Bulgarian Order for Bravery question

[Daffy Duck]

I would kindly ask for any information about this specific piece! As I am not the proper collector of Bulgarian orders and decorations, but from time to time I acquire some pieces.

This one is the latest acquisition, so I humbly ask for any information.

I have found two possible solutions, but they are remarkably in contradiction. I was told that this could be so called ,,Republican edition", but in the same time, I have found other possibility that this could be an variation to pre 1915 version. Especially due to the old spelling on the rim.

I would appreciate any help!

 

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Daffy Duck

[steveBobby]

Greeting！

Judging from the shape of this order of bravery, it is undoubtedly a work made after 1944. I don't think it was a pre-1915 version, because the decoration on the front ring should be seven dots instead of two lines. Of course, the problem with spelling can be attributed to the poor manufacturing environment in the late war. Some manufacturers hastily used new molds, or accepted German molds.

I'll attach a photo of the seven-point ornament below, which is an important indicator of whether it's a pre-WWI bravery order.

1.tight seven point ornament （from 1880-1911）picture 1 and 2

2.Relatively scattered seven-point decorations （from 1912-1914）picture 3 and 4

 

[Graf]

8 minutes ago, steveBobby said:

Greeting！

Judging from the shape of this order of bravery, it is undoubtedly a work made after 1944. I don't think it was a pre-1915 version, because the decoration on the front ring should be seven dots instead of two lines. Of course, the problem with spelling can be attributed to the poor manufacturing environment in the late war. Some manufacturers hastily used new molds, or accepted German molds.

I'll attach a photo of the seven-point ornament below, which is an important indicator of whether it's a pre-WWI bravery order.

1.tight seven point ornament （from 1880-1911）picture 1 and 2

2.Relatively scattered seven-point decorations （from 1912-1914）picture 3 and 4

 

Hi Steve an excellent answer to the Question Yes this is the Republican Emission  made after 1944

Those crosses lack the quality of the earlier  Emissions

People sometimes get confused because at the beginning of this period old left over crosses were used and only the central medallions were replaced with republican ones

Here is the Republican Emission

[steveBobby]

5 minutes ago, Graf said:

Hi Steve an excellent answer to the Question Yes this is the Republican Emission  made after 1944

Those crosses lack the quality of the earlier  Emissions

People sometimes get confused because at the beginning of this period old left over crosses were used and only the central medallions were replaced with republican ones

Yes, Graf，This is what was widely observed between 1944 and 1950. 

But it seems that the Bulgarians are also actively awarding orders for bravery with the year 1941 to their Soviet allies on the issue of using stock items. I saw this in the display cases of some Soviet generals.

But what bothers me is the so called regent version before the republic version, On the one hand, these orders of bravery with a distinctive regent lion shape can be encountered in the collection market, But on the other hand, this phenomenon is difficult to reflect in historical photos, I'm not sure if this was released in 1943-1944 or if it continued to be produced until 1946.

I'll list below a photo of a general wearing this Regent's version of the Order of bravery across his chest. But weirdly, this order of bravery has the year of World War I on it.

Looking forward to your reply！

Yours 

Steve

[ilieff]

3 hours ago, steveBobby said:

I'll list below a photo of a general wearing this Regent's version of the Order of bravery across his chest. But weirdly, this order of bravery has the year of World War I on it.

 

General Asen Nikolov earned his Order of Bravery in WW1 and was decorated with it post-factum in 1919, once the war had finished. It was a common occurrence for people to be decorated with a delay in the years after the war.

The bravery order he is wearing in the photo is most definitely not a decoration, given to him (or replaced) by the new communist government, simply because he was not in Bulgaria for most of the time of the Regency and once he was back from German captivity, we has executed anyway, similarly to most Royal generals.  

 

[Graf]

On 17/05/2023 at 03:11, ilieff said:

 

General Asen Nikolov earned his Order of Bravery in WW1 and was decorated with it post-factum in 1919, once the war had finished. It was a common occurrence for people to be decorated with a delay in the years after the war.

The bravery order he is wearing in the photo is most definitely not a decoration, given to him (or replaced) by the new communist government, simply because he was not in Bulgaria for most of the time of the Regency and once he was back from German captivity, we has executed anyway, similarly to most Royal generals.  

 

Nice work

[Daffy Duck]

Once again many thanks for all contributors to the topic! It's marvelous in what time frame I got the answer!

[Graf]

Welcome  That are the forums for

 

Cheers