tifes

Vaclav Mericka is one of the world foremost phalerist and he and Baron von Prochadzka are rightfully considered first real research pioneers in phaleristics. His awesome collection was private one and he was in lively correspondence with many other phalerists of those times. He spoke many languages and moreover his wife was coming from wealthy aristocratic family so when he wanted something really precious he could afford it. Strange life for someone living behind Iron curtain but he made it out. He died in 2001 and because he didn’t have any successor he decided to give his whole collection as a gift to the National Museum in Prague. Unfortunately it was never presented to public. It has nothing to do with communist regime in Czechoslovakia before 1989. Now, shame on me. MDZ I. class for 50 years latest version (1890-1918) was bestowed to 80 officers + Emperor FJI. There is an exhaustive list. Going back to silver/bronze issue. Best source of information is original Statute of particular decoration. It also states how such a decoration should be looking like and which material it was made of. MDZ II. a III. class are made of gilded bronze and MDZ I. class is made of gilded silver. That is sure. But the world is not black and white. Gilding on silver doesn’t have very long life span. Someone who is chemist here can surely explain it better but generally speaking gilding on silver is wiped out easily, just check out any private made silver decoration (EKO, FJO, LO). Moreover silver gets patina quickly and it leaves messy spots on the cloth. Military Merit Cross introduced in 1849 had plain reverse side without enamelling and officers had been using various techniques like gluing a piece of leather on reverse to avoid messing the uniform. That was a reason for enamelling the reverse side of MVK in the next decades to come. Gilding in bronze is much better. It´s stable, cheap and reliable. In the list of 80 officers there is only one captain, few majors and not too many lieutenant-colonels and colonels. Like 65 others are generals of various ranks. Every officer had more than one uniform. General had to have many. It is also sure that he didn’t replace every morning all of his decorations from one uniform to another. All decoration had been usually sewed in. He needed more pieces than one. Bronze was cheaper and even better so his others MDZ I. class in gilded bronze had been purchased privately and used on his various uniforms. MDZ I. class in gilded bronze doesn’t mean that it’s forgery. Not at all. If all signs are showing originality it´s OK but it is only so-called second piece. Of course there is a chance to put crown on the MDZ II. class but those crowns are not easy to find so if it is fake it´s usually cast. MDZ with dedication are unique in this sense. It´s private made piece for officer or non-commissioned officer from colleagues or subordinates. Every such a piece is a valuable asset to the collection.

I am glad that I could help but I have only shared the wisdom of others. Being honest I am mostly looking for publications and works of the authors of former AH territory like Austria, Hungary and Czech Republic. Some of the works, like Mericka´s Orden und Ehrenzeichen der Österreichisch-Ungarischen Monarchie is still great book even after 40 years since its publication. Some medium-decent knowledge of German in this particular area is more than welcomed. Well, I wouldn’t say for 100% that there are only two official makers of MDZ II. and I. class but it´s also true that I have never seen anything else and I think that everyone of us have seen plenty of them. MDZ II. class (35/40 years) is made of gilded bronze but original piece of MDZ I. class (50 years) is made of gilded silver. Those are very rare and pricey, officially only 51 pieces bestowed, including Emperor Franz Josef I. MDZ I. class if made properly with all signs of originality but only in gilded bronze is original second piece (Zweit- oder Tragestück). All pieces in gold and also in silver in case of MDZ II. and III. class are private made. Some of them are having even dedication to particular officer as yours. Regards, Tifes

In the meantime when I was writing the response to Yankee I have found out that Elmar Lang already hit the point. There is nothing left only to agree but still this was my original reaction... Of course, head of Diana or Greyhound might be struck together with „A“ on the suspension loop but it´s not obligatory. „A“ is hallmark for precious metal of Vienna Assay Office without any other specification of metal purity but in some cases it was sufficient, as for example Silver Bravery Medals (both classes) and Gold Bravery Medals – “A” in circle struck on the edge (of course only for those really made of the silver and gold). Going back to “FR” issue. Well, with all the respect to your statements I would like to link here an article written by one senior member of this forum and I have to fully agree with all of the findings about “FR” maker´s mark. http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/43319-austrian-hallmarks-on-orders-medals-additional-comments/ MDZ II. Class as presented above it´s definitely Rothe und Neffe production. Generally there have been 2 major producers of MDZs II and I. class - Zimbler und Rothe. This is definitely Rothe without any doubt about it. “FR” in rhombus is quite common maker´s mark because Rothe was biggest producers of AH decoration, some of them almost exclusive, like EKO in all grades for instance. Being honest I have never seen “Tax Free” mark on Austrian decoration but of course it doesn’t mean that such a mark couldn´t exist. This mark is also not mentioned in the work of the one of the foremost members of ÖGO Mr. Rochowanski who is considered great expert on Austrian hallmarks as such. He wrote excellent chapter on AH hallmarks in the book “Österreichs Orden”. I can fully recommend it. Hallmarks which have something to do with customs and taxes are hallmarks for imported silver and golden goods and so- called Vorratszeichen (supply mark)which is hallmark struck on gold ware/decoration made of (non-hallmarked) gold before 1867 which already had been taxed. It was preventive measure to exclude double taxation of the same gold. Regards, Tifes

Very nice catch, congrats. It` s gilded silver which is quite scarce for Officers MDZ II. class. It´s private made decoration in very nice quality given by subordinate officers and officials (Dave is fully right) to superior one. I would assume that there is also silver hallmark, most probably "head of greyhound" (Kopf des Windhundes) not only "A" and FR in rhombus is maker´s mark for Franz Rothe not tax release mark. Regards, tifes

Thank you Dave for all effort made, I really appreciate it but as we figured out it can not be major Tlusty and probably Schematisum of 1916 might help by great deal. Nevertheless once again big thanx and if anyone could help me it would be great. Regards, Tomas

Hi everyone, I hope that someone of you with particular k.u.k. military schematism could help me with this as well and hence once again MDZ for 35 years. The recipient is higher officer teaching as a lector/instructor at infantry cadet school in Prague (Infanteriekadettenschule). He received its Long Service Decoration on 27th January 1915. I think that it wouldn’t be very long list of possible candidates. Thanks in advance, tifes http://img.janforman.com/MDZqy7s.jpg

Hi everyone, just my opinion based on my own experience and literature study but definitely not written in stone. The very first picture of 2nd class 1867-1869 (1890) is having cross-type from last issue 1913-1918. It could be private-made and unofficial decoration for pensioned veteran who wanted to show his long service on public (it's very theoretical and more wish-to-be) or and that's much more possible, just fake to make the price higher. 18 years Long Service Cross is the most valuable decoration from all LSCs for rank and file therefore is faked quite often. So-called mixed types could be seen in case of LSC which continued through different issue periods. It concerns LSC (rank and file) for 12 and 24 years and LSC (officers) for 25 years. 18 years LSC was bestowed in the period of 1867-1869 as mentioned in discussion and it is known only with so-called "Durchzugsöse" (sorry, no exact translation to English possible, "pass-through attachment" ???). Such a piece is on second picture of original post of "djn". Regards, tifes

Salut, both medal bars are Austrian ones probably dated back to 30s or 40s. The first one seems to be OK concerning order the precedence of medals. The second one (for officer) is bit strange. First of all above-mentioned order of precedence - Wound Medal (Verwundetenmedaille) must be placed between Karl-Truppen-Kreuz and Austrian Commemorative WWI medal for combatants. Moreover that clasp for 2nd award can't be attached to BMVM (Bronze Signum Laudis) but in this form only to SMVM (Silver Signum Laudis). BMVM couldn't be awarded more than once when repetitive award of this decoration was actually SMVM. "K" on the Silver Bravery Medal is definitely post-war production, it doesn't have correct colour and shape. Regards, tifes

Hi, Not necessarily, there must be particular Austrian hallmark for silver and/or mark of the control authority (Amtpunzierung). Most common is "A" which means Viennese control authority. In the case of presented Officers Cross there is a hallmark for imported silver goods (allegory of the person with wings) and it seems that control authority is "A1" - Wiener Neustadt. "C" on the commander breast star of FJO means "Comthur" and it served to distinguish commander breast star from grand cross breast star (marked as "G"). On the needle there is "star hallmark" (Sternchenpunze). It s not hallmark in legal sense but it was used to distinguished between decoration made of precious metals like gold and decoration made of gilded bronze. This is the case. Corpus of the breast star is made of silver but "coating" is of gilded bronze. This FJO commander breast star was probably made in 1917/1918. Regards, sefit

Sorry for double post. I didn't know that some of my colleagues put it already on this forum. Regards, sefit

Hi, picture is not mine but I will ask my colleague who is having the original one to send me closer image of the obverse part with the inscription. For now thank you for help.

Colleagues, could someone of you identify this breast star decoration? It seems to be of Ottoman Empire origin but maybe I am wrong. Decoration is a product of famous Vienna firm - "C. F. Rothe und Neffe". Needle is definitely showing Rothe maker's mark and hallmarks for precious metal (double "A" probably for silver) and time period would be 1872-1922. Any help is appreciated. Thank you, sefit

Hi gens, I would very appreciate your help with following. On the picture you can see paper attached to the reverse side of the etui for Silver Military Merit Medal (Silberne Militär-Verdienstmedaille). I can't identify the name of the recipient. I read it as follows: "Oblt. i. if. d. 6. unknown abbreviation fri...ler (??) franz" which might be "Oberleutnant in Infanterie (??) der/des 6. ??? Fri...ler Franz" This is crucial to get the name and information about the person (1st Lieutenant) awarded. Unfortunately there is small distortion spot in the middle of the family name which complicates the situation. Identification of the unit would help in great manner to complete the name of the recipient. 2nd line is pretty clear "seit 28/6.1916 vermisst" - missing since 28/6/1916 (by the other words M.I.A.) and 3rd line "SMVM" (abbreviation for Silver Military Merit Medal) Any help with "decryption" and eventually identification of the recipient (according Military Schematics) would be great. Thank you. tifes

Well not exactly, according the FJO Status dated to 17th February 1918 3 lowest decorations (knight, officer and commander) could be awarded for second time which was represented by repeat award clasp. Nevertheless I fully agree what was written here. The first bar is for MVK III. Klasse twice awarded...at least it`s most logical.

Thanx for info. Good to know. Regards, t.

I see that I dont know how to upload so for great success ....2nd pic PS sorry, new here, maybe admin can fix it....

Hi, Your large silver medal can be „chilling“ there without any troubles. This is mine with golden (not very well made) handwriting saying “Tapferkeit 1849”. Unfortunately I do not have “correct” issue to put it in so my 1859-1866 version must be sufficient. As it was already written – this is some kind of “universal” box. Bye, http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2905/p1010057yl.th.jpg'>