Stogieman

BTW, I think this bar is 1920's ...... I have an almost exactly the same construction, stitching, no backing that came in a group of bars to a Turkish front fighter......

Not much you can do, bidding on the pieces will certainly drive the prices to the level of stupidity. Of course since they all just clip in you could recreate the bar and just try and buy the bar and the EK1 w. document......

Heh, heh, heh......... finally, something that clouds his mind.....

Greetings Haynau, excellent details and information. I had not realized the differences on the eagles. I was always just looking at the suspensions! Thanks!!

Fabulous! many do look a little familiar but just as many don't! Nice bars David (and happy T-Day as well!!)

The mods will sift, compile and post an Imperial reference guide and pin it soon. Thanks to all for a great list and a great idea!!

You always wonder about these Prussian "trios" with one "foreign" order.... Lipee on one, Reuss on the other........ how did this happen? Held a door open at the right time? Lit the requisite number of cigars/cigarettes/Tiparellos at the state dinner?? I always wonder, but perhaps I'm just a weirdo......

I cannot publicly comment on this bar... it's been on my watch list since it posted 2 days ago! ;>)

I would agree. Lippe House Order, not Brunswick.

The wreath signified that it was actually the Order, not the Merit Medal on the KF War Ribbon.

And a close-up of the center:

Hi Rusty, here's the back

In my continuing theme of "what am I missing"....... I will say in some cases, this is what I am not missing. A rather well done, but cast copy of the Suwarow on a "early style" suspension. Yuck......

His reverse photo.

Hi Christian, perhaps we all need to be aware.... these seem to be popping up far too often!

http://cgi.ebay.de/Waffenring-Deutsche-sch...1QQcmdZViewItem

I cannot tell from his photo if it is good or bad, wouldn't even try!

Rats, Hohenzollern would not have been my guess for that crown stamp at all. Very nice!!

I think 120- Euro is a tad high. I see people asking crazy prices for the minis but I do not see them sell very often at those prices!

Hi Dave, I'm quite sure that not only will Gordon take good care of it, he'll put it in his book!

Thanks Marshall, you have a discerning eye and I would practice it... it has payed off for me to have one on the flight badges in more ways than one. The other comment I would make is that I thought the stem on the backs of the 1914 crosses wasn't straight "down".... I think that core is the same die on all 3 crosses, or at least extremely close?? Shouldn't the stem on the 1914 be turned aside a bit?

Well, like I said... Neophyte and what am I missing. The thing that surprises me is that with so little real "open market" time since the collapse of the CCCP as opposed to the 100+ years of research, faking, etc. with other countries.... is just how much really bad, altered, weird, funny, just plain dubious stuff floating around the market place in such a short time!!

A minefield for sure.

Just to stoke the fires of Marcus, as it were. Here's the Lippe Cross For Merit in War, another EK2 equivalent from this small Duchy........ in the original issue packet!!

Hi George, thanks for explaining that. One question I have been too embarassed to ask over the last few years. Every time I saw the term being used it just looked like any other medal to me. First time I've seen anything like the wings before!!

As an aside, I'm pretty pleased to see so much activity in here and I am enjoying learning about this interesting (and oft overlooked perhaps) segment of history.

In addition to your concerns, I do not think the "pebbling" looks quite right.

I would agree with the observation that these are not EK2's..... the frame/beading detail don't look like any EK2's I have handled, or seen in person/photos.

Hi Sal, this was a nice little group of photos that he had... unfortunately they were tucked into a FP Box and came with about 100 Aerial Photographs. The last I looked the bid was up beyond what i would have thought "usual" for such a group.