Bulgaria, Kingdom. A Parachutist Badge, Type II, c.1940

Four-piece construction, illustrating the Royal crown in bronze with red enamels at the top and a shield bearing the Bulgarian lion in bronze with red enamels at the bottom, the centrepiece illustrating a sunburst with three emanating rays, with a parachutist descending in the foreground, with mountains in the background at the bottom, the sun bearing the date inscription "9.IX.44." (September 9, 1944), framed within a silvered bronze wreath composed of branches of laurel leaves and oak leaves, magnetic metal support plate, bronze screwback maker marked in Cyrillic text "Д. ИП. КОМУНА" (Dip. Commune), measuring 38 mm (w) x 55.3 mm (h), chipping and loss evident in the red enamels on the shield bearing the Bulgarian lion, otherwise the enamels are intact, scattered silvering wear on the wreath, very fine.