saschaw

Nice bar, likely to a Coburg and Gotha NCO. I think it is an old one, cannot see anything alarming. Last ribbon is Bavarian firefigther's long service award, guess from the 20s. Sachsen-Coburg was quite "near" to Bavaria, beeing a PART OF IT post WW1 (from 1920 on), while Sachsen-Gotha became part of free state of Thüringen! So absolutely no problem about this. ;)

Ah, you got that one? Congratulations. I saw it to but didn't place a bid - would have thought it sells for a "real" price... If you're buying all the good stuff there? ;)

Wow, that may be a full match. Thank you!

Thanks Wild Card. I though think it's rather the 1848/49 than Waterloo. The bar dates in 1860s to 1880s from the construction, which makes Waterloo not impossible, but less likely. However, I have neither to replace. :blush:

Hooked reverse:

I think I have not yet shown this one before. Pure Brunswick bar, likely to an old NCO who fought in 1848/49, unfortunalety empty.

I hope this one qualifies as early. Württemberg, Dienst-Ehrenzeichen I. Klasse (1850 - 1864) on it's original ribbon. (free for trade, if someone has some some nice Baden thing)

Nice photo, but peace time awards to old serving NCOs are a somewhat different issue. Here's a ribbon bar to WW1 EM or NCO, with bravery awards from FOUR different states. No doubts about it.

Great one! Thought the same initially. Do they come combined with combattant KDM? I'm not sure, think I've seen them yet only(?) with steel medals... (but actually, if awarded to military doctors they should come like this)

Mhh, I'm not sure but tend to like it.

Were bars like this worn in WW1 Austria? I'm only aware of that huge, one row overlapped ones. This one looks rather Hungarian (post WW1) - to me, who might be wrong.

And again... http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230482793223 :angry:

Nice one and it were great if someone can come up with one on a medal bar... My best guess is there is no real connection, but the ribbon was just "free to use" as none of the 1832 were still alive in let's say 1942... PS: I just checked it: The later ribbon is similar but the red stripes are way wider. Tom's ribbon shown here does match the WW2 medal, not the Neufchàtel medal...

http://cgi.ebay.de/grose-11-Ordensspange-Sachsen-Coburg-Preusen-Turkei-EK-/250640290321?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Militaria&hash=item3a5b535211 One more... used to be offered by our Vienna favourite seller. Now this seller's 2nd ribbon bar does not look any better... (but is not from the Vienna guy).

That happens if one does not pay enough attention... thanks! I think I won't forget this anymore. palencia, nice and interresting combination!

While Leser was a maker of 3rd classes I have to say I don't like yours. I know there are some things to look for, but don't what they are exactely... other might chime in, I hope. I would expect gold medaillons, while these here are gilt - see the wider cross arm frame on reverse. A real gilt 3rd class should not have this, from what I've heard.

Great research, Claudio! I think there were Prussians who did not get an Albrecht but an instant Heinrich. Probably very few, but I won't exclude it. Furthermore, the bar looks absolutely fine and seems to be a contemporary Godet work. If this were faked, I would not trust any more medal bar. If actually noone wore/won this combination, it may be a display bar from Godet shop's window.

:D Sure, the current price... but I paid "somewhat" more and have no clue where it'll end this time.

A current auction on eBay.de: http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230473946464 I think it might be of interest I bought this star some months ago. I showed it to some collectors and most were not confident with this star. While the star itself seems to be fine and ~1840 era, the medaillon is quite sloppy made and is of very unusual design. There were serios doubts this can be an authentic SAO star, so I returned it recently. A real Raupp made SAO star is published in Nimmergut's opus magnum II. It has a more typical design and is of very finde craftmanship - while this here is definitely not. Caveat bidder... :whistle:

We were and are talking about knight's cross 1st and 2nd class of this order (WF3aX and WF3bX in Prussian rank lists). Gilt swords do not indicate anything here as the order always had gold swords. Silver swords however must be for (Leutnant/Oberleutnant level) knight's cross 2nd class. That device is actually wrong but makes the classes clearer.

I may be wrong but think this order's swords are always gold, so this can be either class. However, a sole WF3aX might be possible. More likely, of course, a WF3bX. I didn't. Is there one on "statutenmäßigem Band"? Those might exist - awarded to foreigners! Unlikely here...

Dito, and thanks to RR! Nice and interresting article, and nice again to read something from you/him... I guess nothing happened. If they emigrated, they were gone, and if worse happened... it happened without such a trial, so would not appear here. Anything else yet seen?!

Thanks for your kind words, Wild Card. According to OMM 41, and avadski gives the same numbers, there was a total of 59 pre-war awards of MVK 2nd modell, 2nd class - as yours one should be of. (by the way, congratulations!) I want to add that the 177 awarded without swords, on war merit ribbon to Beamte etc., had the swords not added necessarily. They wearers were allowed to add and we can assume most did - unlikely all of them. Great one! MVK 2nd class, 2nd modell... but I think I've seen the bar before and heard something even more special about it... ??? :whistle:

And combinations (mostly) that common you don't take a closer look... These are the really dangerous fakes! Not huge, nonsense Frankenstein monsters. :speechless:

Case says it's a 2nd class. I'd rather say this is a 2nd class from 3rd modell than a 1st class of 2nd modell... ?