Ralph A Posted December 30, 2012 Posted December 30, 2012 Gents, I haven't hauled this out in many years. Today seems like a good day for it. Friedländer Pour le Mérite mit Wagner eichenlaub und adler to Ernst Freiherr von Forstner. At least, the cognoscenti assume the oaks and eagles are Wagners...
Laurence Strong Posted December 30, 2012 Posted December 30, 2012 Thw PLM has to rate as one of the nicest crosses. Larry
IrishGunner Posted December 30, 2012 Posted December 30, 2012 Nice. I just happened to be researching his birthplace of Graudenz (now Grudziądz, PL) a few moments ago.
Ralph A Posted December 30, 2012 Author Posted December 30, 2012 "Reconstruction" of Forstner's decorations:
Ralph A Posted December 30, 2012 Author Posted December 30, 2012 Pedigree: There is (was?) a Forstner barracks in Karlsruhe during WW2, renamed "Smiley Barracks" post-war. One of his sons won the KC in WW2.
Ralph A Posted December 30, 2012 Author Posted December 30, 2012 Details of the miniature. It's somewhere in Previtera's book, but I think the picture he used has the ribbon reversed; that is, the rough, "worn" side is facing out. I'm not sure, having never seen the book.
IrishGunner Posted December 30, 2012 Posted December 30, 2012 Interesting that his sons became U-Boot captains.
Ralph A Posted December 30, 2012 Author Posted December 30, 2012 Eagle detail. I generally don't post pics of the oak's reverse, but I'll send them on request to bona fide members with profound reasons for asking.
Ralph A Posted December 30, 2012 Author Posted December 30, 2012 (edited) Interesting details, surprisingly and practically invisible to the naked eye. This, gents, is one way of sorting out the fakes. Recipients wore these, they are heavy... and they got banged around. "Perfect" wartime examples just don't exist. Edited December 30, 2012 by Ralph A
Ralph A Posted December 30, 2012 Author Posted December 30, 2012 "Glamor" shot, thanks for looking. Happy New Year, gentlemen!
dond Posted December 30, 2012 Posted December 30, 2012 Very nice award Ralph. Thanks for showing it to us.
ccj Posted December 31, 2012 Posted December 31, 2012 Absolutely Amazing. Just a dream for me these days. The price always stayed ahead of my ability to pay. Those dude are outrageously priced these days.
OTTER76 Posted December 31, 2012 Posted December 31, 2012 Thanks a lot and happy new year. Such beauties are still around to be dreamed of.
Ralph A Posted December 31, 2012 Author Posted December 31, 2012 Thank you gents. Truthfully, they are priced above their actual value vis–à–vis rarity (if you ignore the oaks ). There is a certain "vanity" premium attached to them. Now for something exceptionally rare:
ccj Posted December 31, 2012 Posted December 31, 2012 Baden KFMMO (? I'm from Arkansas so...that explains my poor acronyms ?) Those are my favorite. I was luck 20 year ago to get one from Detlev along with a few other rare items that I can't afford these days. Super item. Is that the issue case? Never seen one cased.
Ralph A Posted December 31, 2012 Author Posted December 31, 2012 It is cased. I know of only one other cased example.
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