JohanH

On ‎19‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 15:16, Dave Danner said:

I looked through the battalion history a few years' ago. There wasn't any information there. The RJB 4 history has a list of award numbers to that unit, which shows that Reuß awards were second only to Prussian awards in the battalion. I would imagine the numbers were similar for JB 4.

The Deutsche Forst-Zeitung also published a list of Reuß awards to JB 4 in 1914 and early 1915, but I have yet to find any lists for later war years. There were 49 silver medals with swords in that list, with the recipients ranging from Vizefeldwebel to Jäger.

Here is the RJB 4 table:

Thank you very much Dave for great information. My knowledge about imperial German awards are very little since I collect Finnish awards.

To me it´s unbelievable how you can find all this information about awards and research medalbars. I don´t understand how but it´s amazing.

Yes. I saw that breast star. Absolutely gorgeous. 

But it wasn´t me who bought it. Sadly it was to expensive for me. 

Here is the latest piece for my collection. 

Liberty cross 1st class with swords 1918
Awarded 44 times!

Hello Dave!

Very interesting information about my medalbar. 
Do you have any tips about the other sources of information about awards for JB 4 personnel?

Best regards
Johan

Hello Janne!

Yes, It´s getting more and more difficult to find the crosses I still need for my collection. The most recent Libertycross purchase is a VR2 1918 without swords which has undamaged enamel. So if anyone is interested in the cross shown a few posts ago. Just let me know.

I have a new beautiful cross on its way. I´ll post pics when I receive it.

Thanks Noor!

You are right, they are identical except that the finnish medals have switched place.

I wonder how usual this combination of medals are. 

What kind of soldier/officer should one of these medalbars belong to?
Is it possible to find more information about Reuss soldiers in Finland?

Here is my only medalbar with connection to Reuss.

EKII, Hindenburg cross, Reuss medal, Finnish war of liberty medal and Finnish medal of merit 1918.
Does anyone know anything about Reuss soldiers in the Finnish war of liberty?

Here is the only Hindenburg cross in my collection.

Awarded to Karl Wüllner who after WW1 served in the Ostseedivision in the Finnish liberty war.
I also have his EK2 and medals from Finland with documents and his wehrpass.

The latest pieces!

VR2 1918 without swords. Awarded 140 times so pretty hard to find.

Unfortunately a small enamel damage.

VR4 1918 awarded for civilian merits. Awarded 1282 times.
I already have one of these but this is in much better condition.

I´m far from certain, but I believe that the grand cross is the same size as the commanders cross.

This website show´s more or less all Swedish orders and medals. And alot from other countries too.

http://www.medalj.nu/ribbon_list.asp?showgroups=A-Z/0/se

Hello Janne!

I found this list of recipients for Knight grand cross.

https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lista_över_riddare_med_stora_korset_av_Svärdsorden

The last recipient was Mannerheim of Finland.

Perhaps it´s possible to get more information if you contact the Swedish Royal Court?

As far as I know there has never been a order with brilliants for public sale.

These were the recepients for the order with brilliants according to Wikipedia:

• Frederik Wilhelm Stabell, Riddare med briljanter 1814
• Robert Fredrik von Kraemer, Riddare med briljanter 1834.
• Andrej Andrejovitj Bodisco, Riddare med briljanter 1838.
• Pehr Gustaf Hjelm, Riddare med briljanter 1839.
• Erik August Lewenhaupt, Riddare med briljanter 1843.
• Carl Adolf Melcher, Riddare med briljanter.
• Carl Lagerfelt, Riddare med briljanter 1882.

It’s a shooting badge for artillery. Established in 1944. 

The swedish name is Artilleriets skyttemärke i guld/silver. 

Your badge is made by Sporrong & co of hallmarked silver with yearstamp V8 = 1947

Hello Janne!

Yes, the breast star is a beauty.

Here is a picture of the stamps. It´s a bit difficult to photograph them and get a clear picture.

It´s marked C7 = 1956

PM sent about the grand cross...

Here is my collection of winter war medals from Finland. Talvisota muistomitali or TsMM.

First picture shows all medals with the 15 existing clasps awarded to Finnish personnel.

Second picture shows my collection of TsMM awarded to foreigners with four different clasps. On has it´s original bag included.
Then there is the bronze and silver medal, one of the silver medals is a real hallmarked one and the other is a official copy made to a museum in Finland. The museum medal might be for sale or trade if anyone is interested.

Now I only need a gold one to complete my collection. But since only 7 awarded to heads of state, it´s impossible to obtain.
The silver one is awarded 42 times and extremely hard to find and very expensive once you find one for sale.

My latest addition to my collection.

A VR1 cross from 1941!
Awarded 242 times. Unfortunately repaired enamel on the back. But the front is great.

That is some very interesting information Christer.

Do you have any pictures of any of them? I have some photographs that came with the bar with one that probably shows the doctor himself.

The liberty cross is one of the best examples i have ever seen. It´s close to mint condition. Much more beautiful in real life than on the pictures.

Thank you for this information.

I did not know that the germans sent bicycle infantry to fight in Finland.

But on the other hand I have not researched so much about the germans in Finland. But it´s a nice medalgroup.

Thank you Christer!

Yes, you are correct. I bought them from Holmasto.

The crosses and medals without year is really difficult to obtain for several reasons. Few awarded and often the awardee want to keep their cross/medal. I suppose that´s why there are so few available on the market.

I agree with you, if I was awarded something I would not sell it for a few hundred euros. But maybe the Afghanistan awarded soldiers don´t want to be reminded of the war down there?

These medals I bought from Holmasto is the civil merit medals. So i don´t believe they have any connection to Afghanistan. But the VM1 i showed earlier was awarded just a few years ago to a Afghanistan soldier.

On ‎08‎/‎01‎/‎2017 at 22:56, christerd said:

The Red Cross is part of the satamping, so they are made from different tools then the " normal" ones 

Christer

Actually, on the 1918 medals the red cross is a separate part that is soldered on to a "normal" medal. It wasn´t until 1939 they made special dies with the red cross integrated in the medal. 

The 1918 medals with red cross seem to be almost impossible to find for sale. I have only seen one VM2 for sale since I started collecting.  

The latest purchase to my collection!

A VM1 KA type 1 without year on back and a VM2 KA type 1 without year on back.

VM1 is awarded only 77 times and VM2 239 times according to Jani Tianens book, but those numbers can be a little old.

Thanks Christophe!

Here is my latest purchase! A medalbar awarded to a Swedish doctor.
VR3 1941 with red cross, TsMM in iron for foreigners and contiunation war medal.

Wow! Thanks for sharing!

What a collection of medals! Amazing!

It must be worth several thousands euro.

The signed books is also very nice! It´s a bit hard to find stuff signed by Mannerheim.
I have been looking for a autograph of him for some time. But no luck.

Great!

I´m looking forward to see it.

Medalgroups and medals with a history is very interesting. Especially if they have letters from the greatest finn ever. Mannerheim.
Who is actually a distant relative to me.

That is very interesting!

May I see some pictures of the medals and stuff you have?
If you don´t want to post it here you can PM me.

And of course, if you want to sell anything. Just let me know...

This beautiful medalbar just arrived today. Awarded to a Swedish doctor. But unfortunately I don´t have his name. Just a few photos.
A libertycross 3rd class with red cross, winterwar medal for foreigners and "Fortsättningskrigets" medal in Swedish.

The cross and medals are in mint condition.