Christian1962

Dolmage was a british officer as we can read. Regards Christian

The highest WO rank is "Chefinspektor". For further information: https://www.bmi.gv.at/Downloads/files/UniformUnterscheidungszeichenBundespolizei2016.pdf Regards Christian

It´s an "Bezirksinspektor" of the Austrian federal police after 1945. This insignia were in use until the end of the 1990ties. A kind of NCO rank. Regards Christian

Looks like a "Windhundkopf"-Punze for silver. Regards Christian

I could just give a time frame for the pic: EH Karl was promoted to Generaloberst effective with 01.11.1916. Here he is still General der Kavallerie. On 26.05.1916 he got the allowance to wear the prussian Pour le merité. This should narrow down the time frame for the pic to May - October 1916. Krafft was under EH Karl´s command from September/October 1916. I would assume the pic was taken then. Sorry no hint for the town. Regards Christian

I was referring to the last order of precedence which was given out by the "liquidierendes k.u.k. Kriegsministerium" in 1918/19. You will find it in Michetschläger "Das Ordensbuch der gewesenen österreich-ungarischen Monarchie". I tryed to make a pic but it is not of best quality, sorry for that. It´s quite interesting because they were featuring a new Kriegserinnerungsmedaille 1914 - 1918 and a Kriegserinnungskreuz. Regards Christian

Just a supplement referring to the Mosaner-group: the problem is that the bar is a mix between K.u.k. and republic. The k.u.k. precedence would have been: EKO.3.X, BMVM.X, KTK, VerwM, Kriegsmedaille, JM1898, JK1908 then were added: Weltkriegserinnerungsmedaille 1914 - 18 and Tiroler Landesdenkmünze 1914 - 18. The precedence for Bundesheer would have been: EKO.3.X, BMVM.X, KTK, VerwM, Kriegsmedaille (this is questionable but most probably), Weltkriegserinnerungsmedaille 1914 - 18, JM1898 and JK1908. For officers and NCOs serving in Bundesheer it was not allowed to wear Tiroler Landesdenkmünze because it was not an official accepted decoration by the republic (as always in Austria they did it at all against the rules). But civilians and vets could wear it. And Morsaner was a vet and not in active service. Bulgarian war medal would have been always on last position. It is remarkable that the Hindenburg-cross ist just on the ribbon bar but not the medal bar. And look at the inverted swords for the Weltkriegserinnerungsmedaille what is very strange. Regards Christian

Thank you for confirming my opinion. It is evident that the owner/maker of this bar used an old style cross to substitute a 25-years-cross from the 1934 - 1938 period because they were - not congruent but - very similar with their doubled-headed eagle. Or they took even what was on stock - however. The bar doesn´t appear to be a fake anyway. Therefore it´s the best conclusion. Regard Christian

I see what you mean. I would assume that the service cross should be a 1934 - 1938 type and not a 1849 - 1918 one. The ribbon is a 1934 - 1938 ribbon and they would have used the 1849 - 1918 type as a taylors copy. An officer awarded the 25 years cross in 1918 would have served from 1893 on and therefore would have been born minimum in 1872/73. Such officers had to retire with age of 50 in 1922/23 and would not have been in active service in 1938 at an age of 65/66 years. If it would have been a veterans bar (then for a senior officer) there would have been higher grade decorations on it, like an Iron crown III. class f.e. The "Ostmark"-medal is a distinctive hint that the officer was member of the NSR (Nationalsozialistischer Soldatenring). This makes it more probably that he was in active service in 1938. With 40 years experience as collector and 30 years as military historican I would tend to see my first thesis as more likely. But as always with austrian officers: all is possible... Regards Christian

The medal is a golden one. It is possible that during WW1 old medals which were still on stock or in museums were used for decorating actual services instead of melting them and produce new ones. It is possible that our Fähnrich wore a medal which was from an ancestor exchanging it with his own. Jörg Steiner writes in his "Heldenwerk" (pg. 9) that from August 1914 until March 1915 medals of all types left on stock were used because of the high amount needed. The only issue which is sure is that he did not take part in a war before 1914. Regards Christian

It´s partially from a Rank list of 1937 and other sources (Ostmark-Medal). Referring to the 2nd bar: it would be helpful to see a detailed pic of the inscription on the backside of MVK III. Be careful: he hast NO 25-years-service cross but the "Mobilisierungs-Erinnerungskreuz 1912/13". We can assume that he was not commissioned yet in 1908, so he did not receive the 25-years-cross before March 1938. Otherwise it is possible that he did not wear it on his bar. Not all officers did so. But we can be pretty sure that he became POW in 1914/15 (Przemysl?) and came back in 1918 or later. Otherwise he would have received more medals during WW1. Regards Christian

Good morning, maybe I can give your bar a name. Just checking the list of Austrian officers in active service in March 1938 there would be just one candidate with exactly this combination of medals: Niedermayer Karl (28.01.1890 – 06.08.1965), Oberstleutnant and commander of TelBaon 7 (signals batt.), serving in the Wehrmacht with the staff of "Kommandeur der Nachrichtentruppen XVIII" in 1939. I can´t check if he was doing duty in "Präsidialbüro des Kriegsministeriums" in 1916. Maybe there was another guy who was not longer in active service in 1938. The mark "A" means the medal is made of silver. Regards Christian

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