Paul R

Here are some newer items....

Thank you for your offer Rick. Do you think it feasable for someone to still be in the service... even as a reservist for that amount of time? 1866-1913(47 years of service)? If it is possible, I will leave it as is. If not possible, I will take you up on your offer. Did they have rules that regulated service time and age? That does bring up a few more questions... what was the minimum age to join the military in that time period? Was there a stated maximum age for retention?

Thanks Rick. I will do a scan with the black light when I get home tonight. I will post the results. The things I like about the bar are: 1. The wear and dirt patterns are uniform over the bar. While it looks new in the scans, a lot of the dirt and wear does not show up. 2. Obvious homemade job... definately not made to look text book. The first medal that would have been earned was the Sudatenland medal(as confirmed by it having it's own parade mount). So if he was wounded, it would have been on the Eastern Front. That is what I enjoy most about collecting, in general. I think about what possible events the original owner went through through the items I aquire. Paul

Gary, I will check it with the black light later when I get home. Chris, Me too. I still think that it is a possible combo. He could have earned it before being drafted/inducted into the service.

Dan, Could this be a result of the soldier being involved in the Austrian War, then getting out just to be recalled again for the Franco Prussian War then going to reserve status? What bar are you referring to? I am still new to collecting this field, so please be patient! Paul

Thanks Paul! As far as Imperial Medal bars go, I seem to have an attraction for the 1870 and earlier medals. For some reason... I have a fixation with that time period!

Thank you for your comment Rick! I am suprised to find how heavy it is!

back... I dont think that this bar is fake because of the uniform wear on the ribbons. Also the method of construction does not seem as if it were put together to deceive someone into buying a parts bar...

The weird part... under the pendants. It seems as if the Sudatenland Medal was the standard court mounted version integrated into this bar... which is a trapazoid! Has anyone seen anything like it? The wear on all of the ribbons is uniform.

I obtained this bar today with a trade I made for a couple of KM badges.

back

As part of a trade for a couple of my KM badges, I received this medal bar! Despite the fact of there not being any EK2s or valour medals, I am very happy with this veteran of TWO wars!

Wow David! Thanks for the information! Where did you find this? I would have thought that a big deal would have been made with the awardees of such medals!!!

Wow! I never heard his story! One heck of a citation!!

Here is my contribution...

Very nice detail on such a small clasp! I was figuring that it had to be another metal other than silver!

I have never seen the GFM Boards before! Nice! What are the batons made of?

Very colorful bar!

This one sounds like a good question for Rick Research!

I like the miniture ribbon bars as well. Nice score! What is the enamaled medal?

Very impressive set! Thank you for posting the photo Marc! Both photos.. of the Feldwebel and the grave site add a huge sense of depth to the grouping.

I am not aware of any Medal of Honor nominations from Operation Iraqi Freedom... yet! You are right! That grouping is very impressive. The only problem I would have is that the person has both the Iraq Campaign medal and the GWOT. That combination is possible but unlikely... these two medals are confusing to me. I went and served in Iraq for a year and received the GWOT instead of the Campaign medal because I was tour complete before the medal came out last year. Someone with a chest of medals like that would have a base named after them! I dont think that there was more than a small handfull of people who have received the Silver Star thus far. Here is an article on a woman who won this medal! https://hn.afnews.af.mil/webpages/PFeatures...an%20Bowl03.htm David, That is a nice original grouping for a hard fighting Marine! Three Theaters of action in WW2 and Korea too! Very nice!

Devonrex! That is definately a one of a kind grouping! Wow. I noticed that both the gold and silver wound badges have the same date. I wonder if he actually received both badges? I think that the loss of an eye was grounds for a WB in silver. Very nice!

Thank you both for your expertice and detailed explaination! This one would have definately tricked me. I did not purchase it yet.

I can see the name "Paul Sommer"! I wish I knew how to edit photos... I would out line the letters...