Franco Prussian War Group of Three

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Everyone,

This group of medals just arrived and it's is made up of three medals from the Franco Prussian War era. I have been trying to find these on the internet and found the first medal (viewer's left)is the 1866 Cross for the Prussian Austrian War (noncombatant's?) then an unidentified cross, possibly a commemorative medal (?) and last the Franco Prussian War Combatant's Servce Medal. I have read that the first and third medals were made from captured guns (artillery).

In the opinion of the members is this a genuine bar? It looks like it to me but I'm still trying to find my way around the Imperial German collecting world.

What is the middle cross and am I correct about the two end medals? This cross is very worn as is the whole group but if they are genuine it shows they were worn on a regular basis and not just left in a drawer.

This medal group looks very familiar to me and I believe I have either seen it before somewhere or one just like it. Perhaps it was on the forum before and one of the members sold it? I really like the group so I'm hoping that it is genuine. Thanks in advance for your opinions, it really helps. By the way, is there a good book dealing with Imperial German medals that anyone would recommend?

Regards

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Here is the view of the back of the mounting bar and the medal's hangers.

[Brian Wolfe]

Here is a closer view of the obverse side of the medals.

[Brian Wolfe]

This last photo shows the medals' reverse sides. The small cross is so worn that any detail on those featured on the cross is lost. I am guessing that these are the major "players" on the Prussian side, such as the Kaiser and Bismark etc.

Thanks again for all of your assistance.

Regards

Brian

[Eric Stahlhut]

this item was recently auctioned on eBay. is that where you last saw it?

Edited March 31, 2010 by Eric Stahlhut

[Wild Card]

Hello Brian Wolfe,

A nice old bar you have there.

Obviously the cross is not an officially issued piece, which makes me wonder if possibly this might have originally been

a case where the recipient had both the bronze and steel 1870-71 medals on the combat ribbon? I know of cases where

recipients had steel medals on both combat and non combat ribbons; but am not 100% sure of the bronze and steel

1870-71 medals on the combat ribbon.

Anyone?

Best wishes,

Wild Card

[Ulsterman]

I thought the same thing as WC there,the "noncom/com campaign medal" was issued we know to medical persons in 1871 from documents-a bureaucratic snafu that occurred more than once. We can never be certain without a period photo, but the wear, the deliberate "long pin" to allow the cross to be hung in the middle (a lot of effort for an item that 5 years ago would have cost $1) and the patina of the middle veterans' commemorative cross (I think actually "issued/sold" before the campaign medals) would argue that it is original to the bar.

Certainly older vets wore these things that way and often jumbled their medals together where they had some significance-like regimental issues etc. etc..

I think its very nice.

[Brian Wolfe]

this item was recently auctioned on eBay. is that where you last saw it?

You are a funny guy Eric,

Yes I did buy this through eBay, but I know I've seen either this one or one exactly like it only a year or so ago, maybe two years ago.

It could be that this is the second time it has been through the eBay "mill" and that may be where I saw it before. It will probably end up on eBay (or whatever is around) again in a couple of decades when I've departed this mortal coil.

I'm still laughing regarding your question.

Regards

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Thank you all for your conformation.

I've been looking for a book that deals with Imperial German Medals but in my area there are no shows that would have dealers who carry such material. I'll have to attend some largers shows in the Toronto area this summer to see what I can find.

Thanks again.

Regards

Brian

[Tom Y]

Hi, Brian,

Try AbeBooks and do a search for author: Nimmergut, key word: orden. I just skimmed the site and they seem to have a good selection of his books at reasonable prices.

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi, Brian,

Try AbeBooks and do a search for author: Nimmergut, key word: orden. I just skimmed the site and they seem to have a good selection of his books at reasonable prices.

Many thanks Tom. Far too often we forget the value of good research material while trying to amass a collection. I'll check out the site.

Regards

Brian

[Eric Stahlhut]

You are a funny guy Eric,

I'm still laughing regarding your question.

Regards

Brian

all joking aside, i'm glad it was you who got it! that one did catch my eye, as i like oddball items such as this, but i'm sticking to my strict regimen which consists solely of ek1s, freikorps items, and wound badge variants.

enjoy it--it's a nice bar. unique!