See Londo?
See Londo preen?
Preen, Londo, preen.
Now: See the brooch thingie that Lond’s wearing on his jacket?
I wanna know what it is.
Thing is: I’ve see other high men of state in historical pictures and illustrations wearing them, but I’d assumed that they were just pieces of jewelry of some kind.
A piece back I got evidence that they were more than that: I have reason to believe that thingies like this (in Earth history, anyway) are some kind of insignia used by political parties.
I have specific reason to think that such insignia were used by the liberal and conservative parties in England in the 19th century and that ministers of parliament would wear them to signify their party affiliation.
I’ve done some Googling, but I haven’t turned up anything on them–like what they were called.
So: Does anybody know there name or can anybody provide a link to some web info about them?
Much obliged, folks!
I venture “brooch.”
In your mind, are these the same thing as the leaves on the elven cloaks given to the hobbits in LOTR? Tolkien considers those things brooches, too:
“The brooch of an elven-cloak!’ cried Legolas and Gimli together.
‘Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall,’ said Aragorn.”
“Cloak fasteners” might get you some information too, since a Google image search brought up similar-looking pieces of jewelry from the Renaissance.
Hi Jimmy,
I can’t identify that particular order, but what he’s wearing is the insignia that signifies his membership in an ‘order’ of some kind.
These range from relatively common orders like the familiar Order of the British Empire (you often see OBE after the names of well-known citizens of the United Kingdom), which anyone in the Commonwealth can be appointed to, up to the very exclusive orders like The Most Noble Order Of The Garter, which can only consist of the reigning British monarch and 24 selected companions.
Here is a link to see the orders conferred by the Holy See:
http://www.chivalricorders.org/vatican/main2.htm
Here is a general wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_%28decoration%29
Ah, I see Londo is not a real person, thus my difficulty in finding any information on his order. 8^)
never mind the brooch, I like the hat!
It’s similar to the insignia star worn by members of the British Royal Family. In there case, I think it is the Order of the Orange.
Um, hippo354, that’s his hair, not a hat…
It is made to resemble a “placca” or “star”. The various orders of knighthood have them as part of the identifying insignia the members wear. A person may wear up to three of them (generally the three highest ranking they are entitled to). The Knights of Malta and the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre each have a star for their high ranks. The Order of the Garter has one too.
You see them on diplomats at official functions, on royalty (they generally award one another with various knighthoods), and, very occasionally, on clergy (a clergyman may only wear one).
Incidentally, Londo is wearing it on the wrong side. The star or stars go on the left side.
Fr John
Is it just me, but is this Londo or “Squiggy” playing dress up?
Concur with the comments about orders…I could see that being related to early political parties in England but I’ve never heard of it. They are either called “Medals” or “Brooch”. Also of note military honors in Europe tend to be larger than they’re ribbon and medal equivalants in the states…I always assumed the brooch represented an order confired by his rank.
Link
I have nothing to add to this thread other than the point that part of what makes B5 so cool is the use of regular-looking clothes – & accoutrements, like Londo’s brooch – as opposed to *futurisitc* clothes so often seen in SF series & films. The B5 universe looks lived in & plausible.
OK . . . so they get a little wild with hair & such. That’s cool! 😉
This is the last place I expected to come across a picture on Londo. FDL You continue to surprise and delight me, sir.