8-19b4-41fd-808e-a81900b1168c). The above higher-resolution image allows a comparison of the calligraphy on the central tablet with that seen on other badges to help identify the maker of this badge. The image is not high-enough resolution for a clear image of the tablet calligraphy, but it is most consistent with the markings I have identified as Froment-Meurice Group 1. The calligraphy is most similar to that seen on a badge that was offered on eBay over several years, not selling because of a high asking price (the tablet is and the calligraphic inscription is illustrated as the 4th image, also low-resolution, in my post of 6 September, 2021 on this thread comparing calligraphy across different makers of the Mixed Court badge). That eBay listing shows the “FROMENT-MEURICE” mark on the reverse of the badge. Unfortunately, the above photo, while it can be zoomed for a bit more detail, is not good enough to compare the orientation of the tugra in the Order of Medjidie element in the badge design. From top to bottom: McBarnet’s judicial badge (identified in the auction description as 115 mm high X 85 mm wide, silver, & silver gilt), 3rd Class neck badge of the Order of Medjidie, 3rd Class neck badge of the Order of the Nile, Commander’s neck badge of the British CBE (civil). On the bottom left are his OBE breast badge and miniature of that award lacking its ribbon. On the lower right are miniatures of his OBE, Order of the Nile, and Order of Medjidie. McBarnet was appointed as a judge to the Indigenous District Court of Asyut in 1906, to the Indigenous Court of Appeals in 1913 as a Conseiller (legal advisor), and was appointed in the to the Mixed Court of Appeals in December 1920 and working in that office at least through part of 1926. If his judicial badge is gold vermeil, this would be another uncommon example of the "gold" Appeals Court badge. Edited January 31, 2023 by Rusty Greaves
Rusty Greaves Posted February 22, 2023 Author Posted February 22, 2023 (edited) I just found only the second example I have seen of a Mixed Courts Judges badge made by Zivy Frères of Alexandria. This comes from an upcoming 4 March, 2023 auction by Alif Art, Lot 0100, an auction house in Istanbul (https://www.alifart.com/Content/pdfViewer/PDF/alif_art_mart_2023.pdf). The badge is described on page 55 of that online catalogue. Above is a moderately high resolution image of the obverse of the obverse of what is likely a District Courts badge made by Zivy Frères on the Alif Art website. The above photo can be zoomed for additional details of the workmanship and execution of this badge. This appears to be a silver & gold District Courts badge. The folds of the mantle, and possibly the interior "fur" element of the mantle, may exhibit some silver tarnish, not additional gilt components of the design. However, it is difficult to distinguish silver from vermeil components of the design from the one available photograph. The very brief auction description identified the material as “gilded on silver”, and its dimensions are: 11.5 cm (tall) x 9 cm (wide), and weighing 290 g. The presentation box measurements are given as 3.5 cm (deep?) x 15.5 cm (long) x 12 cm (wide). The maker is identified as “Zivy Frères, Paris – Alexandrie, Egypt”, the auction description states this name is stamped on the reverse (but no photo is provided). There is some damage to the enamel of the inscription on the central tablet and part of the "cordage" element on the upper right corner of the mantle shows what appears to be a loose wire of this element against the the rayed-embellishment. A small, low-resolution image of the badge resting in its case is given in the auction catalogue (see below). As noted, this is only the second example of a Mixed Courts badge by Zivy Frères that I have encountered online. The workmanship is equivalently less-detailed to the other Zivy Frères silver example I have illustrated (from an April 2019 auction [Lot 74177, Auction #5403] by Heritage Auctions: https://fineart.ha.com/itm/silver-smalls/an-egyptian-silver-magistrate-s-badge-from-the-reign-of-abbas-ii-egypt-circa-1900marks-unidentified-cipher-zivy-fr/a/5403-74177.s), compared with most other manufacturers of these badges (perhaps except for the two badges made by "UNION DES GRAVEURS; D. IALANOS, A. DE LEO &. A. KASSANDRINOS; 5. RUE DE L’EGLISE COPTE; ALEXANDRIE (Egypte)”, shown and discussed in my posts of 3 February, 2023 on this thread). The actual design execution of this probable silver and vermeil District Courts badge from Alif Art is also quite different from that on the Heritage Auctions example. No photographs are provided of the reverse of this District Courts badge. Low-resolution image of the presentation case for this Zivy Frères Mixed Courts badge from the Alif Art catalogue for the 4 March, 2023 auction. This image of the case is not good enough-resolution to show whether the Zivy Frères name is on the paper or ribbon attached to the inner upper lid. Moderate-resolution image of the obverse of the Heritage Auctions Zivy Frères silver Mixed Courts badge from an April 2019 auction (Lot 74177, Auction #5403) for comparison with the above silver and vermeil District Courts badge in the Alif Art catalogue for the upcoming 4 March auction. This image can be zoomed for some additional details in comparison with the Alif Art example. This badge is stamped with the name "ZIVY FRERES" on the reverse (shown as the 6th photo in my previous post on this thread of 24 April, 2019). The design differences are most apparent in comparisons between the interior “fur” of mantle, made with simple tool marks on the original dies of both the Heritage Auctions silver example and the Alif Art piece. The placement and execution of the ermine tails on the interior mantle also show differences compared with the Alif Art badge. The Heritage Auctions Zivy Frères badge also has a different execution of the Order of Medjidie element. As noted in my comparison of the tugra on these badges in my post of 7 September, 2021 on this thread, the silver Zivy Frères badge (the inferior portion of the badge is shown as the 6th-to-last image in that post) has the tugra oriented correctly, the superior portion of the wreath lacks the crescent and star, although there appears to be a “ghost” presence that may be the star element, missing for no readily explainable reason. The Order of Medjidie on the Alif Art example contrasts with the silver example by having the center of the medal with the tugra being convex, and the crescent and star are present. The comparison of the area with the Order of Medjidie on both pieces shows some of the other differences in execution between these two examples of Zivy Frères Mixed Courts badges. The form of the calligraphy on the central tablet also is slightly different between these two badges, but is more similar to each other than other inscriptions. The calligraphy on the Alif Art badge tablet does not match any of the currently still unidentified variants of the central tablet calligraphic inscriptions. Cropped close-up image of the Order of Medjidie design element of the silver Heritage Auctions Zivy Frères badge for comparison with the Alif Art example. Note the possible "ghost" presence of a suggestion of the star at the upper portion of the wreath, however, the crescent also is clearly missing on this piece. Cropped close-up of the Alif Art District Courts badge for comparison of the Order of Medjidie element with the Heritage Auctions example. This also shows the comparable, but differently executed, "fur" lining of the mantle the form and placement of the ermine tails, and the much less detailed treatment of the laurel and oak branches compared with other makers of these badges. Edited February 22, 2023 by Rusty Greaves 1
Rusty Greaves Posted March 31, 2023 Author Posted March 31, 2023 Here is a good example of the silver commemorative medal marking the closure of the Mixed Courts on 14 October, 1949. This comes from an 11 April 2022 auction (E-Auction 6), by CoinArchives, Lot 4164 (https://www.coinarchives.com/2dd115603c5ca8278e61d83cbcfe4ca9/img/schulman/e6/image04164.jpg). While most of the examples I can find photos of are bronze, this is another of the less common silver version showing well the Egyptian silver hallmarks on the reverse (Cairo assay office, the cat mark indicating Egyptian-made silver, and the date hallmark for 1948-1949), along with the letters STB for Sadek Tewfik Bichay. the description gives the date hallmark incorrectly as 1949-1951. I previously illustrated several of the silver version of this medal in my post of 7 January, 2021 on this thread. That post shows 5 silver versions of this medal (3rd – 13th photos) and 3 bronze examples (14th -19th photos in that same post). I am including the example below as it shows well the design elements of this commemorative medal. I do not think the lines following the front of the contours of the face of King Farouk I from his mouth to eyes, paralleling the front of his chest, and the top and rear of his tarboosh may represent a possible double strike (probably not) but are more likely marks from dirt/tarnish that had accumulated prior to cleaning.
Rusty Greaves Posted April 12, 2023 Author Posted April 12, 2023 (edited) Below is a better-quality image of the Zivy Frères Mixed Courts badge in its presentation case from the Alif Art catalogue, Lot No. 103, for their 4 March, 2023 auction (https://www.alifart.com/misir-hidv-nsani-281119/). this higher-resolution image allows the name Zivy Frères to be read on the label inside the upper lid, more clearly than shown in the 2nd photo of my post here of 22 February, 2023. This higher-resolution image of the Zivy Frères Mixed Courts gold and silver District Courts badge in its presentation case from the Alif Art catalogue for a 4 March, 2023 auction. In my original 22 February post I incorrectly identified the Lot as 100, it is actually Lot 103. I also incorrectly identified the badges weight as 290 g, the auction description actually states it is 210 g. This is the only photo I have seen of a Zivy Frères case for a Mixed Court badge. Edited April 15, 2023 by Rusty Greaves 1
Rusty Greaves Posted June 1, 2023 Author Posted June 1, 2023 I found a highe-resolution image of the Froment-Meurice made District Court badge in its case that I previously illustrated as the 5th photo in my post of 22September, 2022. This image comes from an archived on the Drouot.com website (https://drouot.com/en/l/18392233-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice-france). This listing did not include the images of the obverse and reverse of this badge that were illustrated separately in the Millon website where I originally found the illustrations of this badge as Lot 322 of a 15 June, 2022 auction (https://www.millon.com/catalogue/vente1688-manuscrits-arts-dorient-et-de-linde-juin-et-juin/lot322-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice). I illustrated the separate photos of the obverse and revere as the 3rd and 4th photos in my 22 September, 2022 post. Photos from this auction also are archived on La Gazette Drouot (https://www.gazette-drouot.com/en/lots/18392233-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice). Above is a better-resolution photo of this District Court gold and silver badge from a 15 June, 2022 auction (Lot 322) than the photo I included in my 22 September, 2022 post along with two other photos of this badge. As noted in that post, the calligraphy matches what I have termed Froment-Meurice group 2 style. I am uncertain whether Millon or Drouot were the auction houses that sold this badge. As noted, the badge with the same description and Lot # are listed on both of their sites. The original, uncropped version of the above photo on Drouot (https://drouot.com/en/l/18392233-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice-france) does have a watermark in the upper right reading: "M Auction", suggesting Millon is the source auction. This photo can be zoomed for some additional detail lacking in the posted 22 September, 2022 version. 1
Rusty Greaves Posted July 17, 2023 Author Posted July 17, 2023 Above is a low-resolution image of a District Mixed Courts judge’s badge from a 26 May, 2023 auction by Delon/Hoebanx & Associés (https://www.delon-hoebanx.com/en/lot/134960/21656566-egypt-large-badge-of-judge-of-mixed-court-for-the). The description for this badge (Lot 170) identifies the maker as Froment-Meurice and that it is a 3-piece construction of vermeil (silver with gilt). The dimensions are given as 116 mm x 89 mm, and its weight as 172.9 g. No photo of the reverse is provided, and the description does not indicate whether it is marked with the Froment-Meurice name. The tablet inscription is most similar to that which I previously categorized as Froment-Meurice group 2. It is most similar to the tablet inscription seen on the example on display in Abdine Palace (shown in a higher-resolution image in my post of 26 January, 2022). It also resembles the inscription of the Clark Auction Gallery example (Lot 0235) shown in the low-resolution 9th photo of my post of 6 September, 2021, and in a high-resolution set of photos (1st-3rd, and 5th) in my post of 19 June, 2022. The spotty remnants of the gilding on the embellishment rays, the Order of Medjidie element, the proximal ends of the tughs, the proximal end of the oak branch, and a couple of the oak leaves on the upper left side, suggests the possibility of attempted chemical cleaning that went awry as this loss does not resemble wear. The central tablet retains its gilt around its margins, but it appears that the central portion has lost the gilt. There is some loss of the enamel on the tablet, especially in the central area. Although not a good-quality image, it is an example of one of the less common District Courts badges, and even with the loss of much of the gold on the design, it is of research interest as there is a fair bit of variation in which portions of these District Courts badges are gilt, even among examples from one manufacturer. This loss of the vermeil and tablet damage is likely responsible for the fairly low realized bid for this piece (€550) compared with other recent sales of some of these Mixed Courts badges.
Graf Posted July 19, 2023 Posted July 19, 2023 On 25/03/2017 at 06:43, Rusty Greaves said: I would like to update my last posting with a few illustrations of the different badges and sashes that I have previously mentioned. I apologize for some redundancies with the above posts. For all these judgeships, at least in the early 20th century, the costume was a simple black tunic and a maroon fez. Each of the three different courts had a different colored silk sashes and badges made from different precious metals. The tablet legends on all badges are enamel. As noted, prior to the instigation of this system, judges wore the robes of their home countries and particular courts they had served. The Mixed Courts of Egypt were established in 1876 and were used until 1949. In place of the exclusive consular jurisdiction to which foreigners were formerly liable, a system of Mixed Tribunals was established in 1876. At least part of this was due to the increased presence of foreigners in Egypt associated with the cotton trade, following the decline of the US production during the Civil War, and probably construction of the Suez Canal. The judges for the Mixed Courts were Egyptians and foreigners from Europe and the United States (the latter generally appointed by the Khedive from qualified officials nominated by the European power and the US government). The Mixed Courts were based on the French civil code (Napoleonic Code), British common law, with additional elements from Islamic law. For all these judgeships (in the Appeals Court, the District Courts, and the Parquet-the public prosecutor’s office), at least in the early 20th century until the end of the Mixed Courts, the costume was a simple black tunic with a standing collar, and a maroon fez. Initially, following the establishment of the Courts and probably throughout the 19th century, judges of the International Mixed Courts wore their own judicial robes used by each appointed international judge from their home countries. The costume change was apparently intentionally nationalistic, changing to a tunic and fez indicating the use of an Egyptian costume to emphasize the national interest in the Courts' roles and activities. Is there a proper term for this tunic? Each of the three different courts had a different colored silk sashes and badges made from different precious metals. The badge designs were all the same except for their materials. The tablet legends on all badges are enamel. The international Court of Appeals was the highest of the Mixed Courts (in Alexandria). The sash for this court was green and the judges’ badge was of gilt in gold (see badge illustration below and the previously posted portrait above on 12/1/2016 of Judge Jasper Brinton painted by the 20th century modernist painter Mahmoud Said, who was a judge on the Mixed Courts 1922-47, and his father was the Prime Minister of Egypt 1910-14 and May-November 1919). An additional small black & white image of a Greek member of the Appeals Court, Nicolas Cambas, wearing the tunic, sash and badge is published in Jasper Brintons book on teh Mixed Courts, cited above on 12/1/2016. For the District Courts (Alexandria, Cairo, and Mansourah-the latter held a session once a year in Port Said) the sash was red and the badge was gold and silver gilt ( see illustrated below-same as in my original post of 11/17/2016; and see the the color portrait posted by Egyptian Zogist on 11/23/2016; and the black & white photograph of Judge Pierre Crabitès in my original post of 11/17/2016). The sash for the Parquet (office of the Procureur-General who prosecuted cases in front of the Mixed Courts) was red and green and the badge is silver. The one illustration I have found so far of a parquet official was for Apostolo N. Gennaropoulo (of Greece) who served in Alexandria. The image shows the sash as having a green stripe as the upper margin of the sash that is ~1/3 the width of the red stripe below. Photos of him and his badge are shown below. These silver gilt badges appear to be the most common ones appearing on auction websites. The badges are large and heavy, ~ Width: 88 mm x Height: 117 mm; 161-172 gm. Abbas Hilmi II had the badge designed by Emile Froment-Meurice of Paris, the most famous jeweler in Paris at the time. Genuine examples were variously made for the courts by Froment-Meurice and several Egyptian manufacturers such as Lattes of Cairo, Bichay of Cairo, M. Laurencin & Cie. of Alexandria, and Stobbe in Alexandria. Some original badges were unmarked. The design of these badges remained unchanged throughout the entire period of their use. As noted by Egyptian Zogist in his post of 11/23/2016, apects of the obverse design derive from French iconography and Ottoman images (as the Khedivie represented an Ottoman viceroyalty ruling Egypt until Abbas Hilmi II was deposed and the remaining kings from this dynasty ruled under a British protectorate). Part of the badge design clearly derives from French iconography (see below), a borrowing from the influence of the Napoleonic code on Egyptian law. The drapery is considered a “pavillion”, the hand on the upper left is the “hand of justice”. The image of a scepter in the upper right may be derived from earlier versions depicting two knights representing two orders- Order of Saint-Michel and the Ordre du Saint-Esprit- were together known as the ordres du Roi with spears with standards held projecting above the pavilion. In the Mixed Courts judge’s badge, the hand of justice remains, and the other side is a whisk representing royal authority (like a scepter). I have been told that the small circular 'medallion' at the bottom of the badge bears the Ottoman Tughra and resembles the Order of Medjidie, its placement also appears to be related to the cross seen in the French royal arms (see below and image above from post by Egyptian Zogist on 11/23/2016). I have seen and gotten several translations of the legend. That from Egyptian Zogist on 11/23/2016 is the most precise: "Justice is the foundation of kingship/governance". His additional comments above on the continued use of this motto in Egypt are relevant. Silver gilt judges’ badge, identified as that of Herbert Hills of the Mixed Courts in Cairo. The silver of this badge indicates it was worn by a member of the Parquet, or the state prosecutor’s office, although Hills was a judge on the District Courts 1875-82 and on the Court of Appeals 1882-1904. Perhaps at this earlier period when the regalia changed from the previous use to the standardized Egyptian garb, the badge distinctions had not yet been fully established. It may also be that this is not Hillses badge, the named attribution appears to be based on a handwritten piece of paper attached to the reverse side of the badge. (Dreweatts Bloomsbury Auctions; lot 175; http://www.dreweatts.com/cms/pages/lot/13863/175) Arms of the first Empire (1804-14) showing elements included in the design of the Mixed Courts judges' badges Arms of the monarchy of July (1830) showing elements included in the design of the Mixed Courts judges' badges. Gold gilt Judges’ Badge of the Mixed Court of Appeals, obverse view of badge with legend reading: "Justice is the foundation of kingship/governance". Gold gilt Judges’ Badge of the Mixed Court of Appeals, reverse view of badge. Maker's maker's is unclear, possibl' Froment Meurice of Paris, although the first two visible letters appear to be "MO...". Silver and gold gilt Judges’ Badge of the Mixed Court of Appeals, obverse and reverse view of badge. This example was made by Stobbe of Alexandria. Silver gilt judges' and/or official's badge of the Parquet, or Procureur-General who prosecuted cases in front of the Mixed Courts, obverse view. ilver gilt judges' and/or official's badge of the Parquet, or Procureur-General who prosecuted cases in front of the Mixed Courts, reverse view. This example has no maker's mark, but is probably genuine. Badge in case that that belonged to Apostolo N. Gennaropoulo (of Greece) of the Parquet attached to the Mixed Courts of Alexandria, Egypt and a photo of him in his official robes wearing the badge on his bi-colored sash of green over red. (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OTTOMAN-EMPIRE-EGYPT-KHEDIVATE-JUDGE-039-S-BADGE-OF-OFFICE-FROMENT-MEURICE-W-BOX-/181500482691?_) What a beauty
Graf Posted July 21, 2023 Posted July 21, 2023 On 18/07/2023 at 03:18, Rusty Greaves said: Above is a low-resolution image of a District Mixed Courts judge’s badge from a 26 May, 2023 auction by Delon/Hoebanx & Associés (https://www.delon-hoebanx.com/en/lot/134960/21656566-egypt-large-badge-of-judge-of-mixed-court-for-the). The description for this badge (Lot 170) identifies the maker as Froment-Meurice and that it is a 3-piece construction of vermeil (silver with gilt). The dimensions are given as 116 mm x 89 mm, and its weight as 172.9 g. No photo of the reverse is provided, and the description does not indicate whether it is marked with the Froment-Meurice name. The tablet inscription is most similar to that which I previously categorized as Froment-Meurice group 2. It is most similar to the tablet inscription seen on the example on display in Abdine Palace (shown in a higher-resolution image in my post of 26 January, 2022). It also resembles the inscription of the Clark Auction Gallery example (Lot 0235) shown in the low-resolution 9th photo of my post of 6 September, 2021, and in a high-resolution set of photos (1st-3rd, and 5th) in my post of 19 June, 2022. The spotty remnants of the gilding on the embellishment rays, the Order of Medjidie element, the proximal ends of the tughs, the proximal end of the oak branch, and a couple of the oak leaves on the upper left side, suggests the possibility of attempted chemical cleaning that went awry as this loss does not resemble wear. The central tablet retains its gilt around its margins, but it appears that the central portion has lost the gilt. There is some loss of the enamel on the tablet, especially in the central area. Although not a good-quality image, it is an example of one of the less common District Courts badges, and even with the loss of much of the gold on the design, it is of research interest as there is a fair bit of variation in which portions of these District Courts badges are gilt, even among examples from one manufacturer. This loss of the vermeil and tablet damage is likely responsible for the fairly low realized bid for this piece (€550) compared with other recent sales of some of these Mixed Courts badges. Very very Nice
Graf Posted July 21, 2023 Posted July 21, 2023 On 02/06/2023 at 08:37, Rusty Greaves said: I found a highe-resolution image of the Froment-Meurice made District Court badge in its case that I previously illustrated as the 5th photo in my post of 22September, 2022. This image comes from an archived on the Drouot.com website (https://drouot.com/en/l/18392233-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice-france). This listing did not include the images of the obverse and reverse of this badge that were illustrated separately in the Millon website where I originally found the illustrations of this badge as Lot 322 of a 15 June, 2022 auction (https://www.millon.com/catalogue/vente1688-manuscrits-arts-dorient-et-de-linde-juin-et-juin/lot322-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice). I illustrated the separate photos of the obverse and revere as the 3rd and 4th photos in my 22 September, 2022 post. Photos from this auction also are archived on La Gazette Drouot (https://www.gazette-drouot.com/en/lots/18392233-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice). Above is a better-resolution photo of this District Court gold and silver badge from a 15 June, 2022 auction (Lot 322) than the photo I included in my 22 September, 2022 post along with two other photos of this badge. As noted in that post, the calligraphy matches what I have termed Froment-Meurice group 2 style. I am uncertain whether Millon or Drouot were the auction houses that sold this badge. As noted, the badge with the same description and Lot # are listed on both of their sites. The original, uncropped version of the above photo on Drouot (https://drouot.com/en/l/18392233-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice-france) does have a watermark in the upper right reading: "M Auction", suggesting Millon is the source auction. This photo can be zoomed for some additional detail lacking in the posted 22 September, 2022 version. Amazing
Graf Posted July 24, 2023 Posted July 24, 2023 On 02/06/2023 at 08:37, Rusty Greaves said: I found a highe-resolution image of the Froment-Meurice made District Court badge in its case that I previously illustrated as the 5th photo in my post of 22September, 2022. This image comes from an archived on the Drouot.com website (https://drouot.com/en/l/18392233-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice-france). This listing did not include the images of the obverse and reverse of this badge that were illustrated separately in the Millon website where I originally found the illustrations of this badge as Lot 322 of a 15 June, 2022 auction (https://www.millon.com/catalogue/vente1688-manuscrits-arts-dorient-et-de-linde-juin-et-juin/lot322-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice). I illustrated the separate photos of the obverse and revere as the 3rd and 4th photos in my 22 September, 2022 post. Photos from this auction also are archived on La Gazette Drouot (https://www.gazette-drouot.com/en/lots/18392233-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice). Above is a better-resolution photo of this District Court gold and silver badge from a 15 June, 2022 auction (Lot 322) than the photo I included in my 22 September, 2022 post along with two other photos of this badge. As noted in that post, the calligraphy matches what I have termed Froment-Meurice group 2 style. I am uncertain whether Millon or Drouot were the auction houses that sold this badge. As noted, the badge with the same description and Lot # are listed on both of their sites. The original, uncropped version of the above photo on Drouot (https://drouot.com/en/l/18392233-insigne-de-juge-de-tribunal-mixte-par-froment-meurice-france) does have a watermark in the upper right reading: "M Auction", suggesting Millon is the source auction. This photo can be zoomed for some additional detail lacking in the posted 22 September, 2022 version. Amazing work Thank you for sharing it
Graf Posted July 26, 2023 Posted July 26, 2023 On 18/11/2016 at 05:05, Rusty Greaves said: Gentlemen, I have a question regarding the Khedivate Judges Badge in Egypt. My wife's great grandfather was appointed to the international court (the Mixed Courts) in Egypt and served between 1911-1936. Unfortunately the family does have this badge, the illustration I am providing comes from a different source. There was a discussion in May, 2011 on GMIC regarding an example a member had obtained (link quoted here). I am curious whether someone would be kind enough to translate the enamelled inscription on this badge? I am including a photograph of my wife's great grandfather (Pierre Crabites) in his judicial robes wearing this badge. Very nice
Graf Posted July 27, 2023 Posted July 27, 2023 On 24/11/2016 at 08:13, Egyptian Zogist said: Another very nice piece! I've actually seen one of these before in the royal collections museum in the Abdine Palace complex. The inscription is actually "العدل أساس الملك" meaning "justice is the foundation of kingship/governance". This motto is still seen today in courts in Egypt, whether on judges' benches or as architectural decor in court rooms. Here it is, below the scales/sword of justice design: Always looking forward to seeing more posts! Here is a very nice portrait of a judge wearing this badge. I haven't been able to identify the subject of the portrait, though. I also think the design is influenced by the coat of arms of Louis-Philippe's so-called 'July Monarchy' in France (1830 - 1848), note the 'tablet of law' and the 'main de justice'. (image from www.heraldica.org) Very nice
Graf Posted July 27, 2023 Posted July 27, 2023 On 25/04/2019 at 04:43, Rusty Greaves said: An example of a Mixed Courts judicial silver badges manufactured by a jeweler I have not seen represented before is listed (Lot 74177) on a current auction by Heritage Auctions (https://fineart.ha.com/itm/silver-smalls/an-egyptian-silver-magistrate-s-badge-from-the-reign-of-abbas-ii-egypt-circa-1900marks-unidentified-cipher-zivy-fr/a/5403-74177.s) and also listed on liveauctioneers.com website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/70835139_74177-an-egyptian-silver-magistrate-s-badge-from-the-r). This badge was made by Zivy Frères & Cie., a Swiss jewelry house, watchmaker, and goldsmith with addresses in Paris and at 10 rue Chèrif Pacha, Alexandria (the same street where Horovitz had a storefront at 26 rue Chèrif Pacha, see my post of 1 December, 2018 where I illustrated a silver badge made by Horovitz, and the last image in that shows a photo from ~1900 of the rue Chèrif Pacha). In addition to being the only badge made by Zivy Frères & Cie. that I have found photos of, this example has some interesting differences in the detail of its execution, and one very odd missing symbolic element. Obverse of the Mixed Courts badge made by Zivy Frères & Cie., Alexandria. The auction description calls this a "Magistrates badge from the reign of Abbas Hilmi II", identifies the manufacturer as Zivy Frères, considers the hallmark ("cipher") as unidentified, and gives the measurement as 4-5/8" (117.5 mm) high X 3-5/8" (~92 mm) wide, and provides a very approximate date of c.1900. The Zivy Frères & Cie. example shows some very significant variation in many details of its design compared with other Mixed Courts badges. The above image can be zoomed for additional detail. A couple aspects appear more detailed and three-dimensional; specifically, the depth of relief in the crown (although the superior crescent appears to be less detailed, the inferior band of the crown also shows less crisp definition of its design elements, and possibly other crown components are slightly different) and the execution of the tasseled cords at each of the upper corners of the mantle in the coat of arms. The interior loops (those on the crown side of the mantle corners) of the tasseled cords each form heart-shaped loops, compared with the more triangular ovals seen on all other examples. The exterior loops of these two cord elements also show somewhat greater detail (especially the left exterior loop) and relief. There is a raised "cord" border to the fringe and interior of the mantle that I also have not seen on other badges. Such a cord is present on the exterior portions of the mantle in other badges, between the embroidered portion of the mantle and the fringe, but not on the interior. The Zivy Frères badge also has a raised cord border on the two superior lateral exterior drapery folds of the mantle between the first (lower) panel of spiral "embroidery" next to the fringe and the more superior embroidery panel of triangular designs, also not seen on other examples. In contrast, many other elements of this Zivy Frères badge are much less detailed in their design. All 4 tassels are rendered in lower relief and detail, and each of the interior tassels lacks the longer, straight section of cord seen in all other examples. Both finials of the two tughs, as well as the horsetail embellishments, are executed in less detail, especially compared with the Froment-Meurice and Stobbe examples, and even compared with the Horovitz badge (the one Horovitz example I have seen photos of seems to be made with less careful craftsmanship than Froment-Meurice or Stobbe, but still is much more detailed the this Zivy Frères badge) that I illustrated in my post of 1 December, 2018 on this thread. The oak leaves on the L and the laurel leaves on the R of the tablet with inscription are much less detailed than on other examples, even less so than the Horovitz example. The superior star and rays above the inscription tablet may be lower relief and appear less finely designed. The ermine tail relief elements distributed across the interior of the mantle are executed in larger and much coarser fashion than on any other examples, and several that normally appear across other designs are missing (i.e., the two that appear below the oak & laurel branches and above the margins of the Order of Medjidie badge element; the 2 just below the cut ends of the oak & laurel branches; and the two on either side of the hand of justice on the superior finial of the L tugh, all of which are visible even on the less-detailed Horovitz example. The most dramatic differences from other badges are apparent in the lower portion of the badge. Below the union of the union of the oak & laurel branches, a ring is present, but the crescent and star is completely missing. This seems quite an odd omission of an important symbolic element. No other example I have seen lacks this Ottoman emblem. The Order of Medjidie is missing the full circumference of the 7-pointed, multi-rayed, star embellishment, and the central medallion frame is much thinner than on other badges. Its surrounding wreath also appears to be much less detailed in its execution. The auction description notes some damage to the enamel (of the central tablet’s inscriptions), but in comparing the inscription with other examples, there appears to be some lower elegance in the calligraphy of this example even before such damage occurred. Although the height dimension of this badge is not that anomalous (117.5 mm, compared with more common measurements of 115, or 116 mm, although at least one other example is identified as 117 mm), the width of 92.07 mm is slightly larger than almost all other examples from auction sites providing measurements that generally are 85 mm or maximally identified as 88 mm. The multi-rayed embellishment does appear to extend further beyond the mantle margins than on other manufacturer's examples. Close-up of the inferior portion of the Zivy Frères badge showing the missing crescent & star element below the tied oak & laurel branches and the much less detailed execution of the Order of Medjidie symbol. The coarser ermine tail decorations, the less well-modeled "fur" relief of the mantle interior, and less well-executed oak & laurel leaves also are apparent in this view. For comparison, above is the inferior design portion of the silver judicial badge made by Froment-Meurice and attributed to Judge Herbert Hills (http://www.dreweatts.com/auctions/lot-details/?saleId=13863&lotId=175). Reverse of the Mixed Courts badge made by Zivy Frères & Cie., Alexandria. Note that the 5 rivet fasteners normally visible on the reverse where the mantle component is attached to the multi-rayed embellishment are not present on this example, suggesting a soldered attachment rather than rivets (areas of solder may be visible along the joint between the central shield-shaped portion and the multi-rayed embellishment). . Reverse of the Mixed Courts badge made by Zivy Frères & Cie. with the tunic pin opened showing the placement of the name "ZIVY FRERES" and their manufacturer's hallmark. No silver assay hallmarks are visible on the reverse. Close-up view of the name "ZIVY FRERES" and probably their manufacturer's hallmark (unfortunately not detailed enough to be able to see clearly, but it does not appear to be a silver purity hallmark). The Zivy Frères name shows a double strike in its application. I have found very few internet images of Zivy Frères silver pieces, and none so far that show the firm's hallmark. Business card of Zivy Frères & Cie. (https://www.flickr.com/photos/kelisli/25209863512/in/dateposted/). Examples of this card also are currently offered on an eBay auction (https://www.ebay.com/itm/EGYPT-FRANCE-Zivy-Freres-Co-The-provider-of-Jewelries-to-HM-King-of-EGYPT/303120051239?hash=item46935cec27:g:YCIAAOSwWrNcFTNE). The crown in the upper left of the card is a version of the Egyptian Royal Crown. Advertisement for Zivy Frères & Cie. from pg. XX of Alexandrie: Reine de la Mèditeranèe, No 1, Juillet 1928, 1ère Partie (http://www.cealex.org/pfe/diffusion/PFEWeb/pfe_068/PFE_068_002_1_w.pdf(http://www.cealex.org/pfe/diffusion/PFEWeb/pfe_068/PFE_068_002_1_w.pdf). Splendid
Graf Posted July 28, 2023 Posted July 28, 2023 On 13/04/2023 at 08:32, Rusty Greaves said: Below is a better-quality image of the Zivy Frères Mixed Courts badge in its presentation case from the Alif Art catalogue, Lot No. 103, for their 4 March, 2023 auction (https://www.alifart.com/misir-hidv-nsani-281119/). this higher-resolution image allows the name Zivy Frères to be read on the label inside the upper lid, more clearly than shown in the 2nd photo of my post here of 22 February, 2023. This higher-resolution image of the Zivy Frères Mixed Courts gold and silver District Courts badge in its presentation case from the Alif Art catalogue for a 4 March, 2023 auction. In my original 22 February post I incorrectly identified the Lot as 100, it is actually Lot 103. I also incorrectly identified the badges weight as 290 g, the auction description actually states it is 210 g. This is the only photo I have seen of a Zivy Frères case for a Mixed Court badge. another nice badge I keep enjoy them
Graf Posted July 29, 2023 Posted July 29, 2023 On 19/04/2019 at 12:50, Rusty Greaves said: I have some additional photos and information from the volume Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926: Livre d'or Édité sous le Patronage du Conseil de l’Ordre des Avocats á l’Occasion du Cinquantenaire des Tribunaux de la Réforme, par le: Journal des Tribunaux Mixtes. Alexandrie, Egypte, Février 1926 that I wish to share. In this post, I want to include images and information associated with individuals I have mentioned in past posts. I will treat each person that I have found something about in the order that they appeared on this thread. The only individual I have not been able to get any additional information about from this publication is the Greek Judge Apostolo N. Gennaropoulo, whose cased silver judicial badge made by Froment-Meurice and a portrait photo appeared on an eBay auction of September, 2014. I first illustrated Judge Gennaropoulo’s badge and portrait in the final photo of my post of 24 March, 2017, and the reverse of his badge is shown in the 7th photo of judicial badges (the 3rd to last of the illustrations of Froment-Meurice manufacturer’s marks) in my post detailing manufacturer’s and assay hallmarks of 28 February, 2019. It may be that Judge Gennaropoulo was not appointed to the court until after 1926, when the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume was published. So far, I have not found information about this individual in other research sources I have consulted. I have scanned the photos from the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume that I am including below in black and white as that seems to provide better detail of the images. Each of them have the decorative ancient Egyptian frame motifs around the photos in a rose color as shown in the scanned images from my 1 April, 2019 post, although they do not appear in color here. All of the scanned photos from the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume can be zoomed for somewhat greater details. Herbert Augustus Hills (1837-1907) I illustrated the obverse of the silver judicial badge identified as belonging to Herbert Hills of Great Britain, in the 1st photo of my post of 24 March, 2017. I illustrated the reverse of that badge that has a hand-written note attributing the badge to Judge Hills in my post of 7 November, 2017. I have included images of both the obverse & reverse of that badge below. Herbert Hills is identified in the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume’s appendix listing of personnel for the District Courts. Hills is identified (pg. XII) as having been appointed in November of 1875 as a judge to the District Court in Alexandria, and promoted to Conseiller (legal advisor) to the Court of Appeals in October 1882 (Mark S. W. Hoyle, a moderately prolific recent scholar of the Egyptian Mixed Courts identifies his initial appointment year as 1876, probably an incorrect date, in his 1986 article: The structure and laws of the Mixed Courts of Egypt. Arab Law Quarterly, Vol 1 (3): 327-345). In the appendix list of personnel serving the Appeals Court, Hills is identified (pg. IV) as a former judge in Alexandria, and promoted to the Appeals Court in October, 1882, and he resigned in February, 1904. That section also states he was awarded the 2nd Class Order of Mejidie (he received this in either 1904 or 1905, a note in The Law Times: The Journal of the Law and The Lawyers, Vol CXIII of March 11, 1905, pg. 442 states that "Mr. Herbert Augustus Hill, late Judge in the Egyptian Mixed Court of Appeal at Alexandria, has received the Royal license and authority to accept and wear the Insignia of the Second Class of the Imperial Ottoman Order of the Medjidieh"). No photo of Judge Hills is included in the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume, and I have not found any images of him in y other research. This information does not resolve the question I mentioned in both posts about why Judge Hills would have a silver badge when his appointment to the District Court of Alexandria should have meant his regalia included a gold and silver badge. It also puzzles me whether as a Conseiller in his later appointment to the Appeals Court he might have worn a gold judicial badges (the design for the Appeals Court), or retained a previous badge (again what should have been a gold & silver badge from his service on the District Court) as he was not a judge on that highest court. In both cases, this silver badge remains either an anomalous example of regalia associated with his identified roles on the Mixed Courts or a problematic attribution to Judge Hills. Obverse of the silver judicial badge attributed to Judge Herbert A. Hills of Great Britain (From a June 2015 auction : Dreweatts Bloomsbury Auctions; lot 175; formerly listed at: http://www.dreweatts.com/cms/pages/lot/13863/175, but archived on The Saleroom website: https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/dreweatts/catalogue-id-drewea10199/lot-d2a1fe08-3bbf-4c29-a53d-a4aa00a27910). Identified as made by Froment-Meurice and measuring 12 cm high X 8.5 cm wide and weighing 173 g. Reverse of the badge attributed to Judge Hills, showing the note that is the basis for identifying this badge with Herbert Hills. It is uncertain whether the reverse has any hallmarks for Froment-Meurice. This image is a higher-resolution photo of the reverse than the version I uploaded in my may 7 November, 2017 post on this thread and can be zoomed for better details of the attached note. Alexander Cockburn McBarnet (1867-1934) Egyptian Zogist posted a link (in his post of 4 November, 2017) to an auction by Brightwells of November, 2017 that is archived on The Saleroom website (https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/brightwells/catalogue-id-srbr10077/lot-b19bfcb8-19b4-41fd-808e-a81900b1168c) of medals and clothing belonging to Alexander Cockburn McBarnet. I commented on the information about the judicial badge in this lot (282) in my 2 posts of 6 December, 2017 but did not illustrate the badge as it is a very low-resolution image. Owain commented on potential dating of some of McBarnet’s other awards in his post of 7 November, 2017 on this thread. The Brightwells’ auction of November 2017 identifies McBarnet as having been appointed as a District Judge in to the Indigenous (“Native”) Court of Appeals in 1913, as a judge in the District Court of Asyut (also indigenous?) in 1906, and as holding various other legal offices in Egypt subsequently. The appendices in Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume that identify past & current officials of the Appeals Court lists McBarnet (pg. V), of Great Britain, former Conseiller (legal advisor) to the Indigenous Court of Appeals (no starting date is given in this entry), but does identify him as having been appointed in December 1920 to the Mixed Appeals Court, and working in that office at the time of the 1926 publication. McBarnet is not in the photograph of the Appeals Court that I posted on April 1, 2019 in this thread. No photos of Judge McBarnet are featured in the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume, and I have not yet encountered any others in my research. In regard to the question about McBarnet’s other awards discussed by me in both my posts of 6 November, 2017 and by Owain on 7 November, 2017, I previously overlooked the information in the Brightwells’ auction listing the original bestowal documents as April 14, 1914 for receipt of the 3rd Class Order of Medjidie, and the August 7, 1917 receipt of the 3rd Class Order of the Nile (additionally, his OBE was awarded on March 30, 1920 and CBE on March 24, 1922). Jasper Yeates Brinton's comment about restrictions on serving judges from receiving honors from the Egyptian government during their service (Brinton, Jasper Yeates, 1968. The Mixed Courts of Egypt, 2nd Edition. Yale University Press, New Haven, pp. 53-54) may not have been fully in effect at this time, or McBarnet may have received these during intervals between his different court service. I have photographs for future posts of earlier Mixed Courts judges wearing medals along with their judicial costumes, a practice that appears to have ended sometime in the earliest 1900s. Note in my discussion above that Judge Herbert A. Hills was not awarded the Order of Mejidie until after his retirement from the Egyptian Mixed Courts. Also in relation to this question, the entry for Pierre Crabitès in the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume appendix listing personnel of the District Courts (pg. XI) does not identify his reciept of the Grand Officer Class of the Order of Ismail, consistent with Brinton's statement that, at least at this time, honors and awards were not given to sitting judges until the end of their tenure on the bench. Low-resolution image of awards of Alexander Cockburn McBarnet from the November 2017 Brightwells’ auction. From top to bottom: McBarnet’s judicial badge (identified in the auction description as 115 mm high X 85 mm wide, silver, & silver gilt), 3rd Class neck badge of the Order of Medjidie, 3rd Class neck badge of the Order of the Nile, Commander’s neck badge of the British CBE (civil). On the bottom left are his OBE breast badge and miniature of that award lacking its ribbon. On the lower right are miniatures of his OBE, Order of the Nile, and Order of Medjidie. Santos Manoël Jaoquim Rodrigues Monteiro (1879-1952) I illustrated a Portuguese commemorative medal celebrating the life of Dr. Manual Monteiro (of Portugal) in my post of 26 April, 2018 that identified him as a former judge on the Egyptian Mixed Courts. In the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume, Santos Manoël Jaoquim Rodrigues Monteiro is identified as a judge in the District Court of Mansourah beginning in October, 1916 and was transferred to the District Court of Alexandria in February of 1921. He was still serving in that office at the time of the 1926 publication (pg. XV). Additional information about Dr. Monteiro is in my 26 April, 2018 post (i.e., he was made Vice-President of the Alexandria District Court in 1930, and resigned in 1940 to return to Portugal). Obverse of the table medal commemorating the life of former Mixed Courts Judge Dr. Manuel Montero, who also was an historical archaeologist, ethnologist, and art historian of Romanesque Portuguese art. Photo of the District Court officials of Alexandria, probably from 1925 from the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume (pg. 192). This image can be zoomed for better details. Judge Monteiro is seated second from the viewer's right of the Court President, seated at the head of the far end of the table. The judges in this photo include, from the foreground left running clockwise around the table: Paul Joseph Randet (France); Dr. Alvaro da Costa Machado Villela (Portugal): Stavros Ange Vlachos (Greece); Adrian Theodor Louis Allard Heyligers (Netherlands); Dr. Jonkheer Hubert Williem van Asch van Wyck (Netherlands); Salvatore Messina (Italy); Paul Beneducci (Russia); Ragheb Bey Ghali (Egypt); Don Alfonso Aguirre y Carrer, Comte de Andino (Vice-President, Spain); Erling Qvale (President, Norway); Ahmed Fayek Bey (Chief of the Parquet, Egypt); Manuel Monteiro (Portugal); William Hobart Houghton Thorne (Britain); Antoine R. Keldany Bey (Egypt); Youssef Zulificar Bey (Egypt, later Pasha as he was the father of Queen Farida & father-in-law to King Farouk I, Youssef Zulificar also married the sister of fellow Mixed Court judge and Egyptian modernist artist Mahmoud Said); Mohamed Tewfik Zaher Bey (Egypt); Khalil Ghazalat Bey (Egypt); Mohammed Aly Zaki Bey (Egypt); and Rober Llewllyn Henry, Jr. (USA). The Chief Clerk, M. Adib Maakad Bey (Egypt), is shown sitting at the right away from the main assembly table. Michael Hansson (1875-1944) I illustrated a photo of the Norwegian Judge Michael Hansson wearing his judicial costume in my post of 3 May, 2018. This photo came from a Norwegian biographical website (https://nbl.snl.no/Michael_Hansson). This same portrait also appears in Hansson’s posthumously-published popular book on this life in Egypt: 25 år i Egypt, 1946. Forlagt Av. H. Aschehoug & Co., (W. Nygaard), Oslo (opposite page 17). I am including again this 1912 photo of Michael Hansson in his judicial costume below. He was apparently a prominent member of the Courts, and several additional photos and information are available in the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume. In the listings of personnel in the District Courts, Hansson is identified (pg. XIV) as having been appointed in January 1907 to the District Court in Mansourah, transferred to District Court of Alexandria in October 1913, and promoted to Conseiller (legal advisor) to the Mixed Court if Appeals in April 1915. He is identified in the appendix listing personnel of the Appeals Court (pg. V) as a former judge to the Mixed Tribunals of Alexandria from April 1915, as Vice-President of the Mixed Court of Appeals in October 1924, and in 1926 he was still serving as Vice-President of the Appeals Court. Additional information on Hansson is in my 3 May, 2018 post; including his promotion to President of the Court of Appeals in 1927, his retirement from the Courts in 1931, and subsequent career with the the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague, other international arbitration commissions, and 1938 Nobel Prize acceptance speech on behalf of the Nansen International Office for Refugees. Hansson also was probably awarded his Grand Cordon Class Order of Ismail and Order of the Nile after his retirement from the International Mixed Courts in Egypt, neither of this honors are mentioned in the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume's descriptions of his career in Egypt. Portrait of Michael Hansson, from 1912 as a District Court Judge in Mansourah. In relation to the question I had about whether his sash is a single color or bi-colored, the appointment information in the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume indicates his sash is a solid red as he was appointed to the District Courts at the time of this portrait. Portrait of Michael Hansson from a section in Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume listing past presidents of the Tribunal of Mansourah (pg. 50). The dates 1911-1913 identify his term as President of the District Court of Mansourah. The pleats in the sash in this image show that this was a feature of the District Courts sash as well, an aspect not always visible in other images of the Mixed District Court judges. Hansson also is illustrated in the above photo from pg. 190 of the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume with the Tribunal in Mansourah in 1907, with all judges wearing their Court attire. Hansson is the 4th judge from the L in the back row. A much younger Mahmoud El Toayar Bey (thinner & with much more robust mustaches, compared with the 3rd and 4th photos in my post on this thread of 1 April, 2019, that I believe help identify him as the unnamed judge in the first 2 photos in that post) is standing next to him (identified as the Substitut du Procureur Général), the 3rd judge from the L in the back row. Mahmoud El Toayar Bey would have been at least 15 years younger in this image than the studio portraits I believe show him near the time of his initial appointment to the Court of Appeals (1922) and almost 19 years younger than the photos from the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume identifying him in the assembly and in court that I posted on 1 April. This image can be zoomed for greater detail. When enlarged, this photo shows nicely the single color of the judges sashes (red) and the contrasting gold & silver coloration of the District Court badges. The other individuals are: Front row L-R: Youssouf Soliman Bey (Egypt); Anastase N. Stoupis (Greece); Luis Comulada (President, Spain); Boutros Youssef Bey (Egypt); Ovidio de Cergueira-Borges Cabral d’Alpoïm (Portugal). Back row L-R: an unnamed Egyptian guard; Moustapha Fathy Bey (Egypt); Axel Johan Patrick Adlercreutz (Sweden); Mahmoud El Toayar Bey (Egypt); Michael Hansson (Norway); Hussein Kamel Sourour Bey (substitute for the Procureur Général, Egypt); and an unnamed Egyptian guard. Portrait from the front matter of the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume listing current high officers of the Mixed Courts (pg. 12). As Vice-President of the Court of Appeals, Hansson’s sash in this image should be green. It is a bit unclear whether he also would is wearing the gold badge of the Appeals Court, rather than what should have been the gold and silver badge of the District Courts. However, when enlarged this photo appears to show a badge of a single hue, lacking contrasting dark and lighter areas such as are visible as in the previous image of the badges worn by the Mansourah Court judges in 1907. Joseph Timmermans (born=?/d. 1897) On 31 October, 2018 I illustrated a Mixed Courts judicial badge that was from a September, 2014 auction by Jean Elsen & ses Fils archived on the acsearch.info website (https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3990624). This badge was identified as having been used in the Courts of Alexandria and belonging to Joseph Timmermans who was correctly identified in the auction information as a Belgian who served as the Procureur Général prés les Juridictions mixtes á Alexandrie. Another part of the auction description gave his name as “Jules” Timmermans. His name is correctly Joseph Timmermans. He is identified in the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume’s appendix listing of personnel on the District Courts (pg. IX) as Belgian, appointed as a judge to the District Court in Alexandria in April 1883, as a past Procureur Général prés les Jurisdictions Mixtes in June 1892, and in February 1894 was re-appointed as Judge in Alexandria. He died in Alexandria on 10 February, 1897. On pg XXII (in the listing for personnel of the Parquet) Timmermans’ entry confirms his positions as a former judge of the Mixed Tribunal of Alexandria, his appointment as Procurer Général starting in June, 1892, and resumption of his position as a judge on the Mixed District Court in Alexandira in February, 1894. In the Parquet listing on pg. XXII he also is identified as a recipient of the Order of Osmanieh, 3rdClass. The gold & silver District Court badge made by Froment-Meurice from the Jean Elsen & ses Fils auction of September 2014 attributed to Joseph Timmermans. The auction lot also included the award letter of Timmermans’ 3rd Class Order of Osmanieh, dated 16 March, 1893, apparently with a hand-written translation by the Khedive Abbas Hilmi II. In my post of 31 October, 2018 I was curious whether the appropriate badge for a Procureur Général associated with the office of the Parquet, should have been a silver badge. This question is resolved, at least partially, by the fact that Timmermans spent a significant amount of his career serving on the District Court of Alexandria. He would have appropriately been issued the gold & silver District Court badge for his initial appointment to the court in Alexandria, and may have used it (or another?) for his final 3 years on the District Court in Alexandria. Whether he retained this gold & silver badge during his time serving as Procurer, or whether he would have been issued another different badge (all silver) is still unclear to me, but perhaps the role of Procureur associated with bringing cases before the District Courts might have arrayed him in the regalia of the District Courts (gold and silver badge, but what color sash?) Portrait from the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume identifying past Procureur Généraux of the Mixed Courts (pg. 42). The dates 1892-1894 are those of his service as a prosecutor. Carl Valdemar Kraft (1849-1924) In the 2nd photo of my post of 5 March, 2019 I included a postcard image of the Danish Judge Carl Valdemar Kraft. Additional images and a small amount of information about him also are available in the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume. Kraft is identified as having been named to the District Court in Mansourah in January, 1896. He was transferred to District Court of Cairo in June of 1901. He reached the age of majority for court service in 1920. He was awarded the Grand Officer Class of the Order of the Nile (pg. X). Postcard portrait of Carl Valedemar Kraft found tucked into a copy of Michael Hansson’s: 25 år i Egypt, 1946. Forlagt Av. H. Aschehoug & Co., (W. Nygaard), Oslo that was owned by Rudolph Kraft (a brother of Carl Valdemar Kraft), that has Rudolph Kraft's name inside the front cover, dated 1948. See my post of 5 March that provides bracketing dates for why this portrait probably was made between Kraft's initial appointment in Mansourah in 1896 and 1914 when Atelier Reiser was relocated to Munich, either just before or after WWI broke out. This portrait was made in Reiser's studio in Alexandria (another was located in Cairo). Portrait of Carl Valdemar Kraft from the section of the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume identifying past Presidents of the Mixed Tribunals of Cairo (pg. 48). The dates 1916-1920 are the period of his tenure as President of the District Court of Cairo. The Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume spells his name “Karl”, which appears to be incorrect. All other sources I have located spell his name “Carl”, including hand-written information on the back of the Reiser postcard portrait of Kraft (shown above) in the handwriting of his brother Rudolph Kraft. The Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume does have some discrepancies in the spelling of Egyptian and foreign names between the legends on portraits, group photos of courts and functionaries, and the listing of career highlights in the appendices. I have used the spellings in the appendices, as they provide the full names of individuals who often are listed by the letter of their first names and surnames, surnames only (almost exclusively for foreign personnel only), partial honorific, or with alternative spellings to those in some of the figure captions. Carl Valdemar Kraft is shown in the above group photo in the Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926 volume (pg. 189) of the Cairo Tribunal in 1909, seated second from L in the first row. This image can be zoomed for better details. The other individuals in the photo are, front row L–R: Mohamed Sadek Bey (Egypt); Carl Valedemar Kraft (Denmark); Dr. Frédéric Herzbruck (President, Germany); Diderik-Galtrup-Gjedde Nyholm (Denmark); and Achille Adolph Eeman (Belgium). 2nd row L-R: Herbert Welk Halton (Britain); Youssouf Aziz Bey (Egypt); Cornelis Bernardus Johannes Aloysius Wierdels (Netherlands); Walter Van Renssalaer Berry (USA); Francis Laloë (France); and Julius Cornélis Théodorus Heyligers (Netherlands). Back row L-R: Luis Comulada (Spain); Mohammed El Naggari Bey (Egypt); Fuad Gress Bey (Egypt); and Ahmed Raguib Badre Bey (Egypt). Excellent I cannot help coming back and enjouy it
Graf Posted August 2, 2023 Posted August 2, 2023 On 23/02/2023 at 06:29, Rusty Greaves said: I just found only the second example I have seen of a Mixed Courts Judges badge made by Zivy Frères of Alexandria. This comes from an upcoming 4 March, 2023 auction by Alif Art, Lot 0100, an auction house in Istanbul (https://www.alifart.com/Content/pdfViewer/PDF/alif_art_mart_2023.pdf). The badge is described on page 55 of that online catalogue. Above is a moderately high resolution image of the obverse of the obverse of what is likely a District Courts badge made by Zivy Frères on the Alif Art website. The above photo can be zoomed for additional details of the workmanship and execution of this badge. This appears to be a silver & gold District Courts badge. The folds of the mantle, and possibly the interior "fur" element of the mantle, may exhibit some silver tarnish, not additional gilt components of the design. However, it is difficult to distinguish silver from vermeil components of the design from the one available photograph. The very brief auction description identified the material as “gilded on silver”, and its dimensions are: 11.5 cm (tall) x 9 cm (wide), and weighing 290 g. The presentation box measurements are given as 3.5 cm (deep?) x 15.5 cm (long) x 12 cm (wide). The maker is identified as “Zivy Frères, Paris – Alexandrie, Egypt”, the auction description states this name is stamped on the reverse (but no photo is provided). There is some damage to the enamel of the inscription on the central tablet and part of the "cordage" element on the upper right corner of the mantle shows what appears to be a loose wire of this element against the the rayed-embellishment. A small, low-resolution image of the badge resting in its case is given in the auction catalogue (see below). As noted, this is only the second example of a Mixed Courts badge by Zivy Frères that I have encountered online. The workmanship is equivalently less-detailed to the other Zivy Frères silver example I have illustrated (from an April 2019 auction [Lot 74177, Auction #5403] by Heritage Auctions: https://fineart.ha.com/itm/silver-smalls/an-egyptian-silver-magistrate-s-badge-from-the-reign-of-abbas-ii-egypt-circa-1900marks-unidentified-cipher-zivy-fr/a/5403-74177.s), compared with most other manufacturers of these badges (perhaps except for the two badges made by "UNION DES GRAVEURS; D. IALANOS, A. DE LEO &. A. KASSANDRINOS; 5. RUE DE L’EGLISE COPTE; ALEXANDRIE (Egypte)”, shown and discussed in my posts of 3 February, 2023 on this thread). The actual design execution of this probable silver and vermeil District Courts badge from Alif Art is also quite different from that on the Heritage Auctions example. No photographs are provided of the reverse of this District Courts badge. Low-resolution image of the presentation case for this Zivy Frères Mixed Courts badge from the Alif Art catalogue for the 4 March, 2023 auction. This image of the case is not good enough-resolution to show whether the Zivy Frères name is on the paper or ribbon attached to the inner upper lid. Moderate-resolution image of the obverse of the Heritage Auctions Zivy Frères silver Mixed Courts badge from an April 2019 auction (Lot 74177, Auction #5403) for comparison with the above silver and vermeil District Courts badge in the Alif Art catalogue for the upcoming 4 March auction. This image can be zoomed for some additional details in comparison with the Alif Art example. This badge is stamped with the name "ZIVY FRERES" on the reverse (shown as the 6th photo in my previous post on this thread of 24 April, 2019). The design differences are most apparent in comparisons between the interior “fur” of mantle, made with simple tool marks on the original dies of both the Heritage Auctions silver example and the Alif Art piece. The placement and execution of the ermine tails on the interior mantle also show differences compared with the Alif Art badge. The Heritage Auctions Zivy Frères badge also has a different execution of the Order of Medjidie element. As noted in my comparison of the tugra on these badges in my post of 7 September, 2021 on this thread, the silver Zivy Frères badge (the inferior portion of the badge is shown as the 6th-to-last image in that post) has the tugra oriented correctly, the superior portion of the wreath lacks the crescent and star, although there appears to be a “ghost” presence that may be the star element, missing for no readily explainable reason. The Order of Medjidie on the Alif Art example contrasts with the silver example by having the center of the medal with the tugra being convex, and the crescent and star are present. The comparison of the area with the Order of Medjidie on both pieces shows some of the other differences in execution between these two examples of Zivy Frères Mixed Courts badges. The form of the calligraphy on the central tablet also is slightly different between these two badges, but is more similar to each other than other inscriptions. The calligraphy on the Alif Art badge tablet does not match any of the currently still unidentified variants of the central tablet calligraphic inscriptions. Cropped close-up image of the Order of Medjidie design element of the silver Heritage Auctions Zivy Frères badge for comparison with the Alif Art example. Note the possible "ghost" presence of a suggestion of the star at the upper portion of the wreath, however, the crescent also is clearly missing on this piece. Cropped close-up of the Alif Art District Courts badge for comparison of the Order of Medjidie element with the Heritage Auctions example. This also shows the comparable, but differently executed, "fur" lining of the mantle the form and placement of the ermine tails, and the much less detailed treatment of the laurel and oak branches compared with other makers of these badges. Excellent
Rusty Greaves Posted August 23, 2023 Author Posted August 23, 2023 (edited) Today's addition is a few bits and pieces. First, an example of a District Courts' badge from a past 2016 auction. Second, a portrait of Belgian Judge Maurice de Wée wearing his judicial sash and badge, along with other awards and medals. The final contribution is a business card for an Italian jewelry house in Cairo 7that may be an additional manufacturer of these Mixed Courtsl badges. Moderate-resolution image of a Mixed Courts badge, probably a gold and silver District Courts emblem. This example is Lot no. 82 from a 13 April, 2016 auction by Beaussant Lefèvre, Auction Histoire & Chevalerie, archived on the Drouot website (https://drouot.com/en/lot/publicShow/5856725). The above image is from the online description of Lot 82. The description states the badge is vermeil (gilt silver), suggesting it is a District Courts badge. Although difficult to distinguish in the above photo, the next image shows the contrast of the vermeil gilt and silver better. The information for Lot no. 82 gives its dimensions as 117 mm x 87 mm. It does not identify any maker's mark, but does describe a boar's head mark on the reverse, which is a French mark for 800 silver minimum fineness, in use between 1838-1962. The workmanship is consistent with that of Froment-Meurice. The tablet calligraphy is most similar to the Froment-Meurice Group 1 examples, especially that illustrated from a 3 June, 2015 auction by Dreweatts & Bloomsbury, (Lot 175), archived on the-saleroom.com website that is shown as the 3rd photo in my post of 6 September, 2021 on this thread. The orientation of the three tuğ elements of the tugra in the Order of Medjidie is rotated slightly clockwise to ~30°-40°, as seen on almost all other Froment-Meurice badges. There is some damage and loss of small parts of the enamel of the central tablet inscription. Low-resolution image of the same badge, cropped from the illustration from page 15 of the pdf catalog for this 13 April, 2016 auction by Beaussant Lefèvre, Auction (https://www.gazette-drouot.com/telechargement/catalogue?venteId=26010). This is a lower-resolution image that does not show details of the design and execution as well as the first photo in this post. However it does show the vermeil gilding of the rayed embellishment, on the star above the tablet, the tablet (?), on each of the laurel and oak branches with their tughs, possibly some of the fringe of the mantle, and maybe on the Order of Medjidie and its surrounding wreath. Oddly, the damage to the enamel seen in the first photo in this post is not apparent in this photo. Tarnish or loss of the gilt on the rayed embellishment (especially on the uppermost portion) indicates this is the same badge as that shown above. The dark stains on the central tablet seen in the 2nd photo are not as sharply defined in the 1st photo in this post. Those spots in the first photo of this badge are a more diffuse "staining" that may represent the effects of attempts to polish away those darker stains (the cleaning may have removed some of the vermeil on the tablet exposing some of the silver underneath). Could some of this cleaning/polishing be responsible for the damage to the enamel of the tablet inscription? Above is a high-resolution undated image of the Belgian Judge Maurice de Wée from Les Moments littéraires no. 45 (https://lesmomentslitteraires.fr/fiche auteur/FAde wée.html ). Maurice de Wée was a practicing lawyer in Brussels from 1913-1919 and was the substitute and first substitute for the King's Prosecutor in Belgium from 1919-1924. He was appointed as a judge to the Mixed Court of Mansourah on 22 April, 1924, and made Vice-President of that Court in on 13 November, 1925. De Wée later served as President of the District Court in Mansourah, possibly through 1949. He also may have been made President of the Cairo District Court and a legal advisor to the Appeals Court sometime prior to the closing of the Courts in October 1949. De Wée published several legal studies, including: La compétence des juridictions mixtes en Égypte ("The jurisdiction of the Mixed Courts in Egypt"), 1926, Librairie des sciences juridiques, Brussels. I have previously included an illustration of Maurice de Wée with the rest of the Mansourah court as the first photo in my post of 21 August, 2021 on this thread. I also included a later portrait painted by fellow jurist Mahmoud Saïd of the same court as the 3rd photo in that same 21 August, 2021 post. Another group portrait of the judges of the Mansourah Court shows a comparatively young de Wée in the photo in my post of 3 September, 2019. De Wée appears even younger in the above portrait, and compared with the other two Court portraits. I think this photo is likely to have been taken close to his initial appointment in 1924. Although he wears a tarboosh, the jacket is not the stambouline coat that is the normal outerwear for Mixed Courts judges when at the bench. This western style jacket was worn by several members of the Mixed Courts probably as an alternative formal non-court attire (note fellow Belgian Firman von den Bosch as Procureur Général [the Chief Prosecutor] in the 4th photo of my post of 29 April, 2019 wearing the same jacket, white vest, white tie and celluloid collar; the Chef Greffer Adib Makaad Bey, especially in the portrait from February 1926 portrait shown as the 14 the image in my post of 6 September, 2019; and the unnamed judge or functionary illustrated as the first two portraits in my post of 6 April, 2020 on this thread; additionally, members of the Indigenous Courts in my post of 6 April, 2020 [see the 10th and 12th photos of that post] often seem to have worn this style jacket). In addition to the monochrome sash and judicial badge, de Wée also wears several medals that appear to be principally Italian and Belgian. He wears the 3rd Class Commander neck badge of the Italian Order of the Crown. I believe that the miniatures represent (from the viewers L to R): the Belgian Order of Leopold (?, Knight?, Civil Division?), the Belgian Civic Decoration of the War with the WWI service ribbon, the Belgian Victory Medal 1914-1918, the Belgian Commemorative Medal of the 1914-1918 War (?), the Belgian Commemorative Medal of the National Committee for Aid and Food (?, likely 3rd Class, silvered bronze), the ItaIian Order of the Crown 3rd Class Commander (with rosette and silver galon), but I am uncertain about the final miniature at the far right with a rosette and possibly a galon. The last item I am including is the above business card from an Italian jewelry store in Cairo that sold jewelry, silverware, watches and clocks. This comes from a recent eBay auction (https://www.ebay.com/itm/276009039960?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050). Filli. Fr. & V. Rusciano's card includes a line in the center left that reads: "Experts près le Tribunaux Mixtes" (Experts at [to] the Mixed Courts). Although I have never seen a badge nor case marked with this name, there remain still four badge design styles I have looked at that I cannot yet identify with any particular maker. Filli. Fr & V. Rusciano's could be one of those four manufacturers. The reverse of the card identifies the Register du Commerce Caire No. 10736, and has a note of receipt of payment dated August 27, 1937. Reverse of the same business card from Filli. Fr. & V. Rusciano with the receipt of payment note, date, and the commercial registration number. Edited August 26, 2023 by Rusty Greaves 1
Graf Posted August 26, 2023 Posted August 26, 2023 On 24/08/2023 at 04:43, Rusty Greaves said: Today's addition is a few bits and pieces. First, an example of a District Courts' badge from a past 2016 auction. Second, a portrait of Belgian Judge Maurice de Wée wearing his judicial sash and badge, along with other awards and medals. The final contribution is a business card for an Italian jewelry house in Cairo 7that may be an additional manufacturer of these Mixed Courtsl badges. Moderate-resolution image of a Mixed Courts badge, probably a gold and silver District Courts emblem. This example is Lot no. 82 from a 13 April, 2016 auction by Beaussant Lefèvre, Auction Histoire & Chevalerie, archived on the Drouot website (https://drouot.com/en/lot/publicShow/5856725). The above image is from the online description of Lot 82. The description states the badge is vermeil (gilt silver), suggesting it is a District Courts badge. Although difficult to distinguish in the above photo, the next image shows the contrast of the vermeil gilt and silver better. The information for Lot no. 82 gives its dimensions as 117 mm x 87 mm. It does not identify any maker's mark, but does describe a boar's head mark on the reverse, which is a French mark for 800 silver minimum fineness, in use between 1838-1962. The workmanship is consistent with that of Froment-Meurice. The tablet calligraphy is most similar to the Froment-Meurice Group 1 examples, especially that illustrated from a 3 June, 2015 auction by Dreweatts & Bloomsbury, (Lot 175), archived on the-saleroom.com website that is shown as the 3rd photo in my post of 6 September, 2021 on this thread. The orientation of the three tuğ elements of the tugra in the Order of Medjidie is rotated slightly clockwise to ~30°-40°, as seen on almost all other Froment-Meurice badges. There is some damage and loss of small parts of the enamel of the central tablet inscription. Low-resolution image of the same badge, cropped from the illustration from page 15 of the pdf catalog for this 13 April, 2016 auction by Beaussant Lefèvre, Auction (https://www.gazette-drouot.com/telechargement/catalogue?venteId=26010). This is a lower-resolution image that does not show details of the design and execution as well as the first photo in this post. However it does show the vermeil gilding of the rayed embellishment, on the star above the tablet, the tablet (?), on each of the laurel and oak branches with their tughs, possibly some of the fringe of the mantle, and maybe on the Order of Medjidie and its surrounding wreath. Oddly, the damage to the enamel seen in the first photo in this post is not apparent in this photo. Tarnish or loss of the gilt on the rayed embellishment (especially on the uppermost portion) indicates this is the same badge as that shown above. The dark stains on the central tablet seen in the 2nd photo are not as sharply defined in the 1st photo in this post. Those spots in the first photo of this badge are a more diffuse "staining" that may represent the effects of attempts to polish away those darker stains (the cleaning may have removed some of the vermeil on the tablet exposing some of the silver underneath). Could some of this cleaning/polishing be responsible for the damage to the enamel of the tablet inscription? Above is a high-resolution undated image of the Belgian Judge Maurice de Wée from Les Moments littéraires no. 45 (https://lesmomentslitteraires.fr/fiche auteur/FAde wée.html ). Maurice de Wée was a practicing lawyer in Brussels from 1913-1919 and was the substitute and first substitute for the King's Prosecutor in Belgium from 1919-1924. He was appointed as a judge to the Mixed Court of Mansourah on 22 April, 1924, and made Vice-President of that Court in on 13 November, 1925. De Wée later served as President of the District Court in Mansourah, possibly through 1949. He also may have been made President of the Cairo District Court and a legal advisor to the Appeals Court sometime prior to the closing of the Courts in October 1949. De Wée published several legal studies, including: La compétence des juridictions mixtes en Égypte ("The jurisdiction of mixed jurisdictions in Egypt"), 1926, Librairie des sciences juridiques, Brussels. I have previously included an illustration of Maurice de Wée with the rest of the Mansourah court as the first photo in my post of 21 August, 2021 on this thread. I also included a later portrait painted by fellow jurist Mahmoud Saïd of the same court as the 3rd photo in that same 21 August, 2021 post. Another group portrait of the judges of the Mansourah Court shows a comparatively young de Wée in the photo in my post of 3 September, 2019. De Wée appears even younger in the above portrait, and compared with the other two Court portraits. I think this photo is likely to have been taken close to his initial appointment in 1924. Although he wears a tarboosh, the jacket is not the stambouline coat that is the normal outerwear for Mixed Courts judges when at the bench. This western style jacket was worn by several members of the Mixed Courts probably as an alternative formal non-court attire (note fellow Belgian Firman von den Bosch as Procureur Général [the Chief Prosecutor] in the 4th photo of my post of 29 April, 2019 wearing the same jacket, white vest, white tie and celluloid collar; the Chef Greffer Adib Makaad Bey, especially in the portrait from February 1926 portrait shown as the 14 the image in my post of 6 September, 2019; and the unnamed judge or functionary illustrated as the first two portraits in my post of 6 April, 2020 on this thread; additionally, members of the Indigenous Courts in my post of 6 April, 2020 [see the 10th and 12th photos of that post] often seem to have worn this style jacket). In addition to the monochrome sash and judicial badge, de Wée also wears several medals that appear to be principally Italian and Belgian. He wears the 3rd Class Commander neck badge of the Italian Order of the Crown. I believe that the miniatures represent (from the viewers L to R): the Belgian Order of Leopold (?, Knight?, Civil Division?), the Belgian Civic Decoration of the War with the WWI service ribbon, the Belgian Victory Medal 1914-1918, the Belgian Commemorative Medal of the 1914-1918 War (?), the Belgian Commemorative Medal of the National Committee for Aid and Food (?, likely 3rd Class, silvered bronze), the ItaIian Order of the Crown 3rd Class Commander (with rosette and silver galon), but I am uncertain about the final miniature at the far right with a rosette and possibly a galon. The last item I am including is the above business card from an Italian jewelry store in Cairo that sold jewelry, silverware, watches and clocks. This comes from a recent eBay auction (https://www.ebay.com/itm/276009039960?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050). Filli. Fr. & V. Rusciano's card includes a line in the center left that reads: "Experts près le Tribunaux Mixtes" (Experts at [to] the Mixed Courts). Although I have never seen a badge nor case marked with this name, there remain still four badge design styles I have looked at that I cannot yet identify with any particular maker. Filli. Fr & V. Rusciano's could be one of those four manufacturers. The reverse of the card identifies the Register du Commerce Caire No. 10736, and has a note of receipt of payment dated August 27, 1937. Reverse of the same business card from Filli. Fr. & V. Rusciano with the receipt of payment note, date, and the commercial registration number. What an excellent stuff
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