VtwinVince

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

Me neither, the crown isn't right and I don't like the frame.

I also think it stands a good chance. I like the 'stepped' core, details look good, and I like the suspension ring setup.

Really great set, I like the fact that the CO was Niemoeller, a famous later anti-Nazi activist. And the location of Pola is interesting, scene of a famous massacre in 1945.

That reminds me of a reunion of pilots my organization sponsored many years ago, to which a large number of Allied and Axis aircrew showed up. One German guy was wearing a Kette on his lapel with the Knight's Cross, so I asked him if it was indeed the RK. He replied that it was, and that he had won it in KG40 on anti-shipping strikes. I looked into it afterward, and of course he was full of it. Having said that, I've met genuine RK holders who were very humble and never talked about it.

Chris, I like the points you bring up concerning the nature of vets. I have personally interviewed many vets over the years, both Allied and Axis, and you're right, a disproportionately high number of them were alcoholics and pathological liars, as well as egomaniacs. I also met some vets who were really outstanding individuals. It is interesting that you bring up the Loewen incident, as I have photos of it taken by my grandfather.

Looks like the EK is of the 'offset crown' fake variety, and the whole setup looks put together.

This person is a lunatic, now she's come up with the ID being Franz Buchner. I'm surprised ebay hasn't pulled the ad for soliciting offers.

I'm looking for someone with a copy of Obermaier's 'Die Ritterkreuztraeger der Luftwaffe, Band 1', as I'm missing pages 13-14 from my copy. Please PM me if you have this book.

Ditto, got a fairly snarky and vague response.

Love the spange, especially with the scarce 'Prinzen' version of the 1897 medal. What is the last medal?

You have some great stuff there. I particularly like the early Alsen\Dueppel bar, very nice.

Very nice cross from a rare maker.

Thanks for posting those scans, Timo, much appreciated. Notice that this seems to be a converted old-style feldspange, with the medals crudely stitched to the backing cloth. A real dog's breakfast, but it has character.

I have this item in hand now. If someone would like to volunteer to post scans of it, I can send them via email.

Well done, you know how rare these formal examples are, and the recipient is a bonus. Is the signature original or pre-printed? As for the wife, just tell her you've been 'investing', works for me.

So Chris, did you get the doc? I was seriously tempted, but resisted the urge.

Best EK doc I've seen come up for quite some time.

Funny how the Nazis 'overlooked' important Imperial awards, and put their own junk party badge first.

My grandfather and his two brothers all volunteered for the 5. Garde Regiment zu Fuss at Spandau, but they went into the field with the 203 Reserve Regiment.

Simply incredible spange, with the Krieger Verdienst Medaille for non-combat.

Wild Card, I appreciate your comments, with which I can't argue. I tend to think that the bar under discussion is Model's, with a high probability factor, say, 95%. The only attributed medal bar in my collection which I would assign 100% certainty to in terms of provenance is my grandfather's and his father's. Of course these came through inheritance.

I am no expert on German order bars, although I have collected them somewhat over the years. The bottom line with this bar is provenance. Unless it came from the family, with proof, there is no way to ascertain 100% whether this spange belonged to Model or not.

Wow, now that's what I call a 'Saxon trio'.

Of course, but without an EK2 it is not possible, unless he only wore it in the buttonhole.