1912-1918, ROYAL BADGE OF MERIT, BULGARIAN RED CROSS, 1st TYPE, BALKAN WARS

Description

1912-1918, ROYAL BADGE OF MERIT, BULGARIAN RED CROSS, 1
st
TYPE, VINTAGE
Time Period: Balkan Wars 1912-1913 & WWI (1914 – 1918)
A hard to find Red Cross award in excellent condition (no enamel damages, the white spots on the photos are just light reflections).
Circular badge in an ornate gilt metal scrolled frame surmounted by the royal crown in gilt metal and red enamel; the face with a circular central white enamel medallion bearing a gilt-edged red enamel Greek (Geneva) cross; the reverse plain, mounted with pin for wear; height 65mm (2½ inches). Reverse: Pin back with open loop catch. 1st type, King Ferdinand I issue.
Full sized.
An example in superb original condition, with original presentation case.
The first Red Cross Society was formed in Bulgaria in October 1878 and the National Society was established on 20 September 1885 and recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross on 20 October of that year. During the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 and World War I the Society was very active in assisting the war wounded with medical trains and field hospitals.
The Red Cross Honor badge has been founded by the first Bulgarian monarch of the Third Kingdom – Alexander I. Its designation was to represent a form of official recognition for the people who helped the army and the Bulgarian Red Cross society during the battles of the Serbo-Bulgarian war of late 1885. The badge was founded as a wartime decoration - something which has been amended later.
The founder of the award, Prince Alexander I, has delegated the decorations of Bulgarians to the board of the Red Cross society itself, while the awarding of foreign nationals was kept as a royal privilege. Unfortunately for the young Bulgarian monarch though, he was unable to make a single decoration, due to the fact that he was forced to abdicate soon after the initiation of the badge. Nevertheless, the first type of the badge has been labelled ‘Battenberg issue’.
His successor though, Prince Ferdinand I, started decorating the honor badge soon after His accession to the throne in August 1887. The first person ever decorated with this high distinction was the British Queen Victoria who has been presented with a unique specimen made of solid gold.