France The French Collection

[g_deploige]

Medaille militiare called model des generaux

[g_deploige]

L?gion d'honneur 3rd r?publique model with diamonds

Edited April 16, 2006 by g_deploige

[Guest Darrell]

g_deploige,

Great set of medals. I love the Medaille Militaire's with the solid reverses Quality awards

[g_deploige]

The Order of Arts et lettres

[Ed_Haynes]

While some may snarl, I like these!

[g_deploige]

Ordre du m?rite

[Guest Darrell]

While some may snarl, I like these!

I wonder if Rick has tried this slope

[g_deploige]

Commander ordre National du M?rite (second National oder after the Order of the L?gion d'honneur)

[Hendrik]

Everytime I see one, my knees go weak, my vision becomes blurry and my hand goes to my wallet

Guess these will make Jan's eyes go all watery

[attachmentid=35111]

[Hendrik]

...and a bit more enamel for Dan : Commander of the Order of Social Merit

[attachmentid=35120]

[Ed_Haynes]

Lovely.

Despite a really helpful piece in a recent JOMSA and even in Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourrag%C3%A8re

I am still trying to sort out the use of these fourrag?res (proper English plural?) on the MEDALS, especially as used on the TOE CdG.

[Hendrik]

still trying to sort out the use of these fourrag?res (proper English plural?) on the MEDALS

Hello Ed,

I think (and it is indeed only an assumption of mine) that, as the fourrag?re is a unit distinction worn on the uniform, veterans use these mini-fourrag?res once they're out of the armed forces and in civilian clothing to show their having been awarded one. They are, of course, non-regulationary !

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Hendrik]

More enamel for Dan : a Knight's class of the Order of Agricultural Merit

[attachmentid=35123]

[Hendrik]

And now for some military enamel : Order of the Combattant Merit (for lack of a better translation of "Ordre du M?rite Combattant").

[attachmentid=35124]

[Ed_Haynes]

Hello Ed,

I think (and it is indeed only an assumption of mine) that, as the fourrag?re is a unit distinction worn on the uniform, veterans use these mini-fourrag?res once they're out of the armed forces and in civilian clothing to show their having been awarded one. They are, of course, non-regulationary !

Cheers,

Hendrik

Thanks, Hendrik. That too, is my sense. That they have a legitimate "unit" place on the uniform and that their presence on the medals is an unofficial augmentation. (Actually, that Wikipedia piece isn't bad!) But they are pretty, though. Ed

[Hendrik]

And closing for today : an Epidemics Medal as awarded by the War Ministry, obverse and case of issue

[attachmentid=35125]

Edited April 17, 2006 by Hendrik

[Hendrik]

Reverse of the Epidemics Medal

[attachmentid=35126]

[Ed_Haynes]

Nice. Is any research possible on these "epidemics" medals (in all their various types)? I have always thought that they must have had interesting stories to tell.

[Hauptmann]

More enamel for Dan : a Knight's class of the Order of Agricultural Merit

[attachmentid=35123]

Hi Hendrik,

Well, thank you! I deeply appreciate that. It's a beaut too. In fact I've seen a few of those on Ebay and have been tempted. Perhaps now I'll have to go for one at some point. I think it would be a nice addition to the set. And I definitely want a Legion of Honor at some point.

Many thanks for thinking of me and my enamel obsession.

Dan

[Hauptmann]

And now for some military enamel : Order of the Combattant Merit (for lack of a better translation of "Ordre du M?rite Combattant").

[attachmentid=35124]

Oooooooh! Now I don't know why but that one strikes me even more! I really love the ribbon design and colors with that particular medal design. Will definitely have to keep my eye out for that out.

Ya'll are going to have to send me a rough list of pricing on these cause if I go hunting now it's like a guy going in with one shell in the chamber knowing there are like a gazillion big cats just waiting for dinner.

Thanks,

Dan

[Vatjan]

Guess these will make Jan's eyes go all watery

[attachmentid=35111]

They brought tears to my eyes, sheer poetry, I can almost smell the perfumes of the Sahara

Edited April 17, 2006 by vatjan

[Christophe]

...and a bit more enamel for Dan : Commander of the Order of Social Merit

[attachmentid=35120]

Hi Hendrik,

What's this ribbon ? It is not the correct one for the Ordre du M?rite Social. looks like a king size version of the CdG des TOE...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Hendrik]

What's this ribbon ? It is not the correct one for the Ordre du M?rite Social. looks like a king size version of the CdG des TOE...

Christophe,

Well spotted !!! It is indeed not the correct ribbon but one that has blue (and a lighter shade at that) and red inverted and I've been puzzled by it myself. I gave up on identifying it after not finding it among the French colonial awards. My best guess is that it might belong to a non-official veterans' society award but I'm clueless on those.

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Hendrik]

Nice. Is any research possible on these "epidemics" medals (in all their various types)?

M?daille d'Honneur des Epid?mies

Created on 31 March 1885 and originally awarded by the Ministry of Commerce (Hygiene Dept.). Later the responsability for this medal's attribution changed quite a number of times or was shared with other ministries which lead to the following types, in chronological order :-

Commerce

Int?rieur

Hygi?ne

Sant? Publique

Guerre

Alg?rie (within the framework of the Ministry of the Interior)

Marine

Colonies

France d'Outre Mer (= type replacing the previous, colonial, one)

and, finally, the present type as awarded by the Ministry of Health (Sant?)

The medal is, of course, designated to reward those that rendered distinguished services during epidemics and was created following a cholera epidemic in 1884. Other important epidemics casualtywise had to be combatted in 1892-93 (cholera), 1893 and 1908 (typhus) and there was also the widespread flu epidemic at the close of WWI (1918-19).

Source : Guide des Ordres Civils fran?ais et ?trangers, des m?dailles d'honneur et des m?dailles de soci?t? - Author : Andr? Souyris-Rolland

Edited April 18, 2006 by Hendrik

[g_deploige]

Grand Officer Ordre National du M?rite 2nd type

Edited April 19, 2006 by g_deploige