My Afghan stuff ...

[Dat Nguyen]

Order of the Saur Revolutions, Order of the Red Banner, and Order of Friendships are with serial numbers.

v/r
Dat

[medals73]

Originally Posted by Dat Nguyen

Order of the Saur Revolutions, Order of the Red Banner, and Order of Friendships are with serial numbers.

v/r
Dat

Thanks much, this is what I'd have predicted. I've never seen a type 2 Order oif Gallantry (what you have) or an Order of Glory numbered.

[Felix]

Hello Ralph,

My collection is not complete, I'm still looking for the order of the Red banner, order of the star 1st class, other medals but I don't remember the name and certainly some medals I don't know.

[Ralph Pickard]

Felix - Now that you mention those medals, I can see that they have not yet been added to your latest photo update... :D

[Felix]

Hello,

After almost a decade without nothing, I was able in the past two weeks to find some interesting stuff.

The five on the left were found and brought back from Pakistan in 1989. I don't know if it was a grouping from one person (High ranking officer ?). I trade them from a french collector.

The two in the middle are from a french soldier but I don't know where he got them.

And to finish, my complete collection (for the moment...).

[desantnik]

Nice collection! Are the Red Stars serial-numbered?

[Dat Nguyen]

Originally Posted by medals73

Thanks much, this is what I'd have predicted. I've never seen a type 2 Order oif Gallantry (what you have) or an Order of Glory numbered.

The epoxy enamel on the Order of Glory are so thin, I have seen many damaged ones.

A few years back, a vendor had a bag with at least 30 Order of the Star, 2nd Class, type 2 for sale. None had any hanger or ribbons. Someone cut off the top of the star so there are no ring on top. I figure that someone was about to melt down these stars for the metal content, cut off the hangers, then realized that it was silver plated ... not solid silver. Oh well.

[medals73]

Originally Posted by Dat Nguyen

The epoxy enamel on the Order of Glory are so thin, I have seen many damaged ones.

Yes, despite being a fairly high award, the Glory is never well made and often very poorly made (especially when compared to something like the Saur Revolution, either type). And it is frequently damaged. Took me a long time to get an example in decent condition.

Many of the Afghan items I saw in New Delhi had been sent down for the scrap metal market, whether they were of silver or pot metal, and all sorts of things got wholesaled down for melting. And many were chopped into pieces, partially for testing the metal content and partially for ease in transport melting. The things found in Kabul were generally in better condition.

[Dat Nguyen]

OK folks ... Here are some sample of other non-medal "stuff" I managed to sent back over the years from Afghanistan. These items were produced by the Kabul State Arsenal (Kabul Royal Armoury) aka The Mashin Khana. They were in production from around 1890 till the mid 1920.

In this photo, a really hard to find Kukri with its scabbard and a contract Wilkinson Pattern 1903 bayonet for the SMLE rifle with Afghan makings on the tang.

Afghan produced Pattern 1888 12 inch blade to mount on the British Lee Metford rifle. The really really hard to find Pattern 1888 with a 16 inch blade ... the scabbard is even harder to find. The Afghan are the only one that made these bayonet with a 16 inch blade and is made to mount specifically on their .303 Martini Henry rifle.

Bigger stuff that goes bang.

Martini Henry Carbines for cavalry troops in .577/450 and .303

These rifles are very nicely made and as heavy as the long rifles.

More Martini Henry Rifles

- Long rifle in .577/450 ; most common since it was the infantry rifle. Some with side bayonet mount; otherwise a socket bayonet.

- Short Rifle in .303 ; was in production up to the 1920's. Uses a the Afghan 16inch Pattern 1888 bayonet.

- Short Rifle in .577/450 ; no provision for a bayonet. Rarest of the rifles. I have only seen 6.

A rifle is just a rifle. However, when you fixed a pointy bayonet on the end, it signal to the other guys that you mean business.

The long bayonet and the proper scabbard are worth more than the rifle.