Claudius

It does look like a clich? stamped type, but the pin makes me uneasy. Too narrow of hinge assembly and construction. But I haven't come across enough clich? Bav badges to be decisive. What is the recent history of this badge? Where did it come from?

Yes, quite right a frackspange. With only 168 awarded there is a high likelihood of crossing out many recipients who earned other awards, but I would guess that it wouldn't eliminate enough for an identification. That doesn't take anything away from this nice little bar. I echo Scottplen's sentiments.

What happened? Is he correcting the posting and then resubmit?

Some close-ups please. Especially the ring.

Your response is bit cryptic. Do you believe it or do you have some doubts?

ah..ah...ah...there is more to this than meets the eye. There are photos and documents included, but (according to the seller if he is to be believed) he accidentally attached to another F-P medal bar group. And WOW, is that a great group itself. more on that below. But to begin, the observer and the F-P group are father and son. As I said, the observer has documents and photos, specifically a doc for his observer badge along with some other ancillary docs. The photo has the recipient in front of his plane (that has personalized insignia). The F-P group has a medal bar w/ 1870s EKII with oak leaves and 1914 bar. Now, I know you (like me) would be suspicious of this bar but the group comes with award docs AND a photo of the father wearing the EXACT medal bar. outstanding. still five days left in the bidding.

I agree. It is very likely a private purchase variant. If someone is going to fake a medal, you want to make the copy as similar to known originals as possible...not make them stand out. And your not going to add detail like the crown relief in cross.

Is only "w/Swords" that were returned, or were both w/o Swords and w/Swords returned in high numbers?

Outstanding bar! And named to someone where you know the action -superb.

Great photo. It appears to be a private purchase totenkopf on his hat as well, although the photo is a bit too blurry for me. -He looks like quite the cool customer with a lit cigar in his hand.-

Good job. Sooooo as you asked...can that last bar be identified?!!

You are incredible WNickel!!! You don't have one but TWO bars with DPFL 2nd class mit S. You have got to be kidding me! I can't say enough. I want to know where you go shopping.

I don't have a problem with that. In fact, when I find the photos of the hate belt these little items came from I'll start a new post with it.

I saw this photo leading the thread with all these cyphers on shoulderboards and I thought they would fit right in. The oak leaves come from the same hate belt. I just wanted to show them on a thread with other similar cyphers.

tough crowd ..I realize now that I didn't put anything with the photos to give scale. The IR insignias are all small enough to have been taken from shoulderboards. The death's head is also this size, but I believe would have been taken from a peak cap.

I think so...it is still a Godet even if it has some moth holes and IF you can get the right medals. The bar will be forever stigmatized by not having the original medals on it, but the ribbons and combination is honest. This was one gentleman's group of medals. When he received them and had them mounted, he didn't ask if the HK was magnetic or not, or black lacquer or bronze. He earned them and was proud enough to have a very good company mount them for wearing. What's the alternative? At least take down the wrong medals. It doesn't deserve that.

3rd medal is the Prussian War Aid Cross. And that would be the wrong ribbon for that cross. So, yes the person who attached it and the Hungarian Commemorative is guilty of a Frankenstein-ish creation.

Death's Head insignia This insignia and the previous ones were all harvested off a hate belt (not by me, but a friend who did allow me to buy some of the items). The belt was the best of its kind I've ever seen and the person who put it together in 1919 (he used the German shoulder numbers to date it) even went to the trouble of soldering prongs on the back of insignia to hold it to the belt. Unfortunately, the solder put a hole right through the center of the skull to pin the death's head to the belt At the time, I was going to try to gently bend the flanges of the gaping hole closed and back out the dent...but considering the age of the metal I lost my nerve and left it as you see it. I'm not planing to sell it, but just out of curiosity...what would the insignia be worth in very good condition??? And what is it worth with a bloody hole it's head?

Guard insignia

IR 94

IR 153

crown

collar insignia -backs

Collar Insignia -right