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The motto (Nothing without God) and the reversed initials are from the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen family, one of whose princes, Carol (Charles), in 1866 became Prince of Romania. After independence from the Turks in 1877, he became the first King of Romania in 1881. This probably came off an officer's cartridge pouch or a sabretache. It is die-struck in gilding metal (11.5 x 8.5cm) and it has perhaps 30% of its original gilt wash intact. There are three lead solder points on the reverse, now missing their pins, and there is one small break in the badge itself, on the lower curl of one of the Cs. Otherwise it is in excellent order. Prov: from the J.R. Gaunt & Son Ltd. Pattern Book Archive, sold at auction by order of the National Army Museum, London. |