Catalog - Auction 70 - Day 2

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ORDER OF SAINT MAURICE AND LAZARUS
Grand Officer's Set, instituted in 1572. Neck Badge, 58x53 mm, GOLD, both sides enameled, original suspension ring and ribbon. Breast Star, 80 mm., gilt Silver and Silver, superimposed part enameled and gilt, thin pin on reverse, maker's mark "D. Cravanzola & C. - Roma". Superb set, in mint condition! I

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ORDER OF SAINT MAURICE AND LAZARUS
Commander's Cross, instituted in 1572, Case of Issue. Case of issue by D. Cravanzola - Roma", with gilt monogram on the lid and commander's rosette. I

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ORDER OF SAINT MAURICE AND LAZARUS
Commander's Cross, instituted in 1572. Neck Badge, 58x54 mm, gilt Silver, both sides enameled (some restorations), original suspension ring, loop and ribbon. Very fine condition! II

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ORDER OF SAINT MAURICE AND LAZARUS
Commander's Cross Miniature, instituted in 1572. Breast Badge, 22x12 mm,, gilt Silver, one side enameled, original suspension ring and ribbon with silver bar and rosette. Very attractive badge, in mint state! I A rare and important star, in the best quality, fully representing the prestige of a class, award- ed to the highest ranking of clers and dignitaries, extremely fine condition.Superb and scarce badge, in extremely fine condition! I

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ORDER OF THE CROWN OF ITALY
Grand Cross Star, instituted in 1861. Breast Star, 71 mm., GOLD and Silver, superimposed part enameled, multipart construction, medium pin on reverse, by "Gardino Succ. Cravanzola - Roma". Mint stateI I

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ORDER OF THE CROWN OF ITALY
A jewelled Breast Star, 17,5 mm., with 20 diamonds for a total of 0,27 ct., Silver rays, completely set with brilliants, centre medallion in gold, applied Lombardic Crown with enameled details, on blue background, within gold-bordered, white enameled outer circlet, bearing the inscription “VICT. EMMAN. II MDCCCLXVI”, round suspension ring and original ribbon. A luxuriously-made piece, of the finest French quality, excellent condition. I RR!

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ORDER OF THE CROWN OF ITALY
Grand Officer's Set, instituted in 1861. Neck Badge, 60x55 mm, Silver, both sides enameled, original suspension ring, loop and ribbon. Breast Star, 75 mm., Gold and Silver, superimposed part enameled and gilt, thin pin on reverse. Superb set, in mint condition! I

This lot has been withdrawn.

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ORDER OF THE CROWN OF ITALY
Officer's Cross Miniature, instituted in 1861. Breast Badge, 14x12 mm., GOLD, original suspension ring and ribbon. Mint stateI I

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ORDER OF THE CROWN OF ITALY
Knight's Cross, instituted in 1861. Breast Badge, 38x35 mm., GOLD, 9.5 g., hallmarked, original suspension ring and ribbon. Extremely fine conditionI I

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ORDER OF THE CROWN OF ITALY
Commander's Cross, 3rd Class, instituted in 1861. Original Case of issue, with gilt monogram on the lid. A case, in extremely fine condition! I

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ORDER OF MERIT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
Grand Cross Set, 1st Class, 1st Type, instituted in 1951. Sash Badge, 100x71 mm, gilt Bronze, both sides enameled, both central medallions gilt bronze, enameled, original suspension ring and long sash. Breast Star, 84 mm, Silver with brilliant cut rays, maker`s mark "Johnson, Milano-Roma" superimposed parts gilt silver, enameled, reverse with vertical thin pin, in case of issue by "Johnson, Milano", with gilt weapon on the lid and awarding document to a Danish High Official, dated 1993 and authorization letter. Superb set! I

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ORDER OF MERIT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
Grand Cross Badge, 1st Class, 1st Type, instituted in 1951. Sash Badge, 94x71 mm, gilt Silver, both sides enameled, both central medallions gilt, enameled, original suspension ring and short sash. Rare and superb badge! R! I

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ORDER OF MERIT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
Knight's Cross, instituted in 1951. Breast Badge, 59x45 mm., gilt Silver, one-side enameled, original suspension ring and ribbon, in case of issue by "Cravanzolla - Roma" and gilt weapon on the lid, with lapel hole rosette. A beautiful cross, awarded to an British Official, in mint condition! I

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Gold Medal for Military Valour
The unique and historically important, posthumous award to Pilot Sergeant-Major Giorgio Compiani; in GOLD, of the type awarded by the Republic of Italy: the obverse with the state’s coat-of-arms and, below the “Z” mark, indicating and officially-made piece, struck at the State Mint in Rome; the reverse with laurel wreath and in the field, the engraved recipient’s name “COMPIANI / GIORGIO” and around, below “CIELO DEL MEDITERR. 14. VI. 1942”; typical “stirrup” suspension and original ribbon; TOGETHER, from Compiani’s estate, a War Merit Cross, Kingdom type; a particularly fine piece, patinated bronze, with original ribbon. A beautiful group, belonged to one of Italy’s war heroes of the Air Force; on his name streets have been dedicated and also military structures, excellent condition. Dim.: (the medal) 37,7 x 33,47 mm.; weight 26,5 g. Note: Giorgio Compiani, was born in Parma, on Oct. 15th, 1915; after his course of school, in 1936 enlisted in the Royal Italian Air Force as sergeant cadet pilot, later assigned to the Padua Airport. Promoted to sergeant. In 1937 he volunteered to the Spanish Civil War as a pilot. Back to Italy in 1938, he was reassgned to the 19th Bombing Squadron being later honourably discharged. On his request he returnerd to active service, he was assigned to the bombing school in 1940, and in 1941, to the Torpedo Aircrafts School, being then assigned to the 252th Torpedo Squadron, being sent to Lybia on the North African war theatre. Sent back to Italy for a serious illness, although not recovered and still suffering, he succeeded to return to the operational area in Northern Africa, assigned to the 253th Torpedo Squadron, equipped with the excellent Savoia Marchetti S79 (the so-called “Spooky Hunchbacks”). On June 14th, 1942, he with his unit took off to intercept a stongly escorted convoy on the Mediterranean Sea, supported by the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle. The Airplane was commanded by Lt. Paolo Ingrellini and both decided to attack the aircraft carrier. The other italian airplanes were successful to sink various British vessels and a light cruiser was severely damaged. Ingrellini and Compiani had their plane damaged by A/A fire but, sighted the Eagle, they decided to attack it with their single torpedo: flying as low as 36 m. above sea level they released the torped with excellent precision at a distance of 366 m. from the enemy ship, centering and severely damaging it; being the aircraft also damaged, with no chance to fly back to the base, the crew dead or mortally wounded, Ingrellini and Compiani saluted the other planes by wireless and crashed their plane on an enemy unit. At first, the two pilots received the posthumous award of the Silver Medal for Military Valour (March 1st, 1943) but later, acquired more and exact information about the circumstances of their action and self-sacrifice, on December 30th, 1947, the Gold Medal for Military Valour was granted to both Ingrellini and Compiani, while the Silver one to the rest of the crew. Giorgio Compiani is amongst the National Heroes of the Italian Air Force. I RR!

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Unification Medal, 1st Type, 1870-1871
Breast Badge, 38x31 mm, Silver, original suspension ring and ribbon. Scarce and attractive! I R!

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Unification Medal, 3rd Type, 1848 - 1922
Breast Badge, 33 mm., Bronze, original suspension ring and ribbon. A scarce medal, in mint condition! I R!

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Unification Medal, Italo-Austrian War 1915 - 1918
Breast Badge, 33 mm., Bronze, original suspension bar and ribbon. Mint condition! I R!

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Set of two Italian Republic Military Service Medals
For 25 years of service and for 16 years of service. Knight`s Crosses Miniature. Breast Badges, 18x14 mm, gilt and silvered Metal, original suspension rings and ribbons. (2)