Bavarian Franco Prussian War MVK Group

[Paul C]

This splendid group

is shared with you all thanks to the Traveling Museum’s most recent pilgrimage to my Magic Epson and is posted courtesy of Paul since I am not online.

[Paul C]

Unusually, both the full sized medal bar and the miniature medal bar (!) have downward facing hooks on back rather than the usual horizontal pin for fastening to clothing.

Wish I knew what the miraculous eternally non-tarnishing pure white metal alloy is that was used here, only in the 1880s and 1890s. This type of bar and only during this period also bore a small raised rim at the ends of each side protecting the ribbons was being rubbed and frayed—a good idea that seems to have been peculiar to South German bars. The discoloration you see is the now 120+ year old solder attaching each award suspension hook, not tarnish on the backing plate.

Unfortunately I goofed making obverse and reverse scans and got the same side twice for the Former 9th Bavarian Jäger Battalion’s 1 July 1893 25th Jubilee commemorative at upper right. The other side has the striding royal lion and an inscription I cannot now recall. Sorry!

[Paul C]

But wait! There’s more! Here is the award document for the Bavarian Military Merit Cross

To Corporal Johann Neff of the 9th Bavarian Jäger Battalion, 4 April 1871.

Signature looks like “F(reiherr) v(on) Pranckh” ?

[Paul C]

Close-ups of the front and back of the lovely UNALTERED MVK. Addition of crossed swords over the top arm at the wearer’s individual expense was authorized in 1891 but Herr Neff never bothered doing so.

Gold centers, and note the beveled < edges of all sides of the edges of the cross’s arms. I did not see any maker’s marking (but then I was hurrying—it gets Aladdin’s Cave when the Traveling Museum is in town….)

Oh! I actually DID happen to notice a maker mark (!) on the reverse of the medal bar’s magic never tarnishing metal backing plate—

[Paul C]

This beauty is in such immaculate condition I didn’t want to shove the thread around, but it appears to be “A.KREMPEL” over Neff’s home city “PASSAU.” That makes this the first and only such mark I’ve ever encountered.

[Paul C]

Neff’s 1870/71 War Medal document,

as Korporal (note the spelling of his rank on either Urkunde) II. Classe in 1st Company/ Bavarian Jäger Battalion 9. Issued by Btn CO Major Nepomuc “v(on) Winckhler” 20 May 1871.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Thats a pretty nice group... technically any Bavarian Jäger groups out there belong in my collection... I thought that was the deal????????

[Paul C]

And close-up of the battle Spangen—

There was no Urkunde for the Bavarian 1866 War Cross in this immaculately preserved group. I’ve never seen one. WAS there one, or was entitlement simply entered in military papers?

[Paul C]

Finally, the Kaiser Wilhelm I Centenary Medal award document to Neff as Kaufmann in Passau.

Note that it was issued by the Prussian Ministry of the Interior (signed by an official named “von der Recke”) and stamped and counter-signed off by the City Magistrate of Passau (“Muggenthaler” ???) on

10 April 1899.

Yup, 1899. I’ve seen a few 1898s, but this makes me wonder: how long after the actual anniversary date were these medals still actually being handed out?!

If anyone has data on how many MVKs were awarded for 1870/71, and what may have earned Neff his, would be most interesting to learn that. Rick Research

[Wild Card]

:speechless1:

My kind of bar!

Thanks for sharing.

[Josef Rietveld]

breathtaking,

i'am not sure what i like more the bar or the mini not to forget the papers.

Congrats

Josef

[saschaw]

A most lovely group.

Any the best 1st issue MVK I'Ve ever seen!

[Bavaria]

WOW! What an amazing group!

Thank you for showing.

[VtwinVince]

That is a great group, especially with the papers. I've only managed to obtain one Bavarian MVK grouping from 1870, so I know how scarce these are, and with the mini-spange simply outstanding.

[dond]

I can't add anything to what has already been said so, "WOW!!!"

[Schießplatzmeister]

A super group! This is the nicest MVK that I have ever seen (they are usually chipped to varying degrees when found).

Hmmmm....this group looks somewhat familiar....I think that I have seen it before somewhere?????

Best regards,

"SPM"

[Noor]

Just amazing group, condition and extras! I especially love the mini!!!

Here is my similar set (in bad shape), what I got without the medals but I try to find awards for it. Probably impossible regarding MVK

By the way, how many MVKs was awarded during Franco-Prussian war?

[Ulsterman]

Wow!

I do not have the 1870 MVO booklet, but the Jagers btns averaged two awards each in 1866.

There was an issue document for the 1866 medal with a grand total of @5,981 campaign medals issued to Jagers etc.

[Beau Newman]

For comparison - here is an 1870 MVK group with the swords added later (they were authorized in 1891):