Saxon Albert Orders

[Claudio]

Beautiful medal bar, Andreas... does it a name? I especially like the Waldeck Verdienstkreuz mit Schwertern.... What a beauty!!!

Here I'd like to show you another named bar with a AO RK 1. Kl. mit X (Hans Andreas Wolff, Rittmeister im Dragoner-Rgt Nr. 9, K?nig Carl I von Rum?nien).

Enjoy...

Ciao,

Claudio

[Claudio]

This is my "solo" AO RK 1. Kl. m.X... obverse:

[Claudio]

and reverse...

[medalnet]

Very nice Roesner made piece from the later WWI aera. Does it have the "R" mark?

[Claudio]

Yes, Andreas, it has a "R" under the lower arm of the cross like the one on Wolff's bar, too.

Ciao,

Claudio

[medalnet]

I am sure everybody heard about the model change because of the initial order showing the wrong person on the medaillon. Here is the silver medal in case, first model:

[attachmentid=34221]

[Claudio]

My brother's Verdienstkreuz of the AO mit Schwertern am Einzelbandspange:

[Claudio]

and here one without swords, but 1st model, with a more pieces medallion construction.

[Stogieman]

Nice to see so many early and rare variations. I have tons more photos of what my Albert Collection was... but most are pretty small. The limits of 8 year old technology ;>)

[medalnet]

Nice to see so many early and rare variations. I have tons more photos of what my Albert Collection was... but most are pretty small. The limits of 8 year old technology ;>)

Same here. What an ordeal it was to take pictures with SRL cameras and light tent....the results are horrific compared to today's technology.

I will still try to scan some of those picture for this thread. It is getting quite interesting.

[Brian R]

Nice pieces, guys!!

Here is my example to share... Frack bars are always interesting but I especially enjoy this one in that the wearer still wore his Albert Order ahead of the EK2 after 1934. A Real Saxon...

[Stogieman]

Very nice Brian! Hope you'll be getting a "War Room" soon!

[Wild Card]

Gentlemen,

We seem to be lacking an award document.

[Stogieman]

Excellent point WC, excellent point and Thanks!! The Baron would be proud to know we still honor his accomplishment(s).

[Wild Card]

Thank you, Stogieman. I guess that The Baron was a big wheel in diplomatic circles as he had quite a few high decorations.

Thank you also for the compliment on post #16. I wish that I could have posted larger, hence more detailed pictures. I bought that little cross some years ago from Eric Ludigsen. Although, as I said, I try to avoid Saxony, that one always had a sort of magnetism about it; and I am so happy, as was Eric, that it found a home where it is really appreciated.

Best wishes,

Wild Card

[medalnet]

This thread gets really Roesner heavy. Lets change to the 1st model for a minute. A Commander or Grand Cross with swords, made by Moritz Elimeyer:

[attachmentid=34316][attachmentid=34317]

I never had stars in my old collection with swords. Maybe somebody else can help?

[webr55]

medalnet said:

This is indeed fun with the Albert Order. One of the interesting things is that this order is one of the few ones where multiple classes of the same order could be worn simultaniously:

[attachmentid=34167]

no name unfortunately. Maybe somebody can help....?

I have gone through all the Waldeck 3rd classes awarded in WW1 and have found only one possibility, though I cannot confirm him definitely:

Joachim v. Bülow, 16. Ulanen-Reg., Major 1.10.1913 Z24z, held only the SA3b in 1914. No proof of KO4, but might well have got it in 1914. Listed in the DOA 1908/09 as Lt. in the 16. Ulanen, in Gardelegen, already with SA3b. Maj aD.

There is a Major v. Bülow who got the Waldeck on 12.8.1918. It is however difficult to sort out all the v. Bülows, so I cannot be sure this is Joachim.

The Saxon rolls list only a Georg v. Bülow, AOR1X on 15.11.1917. But that doesn't mean much, because we have found quite a number of recipients not in the rolls.

Edited November 14, 2017 by webr55

[medalnet]

Here a commander star with swords comparision (from my old photo archive):

[attachmentid=34509]

Left the earlier type (still WWI) with the medaillon disk being two parts and right the later type with the medaillon disk being in one part. Both have silver gilt applications. The "S" on the needle indicates that.

Edited April 13, 2006 by medalnet

[medalnet]

the reverses:

[attachmentid=34510]

[Claudio]

Hi Andreas,

Beautiful orders you have! It seems that you have all the most exotic or rarest classes with swords of these orders... very impressive!

The problem for me is that I should first see such babies personally and touch them with my hands, like you, in order to have an idea about the quality, construction types, period of manufacture and different makers' variants.

If I was in Germany, I would go regurlarly on Auction houses just to see and compare the quality of these orders.

At Thies auction in December last year I was impressed about the high quality of some orders. Such craftmanship is nowadays inimaginable, since there are no longer juweller who would make an effort to make such highly complicated designs combined with precious metals, enamal and hand-painting. It would not be commercially feasable. That's why nowadays orders, also German State orders, they look quite crappy if I can say so! During this auction I saw a Gold Komturkreuz of the Oldenburg House order. It was such a jewel! Very light and very delicate design... a dream! If you can hold one of this real orders in your hand, you can't be fooled so easely with cheap repros. But you have to see them with your own eyes! Not always pictures on internet can be as good as having such an order in your bare hands and inspect it carefully.

Thank you Andreas for letting us see such beauties! Really remarkable...

Ciao,

Claudio

[medalnet]

Dear Claudio,

thank you very much for your kind words. I totally agree, seeing is good, but having those decorations in hand is essential. I have always tried to attend as many auctions, medal fairs, collectors meetings as possible - and you are right, it is much easier to do this in Europe. Being in the US for some time now makes it a bit more difficult to meet with our kind of people. I still make a point of going to the annual OMSA meeting and at least to the SOS in Louisville, KY. The last one is actually driving distance for me (6-7 hours one way ). It is always worth it. Not just from seeing things, but more important for the networking portion.

Thos Albert pictures are unfortunately all from my old photo archive. All is gone - the price of college those days.

Anyway, here is a better picture of the "Kleinkreuz mit Schwertern" by Rothe from the 1870/71 war. Nicely dressed up on a trifold ribbon:

[attachmentid=34518]

Edited April 13, 2006 by medalnet

[medalnet]

Also very interesting are the design phases of the grand cross stars. Here an star bady from 1840-50 on the right and the regular 1900 star body on the left. The early one was definetly adapted from a 1st model piece, meaning, they used the silver body and exchanged the center:

[attachmentid=34527]

[medalnet]

...and the reverse:

[attachmentid=34528]

notice: no "S" on needle since both have real golden applications.

[medalnet]

Here a very nice Godet made Grand Cross star 1st model:

[attachmentid=34682]

[medalnet]

This would be a quite rare knight 1st class with crown. Since the crown was only issued 1901 the periode for its award was not long. 664 Silver gilt ones and 33 golden ones have been awarded.

The actual number of surviving pieces must be a lot lower, since most of the crown recipients received the swords to the knight 1st with crown during WWI. Hence, the decorations had to be returned and given out again with swords.

This example is one of the earlier Scharffenberg pieces. They also ecist with the 3 piece medaillon.

[attachmentid=34683]