Miniatures of the Innenministers Maximilian Freiherr von Feilitsch

[Claudio]

Dear forumites,

I am posting a "Miniaturkette" with its "Etui" being auctioneered soon by Herrn Carsten Zeige. As the description says this miniatures should have belonged to the Bavarian minister of the interior Maximilian Frh. von Feilitsch:

Kat.Nr.: 35

8. Miniaturkette mit 10 Auszeichnungen, Verdienstorden der Bayerischen Krone (Gold), Verdienstorden vom hl. Michael (Gold), Ehrenkreuz des Ludwigs-Orden (Gold), Jubil?umsmedaille f?r die bayerische Armee 1905, Oldenburg Verdienstorden von Herzog Peter Friedrich Ludwig Ritterkreuz mit Krone (Silber vergoldet), Preu?en Kronenorden Kreuz 4. Klasse, Kriegsdenkm?nze 1870/71, Armeedenkzeichen 1866, Dienstauszeichnung Kreuz f?r 24 Jahre, Zentenarmedaille 1897. Die 16mm Miniaturen an feinem Kettchen, im Originaletui der Firma Quellhorst M?nchen. Nach Angaben des Einlieferers aus dem Nachla? des Innenministers Maximilian Freiherr von Feilitsch.

A short "Lebenslauf" of this minister (sorry in German), from Wikipedia (Germany):

Maximilian Alexander Freiherr von Feilitzsch, ab 1904 Graf von Feilitzsch (* 12. August 1834 in Trogen, Oberfranken; ? 19. Juni 1913 in M?nchen), Dr.med. h.c., war k?niglich bayrischer Staatsminister des Innern.

Feilitzsch, aus einem altem vogtl?ndisch-fr?nkischen Adelsgeschlecht mit gleichnamigem Stammhaus Feilitzsch bei Hof, war k?niglich bayerischer K?mmerer, Staatsrat, Staatsminister des Innern und bayerischer Bevollm?chtigter zum Bundesrat des Deutschen Reiches.

Er studierte zun?chst Rechtswissenschaften, trat dann in den bayrischen Staatsdienst und wurde 1862 Bezirksamtsassessor in Neustadt an der Saale. 1865 wurde er Sekret?r, 1867 Regierungsrat und 1872 Oberregierungsrat im Ministerium des Innern. Im Jahr 1866 und 1870-1871 war er als Zivilkommissar beim bayrischen Heer t?tig, erhielt 1876 die Leitung der Polizeidirektion in M?nchen und wurde 1879 Pr?sident der Regierung von Oberbayern.

Im Jahr 1881 wurde Feilitzsch Nachfolger von Sigmund von Pfeufer als Staatsminister des Innern und hielt dieses Amt bis 1907. In einigen Punkten kam er den sozialpolitischen W?nschen der klerikalen Mehrheit des Abgeordnetenhauses entgegen, ohne aber in den Hauptfragen die freisinnigen Grunds?tze zu verleugnen.

Feilitzsch wurde am 11. August 1904 in M?nchen in den bayerischen Grafenstand erhoben. Er wurde 1913 auf dem Schlo?friedhof in Wolframshof, einem (Ortsteil von Kastl (Landkreis Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz), in einer Grabkapelle beigesetzt.

Ehrungen Feilitzschstra?e in M?nchen (1890)

Ehrenb?rger der Stadt M?nchen (1903)

Strangely enough I compared the list of Feilitzsch's orders with the Hof- und Staatshandbuch, K?nigreichs Bayern (1909), but I have found these orders being listed:

? Haus-Ritterorden vom Heiligen Hubertus

? Verdienst-Orden der bayerischen Krone, Grosskreuz

? Verdienst-Orden vom Heiligen Michael, Grosskreuz

? MVO 3. Klasse mit Schwertern

? Prinz-Regent-Luitpold Medaille, Goldene u. silberne Medaille

? Kriegsdenkm?nze 1870-71 aus Stahl am Kombattanten-Bande

? Herzogl. Anhalt Hausorden, Komturkreuz 2. Klasse (?)

? Italien, St. Maurizius u. St. Lazarus-Orden, Offizier

? Italien, Kronenorden, Grosskreuz

? F?rstl. Lippisch. Hausorden, Grosskreuz

? Kaiserl. ?sterreich. Franz Josef-Orden, Komtur

? Preussen, RAO Grosskreuz

? Preussen, EK 2. Kl. w 1870 (am weissen Bande?)

? Zentenarmedaille

? Russland, St. Stanislaus-Orden 1. Klasse

? Sachsen, Albrechtsorden, Grosskreuz mit goldenem Stern

? K?nigl. Orden der W?rttembergische Krone, Grosskreuz

As you can see there are some discrepancies. Apart from the Foreign Orders that were likely chosen not to worn on the Miniaturkette, I find hard to believe that he didn't put some other important German orders, like the Iron Cross, but I might be wrong. I don't see many important Bavarian orders either being mounted on the miniature chain, like the MVO, Hubertus-Order and so on... very strange, indeed! Either the Handbuch is all full of errors or maybe the identification of that miniature is pure speculation...

What do you think? I appreciate your inputs very much.

Ciao,

Claudio

Edited May 19, 2007 by Claudio

[Wild Card]

Hi Claudio,

This is a beautiful miniature kette to be sure; but I must say that I think that your reservations are well founded. A few things strike me about it, and since I am the first respondent, I will take the easiest ones.

As you noted, I can live with the absence of the foreign decorations (acceptable but regrettable); but no Bavarian St. Hubert, no Bavarian MVO, no RAO? Forget the 1870 EK.

Where did that Oldenburg House Order come from? A Prussian KO 4th class(!) to someone who got the RAO grand cross, among others? Oh yes, If the Staatshandbuch credits him with the Prussian 1870-71 KDM in steel, why are we looking at a bronze piece here? Details, details...

One last point is the spacing of the pieces. Go from left to right - centenary medal to the Luitpold medal. Notice the spacing of the rings. Then go from the Luitpold medal to the Merit Order of the Bavarian Crown and notice how the spacing widens.

I don?t know, I mean it just doesn?t add up. At best, I can only conclude that this is a nice kette belonging to someone other than Freiherr von Feilitzsch; but that KO 4th really bothers me.

Best wishes,

Wild Card

[nesredep]

Hi

That`s realy nicley presented miniatures. I like it a lot.

nesredep

[Stogieman]

Clearly a Bavarian, but not the one named. You have two (2) choices. Bid as if anonymous or bid and hope the combination can be ID'd. If the combination is legit, I would think he is traceable. As an aside... the case, chain and miniatures appear to match to me as a pre-1905 grouping/set.

[Guest Rick Research]

Well, it is yet another dark, rainy, 30 degrees colder than normal "global warming" day, and since I'll do anything at this point NOT to keep endlessly typing award rolls...

I gave this a whirl as well.

In addition to the odd Prussian Crown 4 to a two wars Bavarian career (XXIV Years Service Cross, here the 1906+ shiny gilt model) officer with no wartime awards, what strikes me as highly unusual right away is the Oldenburg House Order. I think you'd have spare fingers left over on one hand finding THAT to Bavarian officers. The St Michael with Crown suggests somebody who never got beyond Major level--in the army OR civil/court service. The Ludwig Order required 50 years of service.

I checked the Bavarian Military Handbooks for 1903 and 1913, because even a retired "with military rank" court functionary would still appear in the retired officers' sections. And he'd HAVE to be alive in 1903 for the 1905 Jubilee medal, or in 1913 for approaching 50 years of service and NOT be dead (would still have had to have had all the OTHER stuff by THEN).

No match.

That, of course, is ALWAYS the problem with chain-minis and little monkey fingers. LOOKS pretty....