Hohenzollern Cross 1st class

[dond]

I have what I assume to be a Hohenzollern Cross 1st class but it puzzles me.  Why is it so thick?

[laurentius]

Dear Dond

I don't trust the piece, it looks too thick (as you already mentioned). There is also no maker mark, the 'für' should be 'fur' and I miss a staggering amount of detail on the leaves below the Hohenzollern coat of arms.

Kind regards, Laurentius

Edited February 25, 2018 by laurentius

[dond]

So I should smash it with a hammer then.

[laurentius]

Dear Dond

I would advice against smashing this piece with a hammer. The Hohenzollern cross was given out to all kinds of royalty in europe and beyond. Perhaps this was a replacement piece made by a jeweler in Great-Britain or in France, people who would not know exactly how to spell german words. Is there a makermark visible anywhere on the piece? Let's wait and hear some other opinions before you smash this piece into pieces.

Kind regards, Laurentius

[dond]

Looking around the internet.

https://www.emedals.com/europe/germany/german-states/hohenzollern/a-1895-1900-house-order-of-hohenzollern-commanders-honour-cross-g15775

Another spelled with umlauts.

And more spelled with umlauts.

[laurentius]

Dear Dond

I went around the web again and this time I also found a lot with and a lot without the Umlaut. Maybe a variation. But that still doesn't explain the detail on the leaves on your piece and the thickness of the cross. It's becoming more and more interesting. Perhaps some other collectors want to join in on this conversation?

Kind regards, Laurentius

[ixhs]

i think your piece is post war. as you know from the WAF it was given by the Hohenzollern till the 1950s.

[Komtur]

Because of its thickness I have no problem with this very nice cross. There were some different jewelers making this cross over the years:

1852-1859 Hossauer / Berlin, he sold his company to Sy & Wagner in 1859

1859-1887 Sy & Wagner / Berlin, they were to expensive, therefore the princly Hohezollern changed to:

1887-1892 S. Friedeberg Söhne / Berlin, company sold to Gebr. Friedländer in 1892

1892-1910 Gebr. Friedländer / Berlin, they were to expensive, therefore the princly Hohezollern changed to:

1910-???? J.G. Zimmerer Sohn / Sigmaringen, probable they did not produce the order by themthelves, but bought them from the company Zimmermann / Pforzheim

????-???? J. Godet & Sohn / Berlin, late producers, probably as recently as after 1918

????-???? Gebr. Hemmerle / München, late producers, probably as recently as after 1918

Even if we can assume, that Hossauer gave his tools to Sy&Wagner in 1859 and S. Friedeberg did the same to Gebr. Friedländer in 1892, there should be at least five different versions of this order over the time. There are documents indicating, that very often returned decorations were repaired and awarded again. Therefore we must also expect chimaeras between different versions.

Source (very recommendable):

Link, Eva and Gauggel, Heinz: Fürstlich Hohenzollernsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen. Fridingen 1985.

 

Regards, Komtur.

 

PS: So please, before smashing it, send it back to old Germany 

 

Edited February 27, 2018 by Komtur

[dond]

It is too nice of an award to smash it with a hammer.