{"product_id":"bulgarian-order-military-merit-4th-class-cross-swords-silver-gold-medal-kingdom","title":"Bulgarian Order Military Merit 4th Class Cross Swords Silver Gold Medal Kingdom","description":"\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Order of Military Merit, 4th Class with Swords\u0026lt;\/strong\u0026gt; - Kingdom of Bulgaria. Instituted 1891 by Prince Alexander I and revised under King Ferdinand in 1908, this order was one of the highest Bulgarian military decorations, awarded for distinguished service and merit in the field. The 4th class represents the officer's grade of the order.\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\n\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;The cross is a silver four-pointed Maltese design with gold ball-tipped finials on each arm, with white enamel faces. Crossed gold swords are positioned between the arms, denoting a wartime or combat award. The central gold medallion bears the Bulgarian lion, the heraldic symbol of the kingdom. The reverse is similarly finished and carries an engraved recipient marking: \"R. 2.I.G. - 14.2.1960\", likely indicating the recipient's unit and award date during the post-war People's Republic period, when these Kingdom-era awards continued to be worn and issued.\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\n\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Circa:\u0026lt;\/strong\u0026gt; 1891-1946 (Kingdom of Bulgaria production). The design and construction are consistent with early 20th century Bulgarian royal mint work. The reverse marking dated 14 February 1960 indicates the piece was still in active use during the early People's Republic era.\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\n\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Condition:\u0026lt;\/strong\u0026gt; Used. The silver finish shows age-related tarnishing with darker oxidation in the recessed areas and around the ball finials. The white enamel on the cross arms appears largely intact with minor edge chipping visible under close inspection. The gold central medallion retains clear detail on the lion motif. Crossed swords between the arms are crisp and well-defined. The reverse marking is clearly legible. The ribbon shows age toning with the green and yellow stripes remaining distinguishable but faded. The pin hardware on the ribbon mount is intact and functional. No bends, cracks, or repairs. Please review all four photos for condition detail.\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\n\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Details:\u0026lt;\/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Silver Maltese cross with gold ball finials\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;White enamel cross arms\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Crossed gold swords between arms (combat award)\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Central gold medallion with Bulgarian lion\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Reverse: \"R. 2.I.G. - 14.2.1960\" recipient marking\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Ribbon: Light green with yellow\/cream stripes\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;4th Class (Officer's Cross)\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Approximately 45mm including suspension\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;\/ul\u0026gt;\n\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;A genuine Kingdom-era Bulgarian military order with the added interest of a dated recipient marking. Bulgarian orders of military merit are increasingly sought after by collectors of Eastern European and Balkan militaria. The 4th class with swords represents a combat award, distinguishing it from peacetime merit grades. An uncommon find on the UK market.\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\n\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Packed carefully and dispatched same day from the UK.\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\n\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;em\u0026gt;Explore more vintage militaria, Bulgarian medals and Eastern European collectibles in our store, The Voyage Bird.\u0026lt;\/em\u0026gt;\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;","brand":"The Voyage Bird","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52635271463052,"sku":"TVB-BG-MILMERIT-4CL-SW-01","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0376\/0793\/2044\/files\/1_20022193-4cb1-4808-bebc-4b829aaa939f.jpg?v=1786928421","url":"https:\/\/www.thevoyagebird.co.uk\/products\/bulgarian-order-military-merit-4th-class-cross-swords-silver-gold-medal-kingdom","provider":"TheVoyageBird","version":"1.0","type":"link"}