Claudio

Very nice Jens! I found also this medal bar with a Bulgarian bronze medal of merit on Zeige's Actionhouse online catalogue. What do you think? It's a very nice array of Verdienstmedaillen for a civilian servant (Beamter). Ciao, Claudio

I mean it looks like this... Germans were quite quick and prolific in creating new freikorps' badges! Maybe this was already around in 1920! Could be?

Hi Rick, It looks very much like a Freikorps badge: Bug-Stern der Schutztruppe Bug (Niemann's calogue 2.01.16), since the visor cap with the cocarde and wreath is definitely post WWI, maybe mid-late twenties??? ...just only my guess. Ciao, Claudio

Hi Marshall, If you can't find your socks I can give you mine in exchange of the Blue Max... Very, very nice family gathering you had in your socks' drawer... they should drop by my socks drawer for a visit... Beautiful group of extremely rare decorations... the top of the line! Congrats! Ciao, Claudio

mmmmhh.. I guess I have a bit of a problem with space limit... Damn! How annoying...

This type of medal bars would also qualify for being extremely rare... Prinzengr?sse!!!!

These are pretty rare, too: a KO 4.Kl. with swords in "Prinzengr?sse"... even more rare! Notice the botton on the back of the ribbon with maker J. Godet Berlin.

Another rare "Steckkreuz" of WWI: the war merit cross of the Principality of Reuss, instituted by F?rst Heinrich XXVIII (!!!). It was awarded for bravery in the presence of the enemy and could go to men irrespective or rank who held the IC 1st class. It could also be awarded to someone who had not as yet earned the IC 1st class but whose deed in action was do distinguished that an exception could be made. I think that this cross was awarded less than 400 if I do remember correctly... I don't have the picture of my example unfortunately, but I can show one cased gone for quite a lot of many, much more than the starting bid! With the compliments of HH...

This Herzog-Ernst-Medaille mit Schwertern is pretty rare, too. It was created very late in the war by Duke Ernst II. It was meant for military personnel who were native of Altenburg or serving in the 8th Thuringian Infantry Regiment No. 153. In addition, the awardees had to possess at least the IC 1st class first, to be considered for bestowal. This medal became one of the least frequently bestowed Imperial German awards of the war; total number of awards only 86.

Hi both Ricks! I guess this qualify as pretty much rare... and both on the same "spange"!!! ? Schaumburg-Lippe, Kreuz 4. Klasse mit Krone, Silber, 11 Verleihungen! (OEK 1214) ? Hessen-Darmstadt, Orden des Sterns von Brabant, Ritterkreuz 1. Klasse, gem. Nimmergut 13 Verleihungen! (OEK 856) Enjoy... Ciao, Claudio

Wow Rick! That is a superb ribbon bar... in mint conditions. The owner must have been some kind of a long service Beamte or Court servant... Just amazing!!!

Again from the same Auctionhouse, the last one, a "mere" RK 1. Kl. in pure Gold!!! It went for the same price as a Kommandeur cross, just to show how emotional and impulsive some collectors during auctions can be... Beautiful example; this one screams at you with all its might and beauty! Very, very impressive IMHO!!! Ritterkreuz 1.Klasse, Gold, emailliert, 19,8 g. Winziger Emailchip auf der R?ckseite, Bandst?ck (OEK 2335). Zustand: II+ Limit: 850 EURO 1900 EURO

Always from the same Auctionhouse... I am kicking my A$$ for not having tried to bid on at least one of them. These orders are rare, very desirable and their value is steadily increasing.. With the original case... very very nice and rare! Kommandeurskreuz mit Schwertern, 1870-1918, Gold und Email, 33,37g (OEK 2331). Feine Juweliersarbeit, im Falken minimale Emailrestaurierungen. In Originaletui von Th. M?ller, Grossherzogl. S?chs. Hofjuwelier Weimar. Zustand: I-II Limit: 1600 EURO 1800 EURO

From the same Auctionhouse: Kommandeurskreuz f?r Zivilpersonen, 1815-1918. Gold und Email, 80 x 50 mm, 31,5 g (OEK 2329). Feine Juweliersarbeit. Unbesch?digt. Mit Halsband, in Originaletui von Th. M?ller, Hofjuwelier & Ordensfabrikant, Weimar. Zustand: I- Limit: 1400 EURO 2000 EURO Just to give the price of these awards, which are very desirable, especially among the collectors' community in Germany... the final price was Eur 2000.- + 20% commission = Eur 2'400.- = about USD 2'900.-

From a German Auctionhouse... Description (in German... sorry!) Stern zum Gro?kreuz 1815-1918, Sachsen-Weimar Silberner Sternkorpus mit aufgelegten, gr?n emaillierten Kreuzarmen aus Gold. Das Medaillon und Medaillonring ebenfalls aus Gold, emailliert. R?ckseitig glatter verl?teter Medaillondeckel, taillierte Silbernadel, ohne Herstellerbezeichnung. 82 x 82 mm, 43,4 g.

My brother and I we also discovered that the very at least two different patterns to be seen under the enamel of these orders, one with strait lines, and the other with broken lines... I don't know if I can explain myself... here the picture which is quite self-explanatory:

I try to post a picture I tried to post before, but it disappeared when I edited a picture in another reply... this space limitation thing drives me crazy!!!!

WF RK 2. Klasse mit Schwertern 1902-1918, O&EK no. 2340:

A nice selection of WF on a German Auctionhouse... mind the prices indicated are only starting bids...

Medal bar for civil attire (tuxedo)... also called Frackspange... from my brother's Marco collection ? Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914 (OEK 1904) ? Sachsen-Weimar, Orden des Weissen Falken, 1902-1918, RK 2. Klasse mit Schwertern (OEK 2340) ? Bulgarien, Milit?rverdienstorden, RK mit Schwertern und Kriegsdekoration ? III. Reich, Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen 2. Stufe f?r 20 Jahre (OEK 3524)

Dear forumites: I decided to start a thread where you can show all your decoration or medal bars about the above mentioned order, IMHO one of the most beautiful among German Imperial orders. The show shall begin.... Here's my WF RK 1. Klasse mit Schwertern, silber vergoldet, O&EK no. 2335. Ciao, Claudio

Beautiful bars Bob! Really great... also the the one with the silbernes Verdienstkreuz 1902-1918 ... I have never seen before one like this. Very, very rare! Ciao, Claudio

Thanks guys! @Joe: actually I file all my medal bars and fill out a form with all the medals' data with OEK #, etc. It saves time also for me when I look back at my medal bars and at the same time it trains my memory... Ciao, Claudio

Hallo Heiko, I wish, too, that you will be better soon... concerning bidding against eachother: that's really tough, maybe in future we should discuss that in advance in order not to step eachother on our toes. Btw, the last Colonial bar you got from Thies, I wasn't the second highest bidder... Ciao, Claudio

Thanks Rick! There was an even more complete bar on sale not long ago, this bar from the other F?rstentum (Lippe-Detmold)... beautiful, too, but even better and named! Ciao, Claudio