saschaw

The 4th to last ribbon might stand for a Baden jubilee medal, but it's not the proper ribbon for any Baden award. He might well have been a Baden native with the two Zähringers, but Baden hadn't an army on its own - Baden troops were "Royal Prussian" from 1871 on.

Mhh, nice one! Cannot determine the 4th from last, but everything else is actually clear. Two Zähringer, two Albrechts, two Austrians... The lack of Prussian pre-war orders or a long service decoration suggests a young Hauptmann... but one of the most decorated of the Reich!

Right, Andreas, that's what I wrote - but padro claims it has mounting traces of the Royal one.

Precendece would be right for a Principal Hohenzollern house order or for an "Inhaberkreuz" of the Royal one. Its "Ritterkreuz" should indeed be in front of RAO and KO... Unusual combination... sure there was a royal one, from the strange mount traces? I cannot see them in the pictures, but you're having it in hands.

I wonder if this and this is paying... at least it seems to be. In my opinion, hardly any of these ribbon bars is real. I'm watching this seller for many years now. And hardly any of the dozens or hundereds he sold was real, in my opinion.

This is not (even) a fake... it's worse. But offered as real... http://www.ebay.de/itm/251239291897 Here are probably some fakes again: http://www.ebay.de/sch/orehilas321/m.html And maybe here, too? http://www.ebay.de/sch/raritaetensammlerclub/m.html

The second to last award on his medal bar is a Royal Victorian order: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Victorian_Order

More or less. As said, cases of the award of both 1870 and 1914 2nd class crosses are known.

This is to assume, yes. I was in the believe all German kings and princes ("Fürsten") got the EKs in autumn 1914, so to say as an exchange for the state awards Wilhelm II received as one of the first. The Oldenburg Friedrich-August-Kreuz was instituted in 1914... this is odd! I find it likely Grand Duke Ernst August received the EK1 early in the war, for the FA cross Wilhelm II probably received as early as possible... and later got the clasp as an addition? Odd, but not impossible. Any other ideas ?! I cannot exclude the possibility, but I think the awarding of decorations between German royality was too miuch of a diplomatic gesture for such things...

He's wearing the 1870 2nd class and the 1914 1st class.

I have a picture with EK2 1870 and 1914 in wear, from what I know then only know n by now. It's published in Orden und Ehrenzeichen", vol. 64. If you don't have the article, I'll gladly send it via mail. Indeed it was difficult question what to give them until the clasp was introduced... those who yet had the EK1 when the clasp was instituted, should not receive it anymore, if I remember correctely. Hindenburg and such... Wonder what he did "wrong" to wear them both... it's the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, ca. 1915: http://www.ebay.de/itm/370752768646 In case you need some photo material... SDA user "Metallica" has, from what I know, a good range of photos with the clasp.

Nonsense combination... http://www.ebay.de/itm/121072829384

Never read this before.... what you found out today is the generally accepted fact. The higher ranks that received it were mainly those who stayed at home... reactived Oberste that commanded a train station and such.

redeagleorder yet commented on the lack of an EK2, so I'll do the rest: this is most likely not a military's bar, but one to a then-civilian and former veteran of the unity wars. Let me explain... as an EM or NCO, he would received the "Allgemeines Ehrenzeichen", the well know big silver medal ("Verdienst um den Staat") instead of the RAO. An officer with RAO4, however, would wear the XXV long service cross. Due to the lack of this, it's most likely a civilian's bar. Maybe a civil servant, maybe a factory owner, maybe a judge or a lawyer or ton of other groups of persons whose rank/status was eligibly for this class of this merit order. By the way, a very recent detection on the RAO4, found in the archives and published by Mike Estelamnn on DGO magazine: the change from smooth to pebbles cross armes took place in 1885!

If I were you, I'd buy an award type (pin back, unmarked or PKZ number), and not a private purchase cross (screw back, with a LDO number). But mybe I'm just too much a purist. Unfortunately I cannot offer you anything, because I'm only having an uncased cross for sale at the moment.

Friedeberg is a Berlin orders jeweller, but one of the older ones, and none that still existed in WW1. The war efford cross marked "F" is not by him, whoever that claims. Just looked it up at Nimmergut: Friedeberg sold to Friedländer in 1892!

#5 is the Ottoman Liyakat medal. Imtiyaz medal is much taller, and #6 is the crown order medal, easily to recognize from it's ribbon.

Indeed, yes. The combination is fine and I also like everything else about it. Probably a young officer's.

Christophe, I'm not sure if you got me right. I posted this in the fake bars thread because I'm sure it is fake. It's former source, the combination, the mistakes - all is bad about it.

Right, except of there aren't any real "gilt" ones. It should actually read "Doublé" which is something different than a galvanic gilt. I'd not touch any galvanic gilt Zähringer cross.... (and this may be one, looking different from what we're used to see). It's to easy to gild a silver 2nd class. For such an "unsure" cross, I'd honestly not pay more than what a knights cross 2nd class goes for - which is 400,- to 600,- Euros.

Karlsruhe? I read Chemnitz... but some of our local guys probably wore similar impressive chests. ;o)

The numbers stand much more liekly each for a single small firm, as "LV" seems to be the "Lieferverband für das Eiserne Kreuz", a pooling of (probably) small suppliers.

Guys, you're good. I didn't notice the double Austrian medal, since I didn't even look this close... I wonder what it will sell for? 250 Euro, 350 Euro, 500 Euro? I fear I'd pay it, given it were good... BV3 bars are amung the rarest WW1 bars, and this would be the biggest I've ver seen.

Here's one of mine, with the bravery medal on non-matching ribbon, and with the scarce Hassian 1931 wedding medal:

I would probably not share this link if I had any hope for it. But there's no wearer of this combination in my files.... andf it was sold years ago by one of the "famous" bar sellers... http://www.ebay.de/itm/190800800260