Tom Y

About time we brushed the dust off this game. Four of you are ineligible. You know who you are

#3 when at home.

#3, More squared off crown, W similar to #2, 1914 similar to #1. Completely different Oakleaves with a very wide stem on the reverse.

#2, Rounded crown as in #1, but thicker W and more squared off 1914. Reverses are very similar.

Here are 3 2nd Classes that to my eye appear to have different cores. First, a thin W, rounded crown, and narrow date on the obverse. Narrow stem on the Oakleaves on the reverse.

It's a sweetheart pin made from the driving band of an artillery shell. Neat little piece :cheers:

I'm glad someone brought that up and hope i'm not going , but doesn't the 1914 style vaulting and pin assembly seem odd for someone who died in 1840? :unsure:

Definitely Post-war. Here you can see the difference in dimensions and badge.

Doesn't ring a bell. That was several crashes and a couple burns ago, so no chance of a scan :(

I'd go with the EA. Doesn't appear to be a wreath.

Thought these might be of interest. Boy Soldiers during WWI ** Documentary Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Living in the Great Midwest we never got those cards. Guess we were expendable As I remember, our instructions were, when we saw the flash, to bend over and kiss our a$$es goodbye. A friend's family had a fallout shelter, though, which we used for, er, other purposes

The loop rather than a stud is more typical of French sidearms. It went through a slot in the frog and a leather strap was passed through it. Hope my funky drawing explains. The leather scabbard and scroll quillons are an earlier style than WWI. Thats about all the info I can give you. Maybe the folks over at Old Swords.Com can help.

Looks like you posted 2 pics of the same side. I wanted to see the lug for mounting in the frog. That could tell a lot.

It's a Faschinenmesser, i.e. brush cutting knife. I couldn't find it in the 2 reference books I have. Could be an export item. Could you show the other side of the scabbard?

From what i can see in your scan I wouldn't do anything other than put in an archival sleeve.

Nope, it's a Kilroy :cheeky:

Nope, couldn't find it in my book, but there's a Russian mark on the link Mike posted that's a similar head, but an 84 content mark(?) Could you show a scan of the whole medal?

I'd have to unearth my hallmark book to be sure, no small task this late in the evening , but I believe it's French.

Feel free :lol:

An extreme example, but in my opinion MEH made EK's with a core only a mother could love I have some doubts about it, too, but wouldn't condemn it out of hand.

A must for beginners is Nimmergut's paperback Orden & Ehrerenzeichen and companion B?nderkatalog They offer identification and a rough pricing guide. Next I would consider von Hessenthal and Schreiber's Honors and Awards of the German States This offers a brief history and detailed description of the awards, including weights and measurements. Both are in German, but with the help of Babel Fish or better yet, Langenberg you can muddle your way through and learn a little German on the way For EK's, Previtera's The Iron Time

I may not be too objective about this, but I'd suggest Iron Crosses. The 2nd Classes are still reasonably priced, less than a tank of gas, and the seemingly infinite variations of maker's marks make it challenging. The only drawback I can see is the oft heard remark from friends, "But...they're all the same."

And in conclusion,

From the 1898 Baedeker: The siege of Paris in 1870-71 ranks among the most remarkable occurrences in the annals of modern warfare. After the decisive battle of Sedan [near the border with Belgium where Napol?on III capitulated to the Prussians] the victorious German troops pushed forward to Paris without delay, while the Government of the National Defence made the most strenuous exertions to place the capital in a state of defence. Cattle and grain were sent into the city in immense quantities, the roads by which the Prussians would probably march were rendered impassable, and the arming of the forts and the Enceinte [the ramparts surrounding Paris] was proceeded with as rapidly as possible. The troops in Paris at the beginning of the siege numbered about 200,000 men, but of these only 60,000 or 70,000 were regular soldiers. The besieging force was composed of six army-corps under the Crown Prince of Prussia and the army of the Meuse under the Crown Prince of Saxony, the full strength of which consisted of 202,000 infantry, 34,000 cavalry, and 900 guns. By 15 September 1870, the advanced guard of the Crown Prince's army was within 10 miles of Paris and on the 17th a pontoon bridge was thrown across the Seine at Villeneuve-St-George. After a short but severe contest at Sceaux Versailles was reached, and here a few days later, the German Headquarters were established. Meanwhile the army of the Meuse had occupied the ground on the right banks of the Seine and Marne, thus completing the investiture. The aim of the besiegers was the reduction of the city by famine, while the only course of defence practicable to the besieged was to pierce the investing lines and establish communication with the relief army on the Loire [where the French national government had fled in advance of the German armies]. [Numerous sorties attempting to break out of Paris were led between September and the end of December - each ultimately repulsed] In the meantime the besiegers had decided on a general bombardment of the city ... and from 5 January 1871 onward an active cannonade was directed against the city from almost every point of its environment. The distress of the besieged now reached its climax. The hopelessness of the situation was recognized by all military authorities, but a final sortie was undertaken in deference to public opinion. The National Guards, who had hitherto been spared active service, took part in this sally, which was directed against Versailles, under cover of the guns of Mont Val?rien. The French were once more driven back, with immense loss, on 19 January. Resistance was now at an end. On 23 January, Jules Favre went to Versailles to negotiate an armistice, which was arranged on the 28th of January. The following day the Germans were put in possession of the forts. The preliminaries of peace were concluded on 24 February and signed on 28 February. Part of the German army made a triumphal entry into Paris on 1 March, but was withdrawn in two days on the prompt ratification of the treaty of peace by the National Assembly at Bordeaux. The Communard insurrection entailed a second siege of Paris (April - May), more disastrous than the first, followed by a fierce and sanguinary week of street-fighting. The Tuileries Palace, H?tel de Ville were burned, the Vend?me Column overthrown and many other public and private edifices more or less completely burned or ruined.