Tom Y

No, this is not a mini.

In 1872 a smaller version was instituted for non Prussians, such as native troops, and, inexplicably, designated a Krieger=Verdeinst=Medaille.

There were some minor variations over the years.

That was hinged on the wrong side

Spangenst?ckes were made in silver and silvered bronze with the much more practical ?se and ring.

It came in a rather nice silk lined case.

In February1864 Wilhelm I decided a award was needed for the war with Denmark, but didn't want to resurrect the Iron Cross. Thus the Milit?r=Ehrenzeichen was created. It came in a 1st Class cross and a 2nd Class medal, to be awarded to the rank of Feldwebel and below for "merit before the enemy". To put it in perspective, it was worn on the Iron Cross ribbon. It went on to be awarded for the "notch wars"of 1866 and the colonial wars. In the Great War it was awarded to foreigners in lieu of an Iron Cross.

Here are a couple links that should prove useful.

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=16848&hl

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14724&hl

I don't think Boeshield's available outside the US, but similar products can be found in bicycle shops as chain lube.

The braid on the sleeve seems to indicate Honved .

The hat looks like a Pelzm?tze with the dual A-H Wappen.

Nice "ball crown" K.A.G. have you also got the "wide crown" variation? Unfortunately my example is in very oor condition.

Micha

These came out soon after the War. They were sold by a veterans' relief group, the profits going to aid disabled vets.

Hmmm, Albert Hoffmann took his famous bike ride in 1943, so there's a possibility.

Some type of silver compound perhaps?

I seem to remember silver compounds being used to treat the, pardon the expression, French pox :rolleyes:

Front row, 2nd from the left gets my vote.

To help my knowledge of the Imperial medals, What are the medals?

Doc

Saxe-Meiningen KVKn on noncombattant ribbon,

Prussian Red Cross 3rd Class,

Bavarian Landwehr LS 2nd Class,

Kyffh?userbund medal

Hamburg Hanseatic Cross

Maybe someone used an old medal bar blank as a convenient storage unit for some totally unrelated medals? :rolleyes:

By chance this one arrived on my doorstep today.

The mounting on a bar is fairly common, but I've never seen the "window drape" treatment of the KDM before.

Uh......I thought a buckle with a large crown was from the Grand Duchy of Hesse, not Hannover????

My mistake I've edited it.

Could the Eastern looking gemm'un be Chilean? I think the star on his cap would fit, and they were neutral, but favoring Germany.

The first medal is the Milit?r Ehrenzeichen II Klasse, roughly the equivalent of an EKII for wars where the EK was not awarded. You're right, the second appears to be the K?niggratz Kreuz from the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. The third, the Centen?r Medaille of 1897, and finally the Landwehr Dienstabzeichen as are the 2 singles, the pinback being official and the other a private purchase. The metal one was made to hang on a medal bar. I don't know a lot about uniforms, but his buckle is of a Hessian regiment.

I just got this Verdeinstkreuz II from Niemann and am a little confused. Von Hessenthal lists several variations; with KD, KD?X, XI, XI, etc. I missed the cased one whith what I assumed was a repeat bar, but now I'm not sure. Can some kind soul clarify this for me?

More thanks to the All Knowing One for clothing the semi-nude ribbon bar.

Thanks to the beneficence of the King of the Research Gnomes My Little Pony is now armed and prepared if not dangerous

Thanks, Rick

Thanks, Jens. I wasn't too sure about that part.

Thanks, Uwe. My eyes start to cross when I try to read S?tterlin and I go into a trance I wondered about the different numbers too.

Nachdem der Morgen verh?ltnism??ig ruhig verlaufen war, belgte der Feind am Nachmittage das Lager der Res. Komp. hart n?rdlich des Bismarck-Waldes mit etwa 350 Schu?. Die Unterst?nde wurden betr?chtlich besch?digt, Verluste traten jedoch nicht ein. Die l. M.G. wurden nach und nach in Stellung gebracht.

Dem Ltn. d. R Schumann und dem Unteroffz. Leerhoff 7./91 wurden f?r ihr ausgezeichnetes Verhalten in allen Gefechten das E.K.I verliehen.

The morning passed relatively calmly. In the afternoon the enemy occupied the camp of the Reserve Kompagnie north of the Bismarckwald with roughly 350 (infantry?). The shelters were seriously damaged, but there were no losses. The light machine guns were gradually moved into position. Leutnant d. R. Schumann and Unteroffz. Leerhoff of the 7./91 were awarded the EKI for excellent behavior in all engagements.

Hy Tom,

nice group

The ring of the Friedrichs Order is correct in that way - it was same on the Order of the W?rttemberg Crown and the Military Merit Order - even if it looks like a "imperial german commander ring" its in fact for the knights decoration.

All the other kinds of rings you see on these 3 Orders are custom / jeweler / tailor made or replaced to fit better on the medalbar.

All the best Christian

Thanks, Christian, and thanks for the great package Will send more photos soon.

And I do mean little.

I thought this one was lost when I got a desecrated package this January, but was ecstatic when Christian told me it hadn't been in the package . A little Brunswick action.