GdC26

+1

Laurentius, I know both ribbons, and as far as I'm concerned, this is the St. Henry (and so, apparently, did Helmut, who handled the bar, unlike you and me) - so no need to show them, let's simply agree to disagree. All the more so since in this case, the final determination is quite irrelevant, since we both seem to agree the bar has issues.

Its not a BZL but a St. Heinrich, but that doesn't change what I said before, that the bar is probably problematic (as the odd combination, the sequence and the absence of a DAK already suggested).

I see white, not a discoloured blue, but I'm sure Luke can tell us one way or the other. I also see Helmut described the RAO ribbon as ..... a RAO ribbon and the St. Heinrich ribbon as just that, not as a discoloured BZL ribbon. If ribbon nr. 2 is a HT, the placement of that ribbon after the EK II but before another prussian award on war ribbon (which Helmut identifies as a HoH3X, but the device seems wrong for that) would be even weirder. And then there is still the unexplained absence of a DAK. Sorry, but the bar gives me no warm fuzzy feelings.

I doubt you'll find him, because the ribbon bar looks problematic to me, as noted above - KOx or RAOx after a peacetime RAO? And even we look past the sequence issue, when would our man have earned the KOx or RAOx? Sure, our man had China service, but no other colonial service that would explain a RAO4X or KO4x. And no DAK, even though he served in 1897 and apparently in WWI? If real, it would take the skills and memory of the late Rick Research, the great inspirer of this forum, to trace him, I think. That will be interesting.

That is possible, but still not a match for Otto Philipp I think.

Sorry for the mixup, Kriegsmarine Admiral. Looking at the bar again, I'm not even sure the St Heinrich is a St. Heinrich knights cross, which shouldn't have the swords. Frierdichsorden knight second class strikes me as too low an award for a Kapitän zur See, as I see from the screenshot he was from 1904 up to his appointment to Konteradmiral in 1916. So I might be wrong, but I just don't see it. Kind regards, Sandro

Komtur, Maybe it's me, but I don't see a match between the list of Phillip's awards in your post and the ribbon bar shown. 4 seems to be Saxony, St Heinrich knight, 5 looks like Württemberg, Friedrichsorden knight 2nd class with swords. i see no evidence 2 ever had a crown or Schleife. 3 is a Kriegsorden but which is unclear to me, and in any event it strikes me 3 should precede 2. And where is the DAK? I could not find the bar on Helmut's site - did he explain the attribution in his original posting? Kind regards, Sandro

Thanks Sascha. Corona volente I'm hoping to be there. Best, Sandro

Much as I like your thesis Simi, I'm not a 100% sold on it. The comparison with the other pic you've shown is problematic, because most of the uniform details are hidden by the Pelz worn in that photograph. More importantly, the Pelzmütze shown in the threadstarter seems to be of an altogether different type of those worn in the Napoleontic area, and could in fact be correct for the mid 19th century. I am traveling and don't have access to my books, do I had to resort to the internet - but if you study the plates below you'll see what I mean. Mind you, I'm not saying the thr

I think you are correct, Sascha.

And either way, in Sasha’s picture he is not wearing both the GC and a GC Kleinkreuz (avant la lettre, because in Prussia these only started to be worn during WWI, best I know).

Tifes, the VM mark is not on the cros shown by 1812 Overture: that cross, as he stated, is unmarked, which is the very reason he posted it here for review.

Why would the Duke wear two St Heinrich crosses, and if it is indeed a second St. Heirnichsorden, why does it have solid white cross arms and no blue ring around the centermedaillion? It seems to me it must be something else, although I have yet to identify it. Given the era, something French monarchical perhaps? I agree the center medallion seems to display a standing figure, and for moment considered the order of St. Louis, but don't think that is correct (wrong ribbon-color plus only given to catholics, as I understand it).

I'll ask my friend to comment by reference to the pics you posted. As noted, he earlier told me that good, unmarked crosses do exist, but he asked for pics which you now have posted.