Claudius

Upside down swords...How does that happen? Did the award slip past the manufacturer's final inspection? I can't see the shoulderboards very well, but it looks like crossed anchors...with no crown...so, a Vize-Steuermann?

Have there been any developments regarding the SWORDS or WITHOUT SWORDS? What is protocol for Imp Rus. documents, if not mentioned, do you assume it was issued without? I would think an Admiral would get a with swords version of an award.

Heinz -was this with the St. Stan and the minis you show on another thread? Did you get them together from the recipient family, or once removed? If so, nice set! Congrats!

Great Stan! I like the way the wings extend into the enamel "cross" arms. Nice mini's too.

A ten-medal, mini, FRACK bar! It's a pity we can't find out who this guy(?) was. I would think he was really out in the social circuit with this chest apparel.

Cool?!?...it's great. It remains among the farrago of collected boyhood memories so many years ago, that classic photo of MvR wearing his Ulan tunic, that fueled my interest in Imp. German. It is so distinct, and minimalist compared to the Hussars. It’s a uniform that doesn’t look as good on a hanger as it does being worn.

Thank you Alex. I was hoping you would respond to this thread! Army badge for a Navy guy...I guess it's just another example of post-war deviation from the rules.

Hello larsb001; Nice documents. If noone else will mention it, I'll say it...the badge confuses me...you said the badge came with the group of documents? Directly from the family? The quality isn't what I thought it would be. For one thing, the loops on the top are shorter and filled in!?! More importantly, this is an ARMY badge. If the L-4 was under the Navy, wouldn't the badge be a navy badge?

In my copy of "For Valour" by Gordon McGregor I don't see him as wounded. (But, as was mentioned earlier, I don't see him receiving the EKI, but you kindof have the document to show otherwise ) I understand you contacted Mr. McGregor before (for a photo). Can you email him again and ask from what source did he use for his book to list the wounded? It might tell you WHEN that source was produced. Hadeln's wound may have been received AFTER that source was put together. Or, that it was limited in some way. BTW: do you need a copy of "For Valour"? It's a little after the fact but...very nice group!

Hello Timo; I think you laid out your case very well and I also concur with your facts and your conclusion.

The WGMMM is high, uncommon and distinguished bravery award and I believe would be mounted in front of other (Wurttemberg) awards. So, this is a proud Reuss guy? And, at the very least he would also have had the EKI.

Hello SPM; Thank you for the offer... But no, it was just that last night I was quickly running through some reference books on a disparate errand when I was stopped by the missing section. I'm sure I wasn't the only one that realized this and thought I would start a topic. If I had a Bav Air Corp gent to research, you can bet I will ask here. Thanks again for the offer.

Hello; O'Connor's book "Aviation Awards of Imp Ger in WWI -Volume #1 Bavaria" doesn't have a NAME INDEX in the back? if this was discussed previously, excuse this inquiry and please direct me to that thread. Thank you,

Thank you Hardy. Boy, was I way off! :blush:

I am not so much looking for a translation, as an INPERPETATION <<<scratching my head>>> What is she saying (very politely) to this gentlemen in Jerusalem mid-1917? something about an annual report from an Austrian Aero Club? Sending a brochure and she is requesting....???

...and I believed it. Good one! I really need to wipe the dust off that movie and watch it again.

Great photo. Is this is wedding photo? Or is he escorting someone? Barry: You can ID the woman in the background?

So....ear and cheek wounds. Ouch, but still lucky I suppose compared to many.

What are the second set of loops on the tunic for? LS? Amazing spange on the ribbon. Pity we can't read all of them.

I believed it was the EXACT ribbon bar down to every nuance, but now it's gone. I don't see it listed anymore. Which is also unusual because most of time the items are then shown as "SOLD". Nevertheless, A nice bar and Christian had a great eye to see what potential was there.

Unless there are two of them -someone better tell Uwe that it's sold. Great catch Christian L!

A remarkable inscription. I have not seen its like before. More reminiscent of an earlier century. Cut from Jane Austin's cloth and sewn together by the affection she had for this IC recipient. She must have been a very contemplative woman.

L-R What is medal #4 on the bar?

Indeed, it does. And yet it is not the same mark. Post 12 is ideal for seeing it. If you would superimpose the backside metal mark over the obverse Tugra you can see that they don't line up. Simple Photoshop manuever would prove this out. The "Stand" part of the Tugra is much narrower and it doesn't match the obverse. Additionally, the outer and inner "Egg" are there, but the "Tughs", "Arms", and "Fringe" are all truncated or omitted. I can't offer an alternate explanation at this time. Likewise I don't know how to explain the "E.S." mark. If this "E.S." does indicate a non-Ottoman/Turkish manufacture, then we have a non-Turkish badge with a Tugra mark made from a specially designed Tugra marking tool that changed the Sultan Signature's Tughs, Arms and Fringe, but didn't bother to reverse the tool image so that it would appear correctly on the piece. Puzzling.

It appears I have to accept the majority verdict on this metal mark on the back as being the Sultan's tugra. I can find no documentation to support any other claim. I can find no research that discusses this mark and having any other meaning...yet. However, like the lone standout in a jury room full of guilty votes, I have to continue to point out an irritating observation. Why is the Tugra reversed? When every other metal-smith, silver-smith, and gold-smith for centuries have had their metal stamps in reverse in order for the mark to show "correctly", are to believe that the Turkish metal workers "goofed" on this fundamental and didn't want to fix it?