Christian1962

there are some in today´s auction at www.dorotheum.com "Orden und Auszeichnungen". Regards Christian

It is not EH Friedrich but Generaladjutant Prinz Zdenko Lobkowitz. Regards Christian

If you dare pics of Austrian 1st Republic I can help. Here grade # 2: "Großes Goldenes Ehrenzeichen am Bande" issue 1924 - 1925. From about 1925/26 on the star was changed into the tradtional form. Here an early Rothe star. Here a grade # 3 set: "Großes Ehrenzeichen am Bande", instituted in 1926. Regards Christian And a grade # 1 star: "Großstern des Ehrenzeichens", 2nd issue from 1925 on. and a very early grade # 2 handmade (!) sash Insignia.

I can confirm that it´s official use but I cannot say when this startet. But I would assume it was before 1918. And I can attach a pic (sorry for the poor quality, but my mobile phone has a bad camera) of a complete sash from the 1930ties. Regards Christian

I think the most valuable part would be the case at all. Gold marked FJO-Knights cost 700 - 800 €, the miniature star in poor quality 500 - 600 € (I would not pay that amount). So the difference makes the price of the case up to 3.000 - 3.400 €. I am not sure if anybody is willing to pay that for a case. But: for a collector missing just this item it could be worth. Regards Christian

I always have a look if it is a multipart construction or not. When there are minimum three parts (cross, center medaillon and swords) it´s not a cheap piece. In addition the inscript on the backside says "mein Eigentum" so I would assume it´s a private purchased issue of good quality. To say it honestly: it must not be an "official piece" which was delivered by the "Ordenskanzlei". Would other members have pics of their pieces to post here? Would be interesting for comparing. Regards Christian

No problem anyway, you are welcomed. Note: there were lots of unfinished parts left which were finished in the 1960ties and 1970ties. They make most of the pieces on collector´s market today. Regards Christian

I would not think so because the owner of a lower grade had to return his earlier decoration when he received a higher one. My humble opinion: the quality of the miniature star is quite poor (late or probably after war) if you compare it with others. So you are right "concerning small decoration itself".... I can just enclose an EKO1 miniature star for comparison but you will recognize what I mean if you have a look onto the star corpus itself. Regards Christian

Dear Elmar, thank you very much for this clue. I remember to have bought it in 2010 in a Künker auction. Regards Christian

In Haus-, Hof- und Staatshandbuch from 1914 we find: 157 Austrian owners of Großkreuz des Franz Joseph-Ordens and up to 600 - 700 foreign owners of that class (I became tired counting). Maybe 1.000 all in all. If only 10 % would have owend a "Kleine Dekoration" (it could be worn just on uniforms) it would not be a rare and elusive piece of collectors interest worth a realistic price more then 4.000,- €. This price only with the inscripiton " F.J.O. Großkreuz - Kleine Dekoration". Otherwise 1.500,- up to 2.000,- maximum. Referring to the Weitze piece: "Kleine Dekoration" was introduced in 1908. When the case is dated with "1900" - would it be a 100 % original one? I would think that the inscription was imprinted later (golden letters are more shining then the "F.J.O." . Regards Christian

There is a reprint of Michetschläger, not best quality but fine for reference. I purchased it for under 100,- € some years ago in the net from a german company. Just some examples of "Kleine Dekoration": and for MVK 1st class. Most of them were produced after 1918 I would assume. It´s hard to say which were from the 1914 - 1918 Periode and which after 1918. Regards Christian Maybe it´s of interest. I purchased this "Kleine Dekoration" within a "luxury case" which is not marked as "Kleine Dekoration". Have a look onto the backside. I am sure it´s an owners inscription by himself. But I would think that wartime issues would have the inscription "Militärverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse - Kleine Dekoration". Christian

4.885,- would be too much. Regards Christian

Maybe you would have a look at yourself, here is the link: https://library.hungaricana.hu/en/collection/austrian_state_archives/ Help yourself…. Regards Christian

Yes, the link is correct. I found it here: https://library.hungaricana.hu/en/view/RanglistenHeeres_1918/?pg=84&layout=s&query=Percevic Regards Christian

#3: Grand officer cross of italian Maurizio e Lazzaro and here his austrian decorations:

Here you have two pics of a Mayer star.

Wladimir Laxa: Orden der Eisernen Krone 2. Kl. mit KD und Schwertern: PVBl. 148/1917 vom 11.08.1917, A.h.E. vom 01.08.1917 – Präs. 21.006 v. 03.08.1917 Militärverdienstkreuz 2. Kl. mit KD und Schwertern: PVBl. 243/1917 vom 24.12.1917, A.h.E. vom 15.12.1917 – Präs. 36.078 v. 17.12.1917 Regards Christian

he is "Feldwebel". The medal is "Militär-Jubiläumsmedaille 1848 - 1898" (Jubilee medal 1898 - 1898). The pic was taken in Josephstadt. Therefore it would be possible that he was a member of IR 36 which had "blassrot" (pale red) as regimental colour. Regards Christian

Correct, I meant this. Christian

You can see that the quality is not compareable with that in the pics. It seems to be a late collectors copy. Regards Christian

No, there are different versions. Regards Christian

As you can see the miniature star of the grand cross is mounted on the knights cross of FJO which is part of his medal bar. The owner could not change that when wearing the breast star. It is evident that the breast star was just worn for the purpose for taking the pic. Not really correct but no problem at all. Regards Christian

What you see here is the "k.k. uniformiertes privilegiertes Bürgerkorps Graz". It still existes today: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privilegiertes_uniformiertes_Grazer_Bürgerkorps Kindest Christian

It a appears to be a different (foreign?) production. Austrian made pieces regular look like this: Regards Christian

I would agree with the medal id indeed. Here some facts for Ferdinand Graf Vetter von der Lilie: Vetter von der Lilie, Ferdinand Graf (8.7.1812 - 15.9.1882): 25.9.1854 Generalmajor 8.9.1866 retired 15.12.1873 Charakter als Feldmarschallleutnant ad honores. Christian