Schwarzburg Medal Bar

[Mike Huxley]

I picked this interesting 3x bar up today at a local military fair. Having got it home, I now find there's several things that seem unusual with it.

1. The EK is none magnetic, but is 3 piece construction.

2. The Schwarzburg silver medal for merit in war has the largest pair of swords mounted on the ribbon that I have ever seen.

Other than that, the bar has a makers label on the reverse and all ribbons are tight and there is no problems following a "black light" test.

With a blue backing cloth and the makers label from Hamburg am I right in thinking that this bar is navy.

Your thought would be appreciated gentlemen

[Mike Huxley]

The reverse ....

Edited August 14, 2005 by Mike Huxley

[Mike Huxley]

Close up of label ...

Edited August 14, 2005 by Mike Huxley

[Mike Huxley]

Opps ..got the posts wrong ... here's the reverse.

[Mike Huxley]

Now for a slightly closer view of the EKII ... sorry for the not so good pictures.

[Ralph A]

Isn't the merit medal reversed?

[Guest Rick Research]

I've never seen Xs on the Schwarzburg Medal (which is reversed) but this also strikes me as all period-made and some sort of goof with being unfamiliar with the award. It's a looking bar, and from the 1939 type frosting on the EK, may be a 1930s replacement Cross-- it looks 1914 size, so not a post-1939 replacement.

[Mike Huxley]

Ralph, I thought that at first about the medal being reversed ... but if you look in OEK it shows the front as it is on this bar.

Rick, the swords have a strange attachment on the reverse, it is like a broach which slips into the ribbon, I've never seen anything like this before. All the ribbons are tightly stitched and have fair wear and tear to the front with fading, but the reverse is a bright colour. The size is correct for 1914 EK

The EK has a bright frosting on it, but I can see no way in which these could have been added later.

Dave Danner site shows a bar with smaller swords on this award.

This is the first non magnetic EK I have in my collection, does anybody have anymore information on these ????

Thanks so far for you input guys

Mike

[Bob Hunter]

Nice bar. It looks like you have yourself a conversation piece.

[Mike Huxley]

Bob, I wish I was nearer to you guys in the States. In hand this just feels right, but it's that EK and swords that is my puzzle. The swords have a prong going from each side of the hilts that fit tightly behind the ribbon, I just can't see how this could have been put there at any other tine other than original construction of the bar.

Is it naval with the backing cloth and non magnetic EK, + the makers label ???

[David Gregory]

Mike,

Nice bar. I have one just like it, but without the swords.

The swords might be a fashion statement emphasising front line service as I have seen them used like this before, but those are the largest swords I have seen in a combination like this.

David

[Stogieman]

Excellent bar Mike and a tough one to find mounted! Very nice with the maker label as well!

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

A perfect bar. Swords I believe simply what the jeweler had available and swords a normal attachment.

[Mike Huxley]

Brian, Stogie and David .... Thanks for dispelling my concerns, I'm now one very bunny.

I had just about given up hope of finding anything Imperial after spending 3 hours searching tables at the West of England Military fair. I was just on the way out when I stopped at a table and for some reason moved a couple of Riker cases on it ... there hidden below these two I found a case which had this bar and a few single medals in it ... It goes to show, it's always worth having a dig around and persevering until you find that gem

Mike