Mecklenburg Medal Bar

[Stogieman]

I'm really not buying anything anymore. Taking a break from collecting since I gave up my business about a year ago. But when an old friend in Saxony eMailed me about this bar.... well, I couldn't really say no, could I? It would have been impolite! I can count on my hands the number of Mecklenburg Long Service Crosses I've actually seen mounted....

[Stogieman]

The reverse.

[Scott Powell]

gosh thats nice! i have never seen a Mecklenburg Long Service Cross mounted . you just made my week!

[Stogieman]

There's another forumite who has a couple, but I'll let him raise his own thunder!

[Ed_Haynes]

Way out of my usual grazing pastures, but

[Paul R]

Hard to believe that it is almost 100 years old! Breath taking piece! It would be impossible to walk away from it!

[Chip]

I love to see the wartime feldgrau backing plates too. It's a small icing on the cake.

Chip

[joe campbell]

astonishing condition, a confirmation of simplicity

owning the essence of beauty....

easy to see why you'd come out of retirement for this!

joe

[Steve K.]

Ahhhh.....you're the one that beat me to it!!! Ohhh...the nail-biting and the mental pacing back and forth I went through while convalescing, hoping it would be mine. And now the flaunting.....'tisk tisk.

Exceptionally nice bar...the colors are stunning!

[Stogieman]

I've heard the old saying "When it rains, it pours".... but I never really believed it until this morning's mail!!

Now, I'm hoping the old saying that "Things always happen in three's" is true as well!

[Stogieman]

Reverse of the solo bar:

[Stogieman]

OK, now I'm wondering (and blessing my scanner's ability to blow things up a bit)... the lettering on the reverse is not capitalized! I don't recall seeing this variation before. Comments?

[Steve K.]

Rick,

It looks fine to me. And it is the more difficult type to find with lower case letters used on the reverse side.

Also notice the difference in the '4' compared to the FF2 that started this thread.

Are there fine crosshatching marks on the outer rim (from the beading to the edge of the cross)?

Steve

Edited March 26, 2008 by Steve K.

[Stogieman]

Hi Steve, no cross-hatching on the outer edges; but not really smooth either. More of a "grainy" appearance under a glass. As a whole, the details and features of this cross are finer/nicer/sharper than any other MVK I have handled. Quite a distinct variation. Any idea how this dates out as opposed to the more common variant? Any idea as to maker?

[Steve K.]

Yep, these are finely detailed crosses. I've only seen 1 in 10 as these types of crosses. As far as I know, there isn't a confirmed date or maker for these. I consider them early WW1 issue - 1914 only maybe, then no more.

[Mike Huxley]

OK, now I'm wondering (and blessing my scanner's ability to blow things up a bit)... the lettering on the reverse is not capitalized! I don't recall seeing this variation before. Comments?

Oh Stogie .... old age must be setting in faster than you thought

Remember this little puppy that passed from you to me

Seems to be exactly the same maker as the one you have just shown.

[Mike Huxley]

Closer view of both sides.

[Stogieman]

Apparently my dementia has reached second-stage......

[Mike K]

Gents, if you look carefully at the "lower case" KVK2 variants in posts 10 & 16 - concentrate on the crown for a start - you will see that these two are actually from different dies. Very interesting! My own unmounted example is the same as the post#16 type.

Regards

Mike

[Steve K.]

This one is slightly different and the outer flange is polished, but still another nice variant.