Ralph A

Chris is correct. Kudos to you!

The Hungarian dingus has no swords. It's the only one I've ever seen. it was a sort of "why bother" thing, but this recipient must have been proud of the splinter he picked out of some Austro-Hungarian nun's finger... especially to go to the trouble of having it mounted.

Not quite. Anyone else?

Anyhoo, the Württemberg crosses w/o swords do not bear the "krigsverdienst" inscription, indicating that they might have been post-war "public welfare" awards. This bar is definitely a "kreigie," albeit to a non-comb.

Who can spot the unusual thing about this medal bar? Hint: it's not the obvious thing.

It is cased. I know of only one other cased example.

Thank you gents. Truthfully, they are priced above their actual value vis–à–vis rarity (if you ignore the oaks ). There is a certain "vanity" premium attached to them. Now for something exceptionally rare:

"Glamor" shot, thanks for looking. Happy New Year, gentlemen!

Interesting details, surprisingly and practically invisible to the naked eye. This, gents, is one way of sorting out the fakes. Recipients wore these, they are heavy... and they got banged around. "Perfect" wartime examples just don't exist.

Eagle detail. I generally don't post pics of the oak's reverse, but I'll send them on request to bona fide members with profound reasons for asking.

Details of the miniature. It's somewhere in Previtera's book, but I think the picture he used has the ribbon reversed; that is, the rough, "worn" side is facing out. I'm not sure, having never seen the book.

Pedigree:

There is (was?) a Forstner barracks in Karlsruhe during WW2, renamed "Smiley Barracks" post-war. One of his sons won the KC in WW2.

"Reconstruction" of Forstner's decorations:

Recipient:

The whole set:

Gents, I haven't hauled this out in many years. Today seems like a good day for it.

Friedländer Pour le Mérite mit Wagner eichenlaub und adler to Ernst Freiherr von Forstner. At least, the cognoscenti assume the oaks and eagles are Wagners...

Compare to Post #44:

They were stuffed in here. :blush:

This one, too:

I had forgotten about this piece:

Reverses:

Thanks Don. How have you been?

This belongs to the fellow who landscaped my property. You gotta come see the work, I think I'm up to par with your yard, now!

I see "Tom63" has a like-spange (minor differences): http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=30218 (See below for comparisons)

I'm hoping someone will recognize these birds... A little outside my field, but when I held the one pictured above, it chirped "fake fake"...

Is it?

reverse

Hello gents, I need some help with this bar. Who made it? All OK?

Looks like Johanniter eagles, on a PlM. Anything is possible.

...

reverse that.