laurentius

21 minutes ago, VtwinVince said:

This is an English-speaking forum.

Bit rich coming from someone who speaks Canadian eh? ?

VInce is right though, it is important we all speak English to understand eachother. Welcome on the forum Chechaco

Kind regards, Laurentius

10 hours ago, Deutschritter said:

identify ribbon 3 and 6 (from left)?

Ribbon three looks to me as a Schlesissches Bewährungsabzeichen (silesian eagle) second class and the sixth, as Simi already stated, the Baltenkreuz second class.

Kind regards, Laurentius

On German medalbars or with Austrian medalbars?

41 minutes ago, 1812 Overture said:

Or was there a bronze medal in the latter part of the war due to the lack of materials?

Maybe a silver or gold medal which has lost it's gilding/silver plating?

11 hours ago, Deutschritter said:

Luftwaffen-Hauptmann Hubertus Karl Wilhelm Prinz von Preußen

Funny that he is in the Luftwaffe given the Prinzenerlasses of the previous year, a law barring members of the former German ruling houses to undertake frontline duties, as a result of the death of Wilhelm Friedrich von Preußen in 1940.

8 hours ago, Utgardloki said:

I see that too. Looks like there is something above the Austrian MVK3

I don't think so. In my opinion the MVK has not been mounted very well or has come somewhat loose due to heavy wearing. This combined with the left side of the crown of the Bulgarian Order of Bravery overlapping with the MVK leads to the optical illusion that there is something above the MVK, which is not possible since it did not come with a crown or wreath. Some people mounted swords above their MVK but this pictured does not seem to have them.

Kind regards, Laurentius

8 minutes ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

A silly question, is it usual to wear the Austrian Steckkreuz and not have a lower grade Austrian award on the bar?

Seems normal to me, since there is also an Austrian medal I suspect this officer has some Austrian connection. Perhaps he got the steckkreuz without previously having gotten the lower grade.

9 minutes ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

Thanks for the identifications! I need to hit the books, but I am guessing he got awards from just about every dignitary who visited the HQ?

We can't be 100% certain but I would consider that very well possible.

18 hours ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

tea and cocktail commando....

Alright, let's have a try.

On the breast, clockwise we have:

-EK1

-Order of Franz Joseph officerscross (FJÖ)

-Iron Crescent (TH)

-freikorpsbadge ( I recognize it, but can't identify it.)

On the medalbar:

-BMVO4krx (Bavarian Military Merit Order with crown and swords)

-BMVO4 (Bavarian Military Merit Order)

-Verdienstorden vom Heiligen Michael (don't know the abreviation)

-I am thinking the gold prince Rupprecht medal or the 1918 wedding anniversary medal, sometimes smugly worn by Bavarians before the EK)

-Prinzregent-Luitpoldmedaille (BPL)

-EK2

-HoHx (House Order of Hohenzollern with swords)

-BZL4x (or 3) (Baden Zähringen Löwe)

-behind the BZL is a small cross-like decoration with crown which I can't identify

-SA3b (Saxon Order of Albrecht)

-WF3 (Württemberg Friedrich Order)

-BDA (Bavarian Long Service cross)

-Franz Joseph jubileum medal

-last but not least, the Spanish cross for merit, white I think.

This identification should be correct, apart from the medal in the fourth place and the cross in the ninth place.

Kind regards, Laurentius

4 minutes ago, David M said:

Might be to early for these guys. Maybe try a museum.

I don't believe that, the researchgnomes are phenomenal, my paintings of Major Christian Leber and my painting of the Bavarian medic with the Militär-Sanitätsmedaille were made ten years prior to this one and they were wonderful there. They've always been much help.

I only need a small start, if someone can confirm his uniform I can get looking.

Is there no one who can help me with the uniform or the identification?

28 minutes ago, Claudius said:

What is number 8 and 9?

Austrian Military Merit Cross third class and the Bulgarian Order of Bravery with swords.

When it comes to over 125 years of business three years is almost neglibible, I don't think much has changed within the company over that span of time. Nor am I willing to believe they would easily discard of historical dies worth their weight in gold. They can still be used in production, whether for jewelry or actual orders and otherwise they would fetch huge prices in auctions. Collectors and fakers alike would kill for these dies. It's a good thing they remain with the firm. Maybe a few princes would agree with me. 

Kind regards, Laurentius

I got this off their website, it's a picture from 2018, but it shows several dies and mint decorations. I am not aware if they were made recently or if they are pieces which were never delivered to the Royal Bavarian Ordenskanzlei. Here is a link: https://hemmerle.com/projects/hidden-treasures/

Kind regards, Laurentius

What if the picture shows a 2nd class cross with swords and crown rather than a 1st class with swords and crown? The second class had a larger pool of recipients and they can hardly be distinguished in black-and-white pictures. It is not uncommon for more common awards to be switched out for rarer ones. This would explain why the name Kalbe isn't mentioned in the lists and the 'mysterious' origin of the cross on the bar.

Kind regards, Laurentius

45 minutes ago, BlackcowboyBS said:

Hemmerle doesn't have the original dies anymore they are gone, so I can't give you an answer on this one, maybe Henning Volle, the author of the book on orders of Baden knows the answer. 

I think they do. I occassionally come across something from Hemmerle (jewelry and such) and the firm recently made some honours with original dies if I'm not mistaken, to celebrate their anniversary.

1 hour ago, BlackcowboyBS said:

but I doubt that Markgraf Maximillian von Baden recieved the Badge of Honor of the Bundeswehr for Bravery

Exactly my point, where could he possible have seen active combat service?

1 hour ago, BlackcowboyBS said:

I love that he wears the grand cross of Berthold I. en sautoir 

I always wonder where the current members of former ruling houses get their decorations. Do they re-use pieces from their ancestors or do they have a jeweller they go to? Hofleveranzier Hemmerle still exists for the Bavarian royal family but Godet, often used by the Hohenzollerns is gone.

Kind regards, Laurentius

Dear fellow collectors,

I came across this picture of Margrave Maximilian. He is wearing the grandcross with sash of the House order of Fidelity (Hausorden der Treue). Around his neck he wears the Order of Berthold I. (it is a grandcross worn around the neck, as we can see from the suspension-ring). On his breast are three contemporary German decorations: a decoration from the Red Cross, a decoration from the German fire brigade and a decoration (if I'm not mistaken) for bravery. Contemporary German decorations are not really up my alley so if I made any mistakes I would like to hear it. Do we know why he recieved these decorations?

Kind regards, Laurentius

5 minutes ago, VtwinVince said:

This medal bar looks very familiar, I've seen it somewhere before.

You are correct, if I'm not mistaken it is one of the older thread of GMIC. Nice to see some things resurface after a while.

Kind regards, Laurentius

2 hours ago, Deruelle said:

A very nice picture. I wonder if the EK1 was later added to the picture? Rässler stands at an angle to the camera but the EK1 seems to be photographed straight from the front.

Kind regards, Laurentius

Now that you mention it David, he does like a bit like Camillo Benso, the similarity is stunning. I would be convinced it was him (glasses, muttonchops, the hair) if it weren't for the missing neckbeard and the fact that the orders my guy is wearing are not the same as he would have worn. Mine only has a knightscross in the Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus whereas he had the grandcross.

8 hours ago, David M said:

His collar could be a hint. Wouldnt it be usefull if there was a book on german collar embroidery of the various states in the 19th century.

The collar would solve the mystery Watson.

Kind regards, Laurentius

Thanks David. 

Before I start I could use some help to see whether my assumption (Saxon civil servant/minister) is correct. It would be a shame if I went through all the Saxon books (I've tried the link and there are many of them) only to find out this man was in fact from Saxe-Meiningen or perhaps not a civil servant at all. Perhaps he was a count (graf) in his own right who happened to be in the right place at the right time to gather some decorations. If I could get a bit of help to get started that would mean the world to me.

Kind regards, Laurentius

Dear fellow collectors,

I recently bought this painting and given the amount of high-end orders I wondered if an identification of this senior civil servant were possible? His decorations are as follows:

-Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, knightscross (Kingdom of Italy)

-Order of Leopold I, knightscross(Kingdom of Belgium)

-Saxon Order of Civil Merit, Commander (Sächsische Zivilverdienstorden) (Kingdom of Saxony)

-Order of St. Stanislaus, grand commander (Tsarist Russia)

-Order of St. Anna, commander (Tsarist Russia)

- Ernistine House Order with buchstabe 'E', commander (Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha)

His collarboards seem to have a combination of leaves and little acorns. It is also important to know that the star of the Order of St. Stanislaus has been painted a few millimetres over the lower arm of the Order of Leopold I, this indicates to me that this person was raised from commander to grand commander some time after the painting of this picture. It is my strong suspicion that this man is Saxon, given the Saxon Order of Civil Merit around his neck (at the top we might say). Although I find it hard to date this picture I suspect it to have been painted between 1848 and 1863. I hope we can identify him and give a name to this painting again. All help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards and thanks in advance, Laurentius

Maybe the Saxon order of Albrecht or the Baden Zähringen Löwe, the quality isn't great. The second award is a FEK. If he studied at university he probably joined the war as a Leutnant which means his awards should be listed somewhere.

Kind regards, Laurentius

Very nice Graf, pieces worth keeping

A new beauty in the collection, a nice bar with a late Weiss&co BMVO4x, frosty as always.