Bulgarian bravery award

[Sal Williams]

Hi Guys,
I am just delighted, I have recieved this in the mail today from the amazing Rick V. items! If any of you feel like telling me everything you know about this award feel free! Lately I have started to notice that those Bulgarians made a lot of nice stuff. If anyone has pics of the WWII Bulgarian aviators badge with the sun rays I would love to see those too.
Best, Sal

[Sal Williams]

The discoloration is light from the scanner, the badge is an even beautiful red. It is also HIGHLY vaulted but I don't know how to capture that with the scanner. Here is the reverse.

[Sal Williams]

Does anyone know what the center says? is that latin or bulgarian?
Best, Sal

[JBFloyd]

The Bulgarian inscription on the surround is "For Bravery".

The Military Order for Bravery was founded in January 1880 (although back-dated to April 1879) to recognize exceptional deeds on the battlefield. The order comes in a variety of classes, some with unusual embellishments. It's the only order I know of that can be awarded "with skulls" and "with skulls and swords".

With each of the World Wars, the dates on the obverse of the dated pieces were changed (1915 and 1941)

[Sal Williams]

Thank you Jeff.
I notice while holding it that the center portion on the front and back are seperate pieces, but I dont see any screws or whatnot. How are they held together? Does anyone have a pic of one of these with skulls?
Best, Sal

[Sal Williams]

Hello,
I also believe this is 3rd class but my memory is not what it was, although I'm sure I must have gotten that answer from Rick L. already. Am I right?
Best, Sal

If anyone ever sees a case for this for sale, please let me know

[JBFloyd]

The skulls embellishment is quite rare. I've attached a scan of the first class of the order with skulls. (The photo comes from Dimitri Romanoff's book "The Orders, Medals and History of the Kingdom of Bulgaria", 1982)

I think you'll find that the centers are held on by the two medallions being pressed into a wax that hardens.

[Gerd Becker]

Great example, Sal . The nicest of its kind, i have seen. Congrats!

[Theodor]

Hi Sal, it is 4th class 2nd grade /if remember right and if translate it right /. Indeed the front and the back "coins" are separate parts, I have seen a medal with the back part fallen and inside there was something dark in colour, probably a kind of glue or resin. Not screw.
Just read again the posts - may be indeed wax, too. I remember it was something hard but maybe the wax changes with time?

[stogieman]

How they work.....

We should probably run a thread on construction techniques....

The center medallions on most of these awards are held together with a resin, somewhere of the consistency between phlegm and putty ! Not all mind you, but a great deal of these awards (German, Austrian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, etc.) are literally just "glued" together! if you take a look at this cross on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2223548467
You'll see an example of the Albert Order that has lost it's resin and the back chiffre has come loose. Not trying to pump the sale, just a good example of what I'm discussing.
Now, some breast stars are soldered together as are a number of other awards. The Crown Order Star I owned a few years back actually screwed together... with the back disc holding the whole mess in place.
This is why you will occasionally see awards with the swords upside down, or mounted backwards, etc.
Take Saxon Albert Order, for example...
Either Knight's Cross grade comes with/without swords. Say old Herr Scharffenberg had an AOR2 lying in the case... In walks Sal, fresh from the front with his "legitimization" and wants desperately to pick up his RK2 to take home, impress the frauleins and maybe get a little lucky
So, Herr Scharffenberg, pops the back off, 2 little knicks later and the "knock-outs" are gone, pops in the swords and BAM! Off ole' Sally-Kid goes to meet the girls at the local HofBrauhouse!
Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more... say no more.
really, that's how they made 'em!

[Brian S]

Great condition, that's one to be happy with!

[Sal Williams]

Hi Rick and Theodor,
Thanks for the info! Boy will Sam be bummed out when I get my "legitimazation" and run off to the Hofbarauhaus, but what can I do I am a brave Bulgarian! . Ok Rick now that you mentioned it we will need to see pics of the Saxon Albert order .
Best, sal

[stogieman]

Your wish....

... is my command. One Saxon Albert Order thread coming up!

[Sal Williams]

Hi Rick,
I don't see it . Could you post a link here? I am very curious.
Thanks, Sal

[Theodor]

Sal Sal Sal be careful, you are falling into medals!!! This is one way street, once you start collecting something, almost no way to stop