Stogieman

Thanks David, I will try to remember to ask for explanations for all so that the ladies and gentlemen who might be newer can learn some of this stuff that we whiz right by!!

Hi Christophe, sounds like a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Hi Daniel, the only appreciable difference between our bars is the color of the thread on the back...... photo soon!

And...... as good a place as any for a quick explanation of:

DRP

DRGM

David?

Nope, I'm seeing bronzeish swords on the VO,AO & HKwX and silver swords on the RHO

Nice crosses. I agree in that the variety that can be found, the endless variations.... really makes the search fun, doesn't it?

Hi Christian, I agree with you. But I have never known Chris to be in a rush to sell something so figured I would take the "long" view.

Hi George, wonderful pieces and even more so being from your family. The Imperial Pilot Badges are amongst the absolute pinnacle of rarity for any aviation artifact of the pre-1918 era. Just magnificent and thanks for sharing these!!

Nice piece Micha. I agree with respects to quality. Always buy quality/condition first. Sometimes though, as with this piece, rarity must step in for precedence!

Hi Gordon are you sure it's not Hossauer? He was one of the pre-eminnent House Jewelers of the era and a known maker of Long Service Bars, the RAO, etc. That "R", might just be an "H"!

;>)

Fabulous! I have an odd one in the sales forum right now. Unmarked cross and matching unmarked packet. How odd is that??

Isn't that an Airborne beret, BTW? If that's a homemade "look I was in airborne badge" it's a rather impressive piece!

No, he's doing ahat the trend is amongst most auctioneers and dealers. Split it into pieces and maximize the proceeds, ergo maximize the commission/buyer's premium. When one considers this is 40+ years of hard work, tireless research and real history being destroyed forever...........

Hi David, I don't remember seeing the early cinch type backing plate with a DRGM stamped in. Interesting!!

Hi David, the "half-height" ribbon bars can be found across the board from many different states and seems to be a very individualistic choice. They show up quite a bit but not very often with as interesting a combination! Nice Bars!!

Of additional interest should be both the earlier styled 25-Year LSC (also note the split ring suspension! Quite correct on an early cross) and the Lilac/smooth armed RAO4. Fantastic group!

OK, anybody have a photo of the reverse. It should be engraved rather extensively??

Well, maybe not the quality but still arather wonderful find in a flea market!!

I understand Christian, but it's very frustrating. I have done the "buy it all and keep it together" thing a couple of times and in the end, when it comes time to pass it forward, no-one else seems real interested. Look at some of the outrageous groups good dealers we know in Germany have split up after trying to sell the group(s) intact...... Perhaps we have simply doomed ourselves with the prices some of these pieces command now.

Very frustrating indeed.

A little bird has told me that there were several nice 1813 crosses at Kassel....... anyone with photos, please add them in or start a new thread!!

Well, that's the first time I have seen that legend on a S/B disc. Most impressive!! In fact, after quickly spinning through the archives, I cannot find anything referenced to that organization at all!

BTW, the price of these are ~250 USD each, they weigh a TON and are expensive to ship. But they are phenominal pieces of work!!

After combing through this clown's (the seller!) listings, I would have to say that apart from the insensitivity to history and family, the blatent and forthright attempt to maximize his return from the group is only seconded by the different bidders. I have never understood the mentality of the "I only wanted this anyway", or the "I only collect this" anyway bidder......... The main reason these type of things continues to be perpetuated is that people bid.

Maybe, if everyone who did not bid sent this idiot an eMail stating that they will not bid and why and what they would have been willing to pay for an intact group................ they might get the message.

I rather doubt it, but who knows?

I would agree with Wildcard, the Baden Medals for Military merit are substantially harder to find and they are named! Excellent point!!

Hi Chris, I think you can push it a little higher, ca. 100- Euro. Why? Despite the condition the 2 Regimental pieces are hard to find and there are collectors in your neck of the woods who specialize in the regimental pieces. It's especially unusual to find one mounted with the official pieces (of this era)