Claudio

Please delete this double posting. Ciao, Claudio

My one and only single HHOX, bronce gilted version without maker marks. @ Daniel: do not hesitate to ask me if you need more pictures either for your publications or for your researchs. Ciao, Claudio

Markings of the same... Godet u. Sohn!

Reverse of the same HHOX:..

a larger front picture of the same...

My latest purchase (always a medal bar )... a HHOX G&S!

My brother's only ribbon bars & "Knopflochschnallen".

HHOX in GOLD marked W. Detail of the mark (photo with flash).

HHOX in GOLD marked W. Scan of the front.

Comparison of the above-pictured HHOX...

Hi Daniel, Here are my bar with the HHOx. The first one is marked 938 on the lower arm. The second one is marked W 938 on the lower arm. The Third is marked als 938 on the lower arm. Ciao, Claudio

Thanks for the compliments! Here is the original pictures used by my brother to make the portrait. Ciao, Claudio

A better front picture of the portrait in all its glory...

Hi Everybody! I just wanted to share the almost finished art work of my brother Marco: the portrait of the General der Fallschirmtruppen Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann-Bernhard_Ramcke). What do you think? Ciao, Claudio

Here's the Thies catalogue's description of the medal bar... I clearly remember to have also placed a bid on it!!! incredible... Ciao, Claudio

Thanks for the compliments WC @ Rick L.: Yes, I found it also odd that there was no long service medal/cross on this bar, but sometimes they simply didn't wear them!!! (see below). Christian L. pointed me out, that Thies sold a similar medal bar (but with two more medals at the end) in 1988 and there was an article on a German Magazine (Heft "INFO Nr. 59" of the year 1988) in which the researched name of the officer was mentioned (Generalleutnant a.l.Suite der Armee Ernst Frhr. von Mirbach). This bar was sold again at Thies a couple of years ago (24. Auktion am 30. April 2004). Quite interesting, isn't it?? You can see that the ribbons are also folded the same way and in the same direction. Could that be that this officer had two bars or mine was his previous bar? On Thies Auction's medal bar you can see that the RAO4x is the last version (mit gek?rnten Armen). Ciao, Claudio

Dear forumites, I'd like to introduce my latest aquisition. It's quite an interesting medal bar, because of its combination of awards. Rettungsmedaillen are quite rare to be found mounted on medal bar, even more on army officers' bars of the 1870-71 war. I guess there weren't too many officers with this combination of awards. The only strange thing is that the ribbons are strangely enough folded beginning from the right to the left instead of the contrary, like it was usually made. The backing looks almost like a Godet (German Orders maker and Juwellers like Godet used quite widely red backing before the end of the 19th century) without taylor label (look also at the metallic support with holes at the edges underneath the backing). But I think it's quite unlikely that Godet would have mistakenly folded the ribbons in this wrong or at least unusual order. The ribbons look all equally aged and are originals to the period of the bar's construction (1895-1900 I'd guess). The Rettungsmedaille comes correctly before the KDM as per rules and the Mecklenburg's MVK 1870 (the obverse is being shown in front) it is worn at the end of the bar, therefore it can be logically deduced that this medal bar was worn by a Prussian officer. Here's the description of the medals on the bar: ? Preussen, Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1870 am K?mpferband (OEK 1904) mit Eichenblattspange 1895 ?25? (OEK 1905) ? Preussen, Roter Adler Orden 4. Klasse mit Schwertern, 4. Modell, Ausf?hrung mit glatten Kreuzarmen (OEK 1703) ? Preussen, Verdienst-Ehrenzeiche f?r Rettung aus Gefahr, 1833 - ca. 1864 ?KOENIG? (OEK 1863) ? Preussen, Kriegsdenkm?nze 1870/71 mit einer Gefechtsspange ?Paris? (OEK 1941/24) ? Preussen, Erinnerungskreuz ?K?niggr?tz? 1866 (OEK 1938) ? Preussen, Centenarmedaille 1897 (OEK 1965/1) ? Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Milit?rverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse Jahreszahl 1870, am Band f?r K?mpfer (OEK 1344) The RAO4x appears not be to an awarded piece, but rather a "Spangenst?ck", because of the swords that aren't in Gold. The quality of the RAO is however quite good (silver), quite light and the central enamelled madaillon shows a very delicate hand painted Red Eagle. I know it's a long shot, but who knows maybe one day the wearer of this bar could be found.... Your comments and inputs are most welcomed. Ciao, Claudio

That is one of my favorite civilian enamelled German decorations ever!!! It's so rare to find on the market... you see one of these once in a while... maybe once a year or even less. Ciao, Claudio

Hi Paul, Here's a Johanniter Order pin back version in Silver as mentioned by SPM. Ciao, Claudio

Excellent research webr55!!! Hey Rick... time must be around noon (summer time) since the shadows are short... Ciao, Claudio

I have seen also non-bavarian officer using the Bavarian style ribbon bars. Maybe it was also a "fashion statement", since Bavarian type of ribbon bars with their nicely folded ribbons looks nicer (like the big brother ones) than just plain strait ribbons. Here below you can see one non-Bavarian officer who wore the typical Bavarian style ribbon bar. This ribbon doesn't belong in my collection, it was sold by Niemann a couple of years ago. Btw, great group Paul! Congrats! It seems like in this very interesting forum there are always the same guys to post... maybe it's just my opinion... or maybe it's summer time and everybody is in vacation! Good for all the people at the beach... Ciao, Claudio

To me is a Italian Navy merit medal given for rescue merits. Ciao, Claudio

Very nice indeed! Simple but just beautiful and with an name!!! The ribbon of the medaglia al valore (bronzo) is for Navy. Still today it's still the same ribbon used for that medal (http://www.medals.lava.pl/it/it_chkmain.htm). Marina is in Italian the word for Navy. Ciao, Claudio

Just a side not the Schwarzburg Honor Cross 3rd Class X shows the obverse on the medal bar (worn upsidedown). Wonderful bar with a name (that's the most important!). It looks like there are more Kriegsmarine medal bars that survived the wars and the post-war times, if compared to LW or Army bars... in my collection I have several senior officer KM-medal bars, comperatevely less army bars. Maybe they were kept ashore... Could be that the reason?! Ciao, Claudio

Hi Chip, In German the term Abt. (Abteilung) is to indicate a unit of a size of Battalion. This term is especially used for artillery units or special units attached to a Division. Ciao, Claudio