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    Posted

    Did I miss something or did we forget Oldenburg? I have a couple of babies from them. First up is the second class FA Cross with "Vor Dem Feinde" clasp

    Don

    Posted

    And if you can stay alive you might earn one of these- an FA cross 1st class.

    Guest Rick Research
    Posted

    Actually, the Grand Duke of Oldenburg often handed out (no award documents!!!) BOTH classes of "OK" at the same time-- apparently either to compensate for their inferior ugliness or because they were REALLY cheap makers' contracts so he could literally afford to be generous! laugh.gif

    A naval technical officer's bar,

    a Mystery zD Type officer's, who has stuck his COMBAT OK2 down at the end, after Better Looking war effort awards!,

    and a career navy Petty Officer who had served in the European blockade of Venezuela 1902/03 and finally retired as a Leutnant der Marine aD from this length of service, wearing naughty October 1936+ "double Wehrmacht long service awards" incorrectly retro-applied to IMPERIAL long services. I have never seen anything "official" in the way of award notification letters for these "vor dem Feinde" bars, and wonder if perhaps many of them were not self-awarded, after the fact. Unlike the Brunswick devices, which were listed in Reichswehr Rank Lists, nothing mentions having a "vdF" bar or not.

    Guest Rick Research
    Posted

    That is a VERY nice variant "OK1" with a fully scooped out "soup bowl" reverse I haven't seen before. Mine is flat (and as often the case, with that feeling "iron fence railings" paint scrubbed completely off to not mark clothing it rubbed against), and I have seen dimpled reverses, but never one as deep as yours.

    Guest Rick Research
    Posted

    In a Bob H/Rick R Co-Production :food-smiley-004: ... for the briefest of moments before my Evil Twin whisked the full sized cross away to send it to Bob (rumors of strange Druidic Militaria Consecrating Rites are not... necessarily... true ninja.gif )...

    here's a comparison between the "official" bar in black finish and a unique one in dazzling fire-gilt, made exactly the way earlier bars for the colonial campaign medals were!!! animal jumping

    Guest Rick Research
    Posted

    No guess-- Konteradmiral zS zV Wilhelm "Vater" Rhein (1887-1964), turfed out in 1935 (!) for sassing Raeder. tongue.gif

    Posted (edited)

    ...and the answer is---it came from Germany. Right? OK, what do I win? Where are the keys to the new Porsche Boxster?? wub.gif tongue.gif

    PS When did mouthing off to the boss ever help a career?

    Edited by Bob Hunter
    Guest Rick Research
    Posted

    Ahhhhh.... NOW we see where the Friedrich August crosses's finish came from-- that strange black painted class of the PFL House Order!!! :food-smiley-004:

    I wonder if anyone made tiny ribbon bar sized Xs in... BLACK!?

    Posted

    Ralph,

    There are a few sellers on German eBay who sell these with monotonous regularity, which leads me to feel that there are modern copies around.

    Take a look at http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6165080250 which shows one sold as a repro, but without the black paint finish like yours. The suspension rings looks very similar, though.

    German eBay seller tunnelmolch has sold them recently, but all his auctions are private to "protect" the bidders.

    /David

    Posted (edited)

    Thanks for the head's up. I've been seeing those around. This one came from a reputable source, but anything's possible.

    I seem to remember posting these as a separate topic? Now, my planned follow up won't make sense, as part of someone else's thread.

    Edited by Ralph A
    Posted

    ...that would be the follow up...

    ...I guess this thread is now an "are these fakes?" thread...

    I'm more concerned about the "swords" piece than the other. It does look like a rough casting. What's your opinion on this?

    Guest Rick Research
    Posted

    Tsk, everybody second guesses the editor. tongue.gif Sliding up and down comparing Icky Iron Railings Paint on the OKs and the Iron grade House Order is much easier this way than flipping back and forth on links.

    I wish George was still around to ask, which would have cleared up any doubts. I don't know BUT

    as I recall, the IRON, repeat IRON class of the House Order was indeed Fairly Icky--

    CAST IRON cannot be STRUCK to the same level of detail as other metals-- certainly not delicate little pointies like the swords. Great stuff for underground pipes and the like, but not a substance for needles et cetera.

    So yes, THAT specific class WOULD have been cast-- as were the cores of Iron Crosses, and probably Friedrich August Crosses as well. If the OKs were struck, that would explain their far from detailed designs, low relief, etc. Paint can hide flaws on smooth arms, but not in tiny lettering or coats of arms.

    I wouldn't give up on the Iron class HO-X.

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