landsknechte

A policeman who went on to be awarded the Luftschutz decoration and the Austrian Annexation decoration a few years later. (At least I got to see a picture of the other half of the split group.)

Yikes.... Sorry about the extreme close-up there.

Major Friedrich Freiherr von Berchem, aerial observer in WWI, was awarded his HHOX in July 1918.

That may be a record for the most plain single-color ribbons on a single bar...

Non-combatant's grade of the Turkish War Medal (aka Iron Halfmoon)?

Alas, no medal bars. Plenty of Bavarian ribbon bars, but no medal bars. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride...

My only Bulgarian decoration is this St. Alexander:

Not nearly as pretty as Stogierick's example, but here's my White Falcon:

Thank you... That just made my entire day.

The most plausable theory that I've yet heard for the identity of the mysterious plain blue ribbon in last place is that it's either a peacetime Wurttemburg Friedrichsorden or a peacetime Prussian Crown order, with the ribbons arranged with all wartime decorations first, followed by all of the peacetime decorations. However, having some new faces in here, I wanted to bounce this off the collective wisdom of the group to see if anyone might be aware of any plausable (and most likely fairly obscure) foreign decorations that this could possibly be. --Chris P.S. ...and yes, it is the same blue as a FO/PCO, it's just faded.

I've posted this elsewhere, and had the suggestion made that the ribbon in last place might be a stand-in for the Spanish Civil War commemorative medal. ...any second opinons? --Chris

Well, there are a number of gaps in that parallel. The advent of a highway transportation system that actually works being one...

I found this website quite by accident some time ago, and is the best resource that I've been able to find online that deals with German Red Cross decorations: http://www.richardajordan.com/Red_Cross/GermanStatesRK.html --Chris

There really is something about astroturf that brings out the subtle nuances of ribbon and medal bars... (Although I have heard rumors that various untoward things have been done on said astroturf by various four legged entities.) I don't really have all that much that's Austrian, but I've always found this ribbon bar to be rather interesting. The owner has kept his interwar Republic award in first place, in violation of Third Reich regulations. --Chris

Being someone who can almost never bring themselves to sell anything, finding a buyer won't really be an issue. I've inherited my grandfather's infamous packrat genes. I picked it up for $50. I knew it was a deal, but I didn't know how much of a deal it was. Thanks, Chris

Not mine, just an interesting find on eBay. Someday when I get more money, I'll venture into medal bars. For the time being, I'm strictly a ribbon bar guy. --Chris

Of course not! As a Californian, I can't imagine another scenario where a right-leaning Austrian could ever come to be elected to a major political office in a foreign country during a time of economic uncertainty. --Chris

Doh. :speechless-smiley-004:

The term goes at least as far back as the early 16th century, in use within German mercenary formations. There was a tradition of them wearing either red or white (I can't remember which, off the top of my head) ostrich plumes in thier hats in battle as an marker. --Chris

Cool... How much do these guys go for typically? (I know I got a deal, I'm just wondering how good of a deal.) Thanks, --Chris

...and one of the reverse side that shows the blade a little bit.

My flea market miracle... Ca. 1820 - French or English smallsword. $40 from a seller that thought they just had some sort of theatrical prop. It's been appraised for between $1500-$2000. jumping --Chris

My lone contribution is a single ribbon bar... --Chris