Adler der Inhaber

[Bob Hunter]

What were the requirements for this award and typically who received it?

[Bob Hunter]

Here's a better picture. The question remains the same.

[Guest Rick Research]

MUCH better without astroturf! Show back please!

No answer, alas. Von Hessenthal and Schreiber did NOT cover these-- though they did the equivalent "merit crosses" of OTHER House Orders.

So perhaps these were not "equivalent" after all. There WAS a "Knight" of the Eagle pattern as well...

but WHY?

I cannot recall any specific examples to cite, but in the "Inhaber," these seem to be the sort of warrant officer level that would be expected

but WHY

not a Verdienstkreuz in Gold/Silver with/without Crown or a Cross of the General Decoration?

NO CLUE.

"Eagles" are

1) weird

2) rare

[Stogieman]

Rick is quite right. The Adler der Inhaber is pretty scarce. I've had 2 cased, seen ~3-4 more cased....... This is the first one I've ever had/seen in a mounted group.

Now, with all the discussion of the first piece, let's not overlook the last. The Silver Merit Cross to the Brunswick House Order is pretty darn spiffy as well! Again, a first for me as a mounted group. The BHO was (IMO) one of the neatest Orders in Germany. 2 medals, 2 Merit Crosses, 2 Ritterkreuzes, Commander's, Gross Kreuz, etc., etc., etc. They always came in a stunning red case with only a small gold crown impressed upon the lid. To me, always one of Germany's finest!

[Guest Rick Research]

I've been grubbing around because I know I have seen some Eagles gazetted-- probably in the half of 1909's Milit?r-Wochenbl?tter that I have, because I know I have seen these to Beamten.

The only ones I could find, both in the Orders Almanac (the Autengruber index of rare awards in it does not show ANY as "too rare," but there are THREE all to the same family as the lone one that IS indexed with a "60 years jubilee" button) and all the few in Dietmar Raksch's Prussian award Documents book were to TEACHERS.

Why that should be, I have no idea.

As an ex-NCO, I think yours was a civil servant or military offical, not a teacher.

[Stogieman]

Here's how it was awarded. A spiffy side-by-side compartmented case!

[Stogieman]

........ speaking of which, this odd type of case was also used on this PG 1870 EK2!

[CRBeery]

The little red case Rick mentioned.

[CRBeery]

The interior.

[Bob Hunter]

Here is the reverse of the adler.

[Bob Hunter]

...and to add to what Rick and Chet have noted about the merit cross...It is extremely well made in real silver. The lower verticle arm is content marked 900 along with an "S". There is also a crescent moon and crown. This is fine on Merit Crosses but not too cool on WWI aviation badges eh, Rick?

[Bob Hunter]

reverse.

[dond]

How's this one look"

Thanks

Don

[dond]

The reverse.

[medalnet]

The "50" Example is typical for the early Sy & Wagner pieces (here we go again). Always hollow and then covered in the rear like the pilots badges from those later days. congrats !!!

As already mentioned before, the eagle was in their grades same as the crosses. Grand Eagle, Eagle of the Commanders, knight eagle and eagle of the "bearers"?/Inhaber.

Those were primarily awarded to clerical staff, like teachers or priests. The Inhaber is scare, yet all higher grades are extremly, yes, extremly rare.

The early examples made by Hossauer are very nice. They are warped and just single sided enameled, yet finely detailed on the reverse.

[Stogieman]

Interesting and different disc, suspension ring combination here......... Not one I have seen before. Andreas??

[Stogieman]

So this one dates pre 1880? Or?????

(again with S&W)(Which BTW is the same mark we see on EK2 rings)

[medalnet]

OK, after some more reading, talking and searching:

a) House Order of Hohenzollern: It says in German in 6. of the stautes: Hiernach soll Unser Koeniglicher Hausorden in zwei Abteilungen verliehen werden, deren erste zur Belohnung besonderer Hingebung an Unser Koenigliches Haus, die zweite zur Belohnung besonderer Verdienste um die Pflege gottesfuerchtiger und treuer Gesinnung unter der Jugend bestimmt ist. This would translate into somthing like: "The order will exist in two departments, which the cross will be reward for devotion towards our royal house, the eagle for reward of special merit for the cultivation of the religious and faithfull attitude of the youth."

So the eagle went mainly to teachers and clerical persons like priests.

b) to settle the Sy & Wagner discussion: 1) Hossauer (*October 5, 1794; +January 14, 1874) 2) Emil August Wagner (*April 30, 1826; +?) & Jerimie Sy (*May 15, 1827; +March 30, 1881) taking over Hossauers business in 1859. After Sy's passing the business S&W is run by Johnn Wagner, which explains this change. The original business of Sy & Wagner is still in existens into WWI. (special thanks to Dr.P.Sauerwald)

[medalnet]

...and of course this explains now the existens of Iron Crosses or Red Eagle Orders last model. As a matter of fact, S-W can be found on documents pertaining to deliveries during the eraly 1910th.

[dond]

Thanks for all the comments. It came cased. I'll have to drag the camera out in the daylight and snap some pics.

Don

[Stogieman]

OK, then based on this detail, we have to accept that pieces that are marked as follows:

S&W (stamped)

S&W (incused)

W (stamped or inscribed)

Johnn Wagner & Sohn (Crown, Moon 800) (Railway Badges)(some EK's)

Were all from the same company run by Johnn Wagner!! ? !!!!

Now, I can certainly accept the sense of using existing tooling and dies.......... but using multiple maker marks? OK, I suppose that is possible, but highly unusual.......... Perhaps there was some agreement made whereby Wagner was obligated to continue marking some pieces as S&W???

As an example of this, in the 1930's, The Ives Manufacturing Company of Bridgeport, CT was broken up and swallowed by both Lionel & American Flyer..... However both companies were required by agreement to continue using the Ives name (in some way) per agreement.... I don't remember for how many years.

[medalnet]

That's is how it is researched.

Some dies were used all the way to the end indeed. Take the PlM for Arts and Science. Never ever changed. Even the original Silver gilt ones are from the same tooling.

S-W was the smaller firm anyway and was run until WWI, as researched. Wagner however has always been the much more know company. Not just for those orders and medals, but mainly for heavy silver objects etc. Highly collectible. One thinks order decorations are expensive....?!

I have seen those archive documents shoing lists of suppliers to the orders chancerllery and indeed most manufacturers at the seize of e.g. Sy & Wagner arround 1900 were mainly making those mass produced gardes, like Order of the Crown 4th class or Red Eagle 4th class or even Eagle of the "Inhaber".

Those court jewelers (like Joh.Wagner & Sohn) were only allowed to make the "good" stuff, like grand crosses and such.

Anyway, I think this should make most of us feel cosy. If not, more research is awlays appreciated.

Edited January 5, 2006 by medalnet

[Stogieman]

Thanks Andreas!

[dond]

In the case.

[dond]

With flash.