VtwinVince

Don't forget that von Hutier's Ordensspange was just sold by Detlev Niemann.

Thanks for the information, very useful.

Looks like that one caught a couple of mortar shells.

Aha, so that looks like our man. It could be that he was awarded the PKO in his role as Kanzleidiener?

Hardy, pardon my ignorance, but why, if this order is for officers, was it given to NCO's, or was this just an exception for 1870? To my mind, this spange must have belonged to a Hauptmann\Major grade officer.

Quite right, I was skeptical about the construction of the bar from photos, but having it in hand it is all absolutely period construction. The bar has been 'upgraded' for sure, and you're right, my suspicion was also that a General Honor Decoration had been swapped out for a PKO, which is the case. What got me more confused was my impression that the Zaehringen Lion was only awarded to officers, or was this only applicable in WW1?

Riley, from left to right: EK2 1870 with jubilee oakleaves, Baden Knight 2nd Class with Swords of Zaehringen Lion Order, Baden Silver Merit Medal on the ribbon of the Military Karl Friedrich Order, Prussia Red Eagle Order 4th Class, Prussia 1870 KDM with clasps, Baden Campaign Medal with clasps and 1897 Centenary Medal.

Thanks for the help so far, Hardy. We can assume that he became an officer later, due to the PKO4, no?

Hmm, that's weird. I have some photos of this guy, if someone would like to post them for me I can send scans. Perhaps the name on the back of the photo is incorrect, as it couldn't be the man above since my guy got the Centenarmedaille.

Sorry, I have nothing on his career. Edit: his name is spelled Papst.

I picked up some items from a Baden officer named Otto Pabst. His decorations include the 1870 EK2 with oakleaves, Zaehringer Loewen Knight with Swords, Baden Military Merit Medal, Prussia Red Eagle 4th Class, 1870 KDM with bars a.d. Lisaine, Strassburg and Woerth, Baden War Medal with bars 1866 and 1870-71, Baden Jubilee Medal, Prussia Centenary Medal and officer's 21 year LS clasp. If anyone could supply more biographical information on him, it would be greatly appreciated.

Wow, quite the collection of awards. Of course his son was president.

Quality doesn't look great, possibly a zweitstueck?

The 'funky chicken' fake RAO's were all over the market a couple of years ago, and were showing up on many dealer sites.

I was prepared to make a fair offer on this, but never imagined such a ludicrous price.

She sent me an email asking what I thought it was worth the other day. I asked for better scans and got no answer. Obviously a complete flake.

Great thread. You can't under-emphasize the value of this decoration, especially early in the conflict. My grandfather won his in November, 1914 with the 203 R.I.R at Dixmude, apparently one of the first enlisted men in the regiment to get it. He was badly wounded and unfit for further duty, but most photos of him after this point show him wearing his EK2.

Don't forget that the history of the EK can really be traced back, iconographically, to the Ritterorden of the 12th century, which of course formed the Wappen of Ostpreussen, so it doesn't get more ingrained than that.

This guy just never quits, does he?

Interesting Lebenslauf, he was a very early member of the Fliegertruppe. My uncle also used to tell me about the raids on Paris with his Gotha, although he normally flew Albatros CIII. Any idea where his Grossordensspange is?

Claudio, this just gets more and more interesting. I didn't know Falke was CO of Kampfstaffel 24. The Beurteilung is written by Hauptmann Hermann Kastner at Karlshorst, and he was CO of Bombengeschwader 7, in which my uncle served as Flugzeugfuehrer in Kampfstaffel 22. He got the Ehrenbecher in 1918 for shooting a Spad off the CO's tail. It is quite likely that my uncle knew Falke from this time.

Very nice spange, I can see why you like this one. Are you sure it's Coburg and not Altenburg?

Really great documents, Claudio. I think his pilot was the later Luftwaffe general Felmy. They must have scored at least one confirmed victory to have been awarded the Ehrenbecher.

Claudio, I see Falke was awarded the Ehrenbecher in 1917. Do you have details on this action, and who his Flugzeugfuehrer was? I also think it is great to see aviators with this name.

Best ribbon bar and kettchen I have ever seen, superb.