Wreath: Round Green Enamel Baden 02

This is another variety of device which on this ribbon indicates a Knight of Baden's Military Karl Friedrich Merit Order. This was their highest bravery award for officers.

The enamel is so thin, brushed on it looks like lacquer and has not adhered very well to a device which was not made with inset leaves to be individually enamelled. Note that the device is actually on SIDEWAYS. Such seeming inattention to detail is easily explained by the fact that these devices ARE "details." Most are so small, only the general impression made is what was easily distinguished. At UNDER 15mm wide, you need a magnifying glass to see that somebody made a mistake when the ribbon bar was made!

It is exactly this sort of detail that on rare, happy occsions allows us to identify a ribbon bar as not simply having belonged to an identifiable recipient, but that the ribbon bar itself is the exact one being worn in a period photo. Examples of that will be shown in the main Article text.

Courtesy of Deruelle.