Three 3rd Class Serbian White Eagle Orders: Three Makers.

[Markus]

All three of these medals were produced during the Karageorgevich Dynasty (1903-1941). Prior to that period, the Austrian makers were more prevalent in production of Serbian medals for the Obrenovich Dynasty (1883-1903). The number of White Eagle Order medals issued in the Obrenovich Dynasty were far fewer in number than in the Karageorge Dynasty. The back of the medals were switched from the King of Milan monogram of intials M I with crown to the year 1918 at the beginning of the Karageorgevich Dynasty. Most of the Serbian medal production was switched to the Swiss Maker Huguenin Fréres and French maker Arthus-Bertrand in the later years of the Karageorgevich Dynasty. The Austrian maker Georg Adam Scheid was involved in making the first model of the Serbian White Eagle order as well as the later model with the 1918 date on the reverse. In order of appearance from left to right: Scheid made, Arthus-Bertrand made, and Heguenin Fréres made Order of The White Eagle 3rd class medals.

The Scheid made medal is noticeably smaller than the Huguenin Fréres and Arthus-Bertrand made medals. The Scheid workshop deviated from the specs called for in the regulations of the White Eagle Order and made a somewhat smaller version than the 76x36mm specs of the regulation. Scheid made all classes of their White Eagle medals with the same size medallion and thereby reduced the size of the Eagle to fit proportions of the smaller medallion. Scheid’s workshop produced high quality medals and were in line with other Austrian workshops, with the quality they produced. 

Edited February 15, 2019 by Markus

[Markus]

After the outbreak of WWI, most of the Serbian medal production was swithched to Arthus-Bertrand in Paris. Arthus-Bertrand had to ramp up production of the White Eagle Order with all of the medals awarded with WWI. The Arthus-Bertrand workshop looked similar to the Austrian workshop of Rothe & Neffe, but had some differences in finishing and were not of the same quality produced by Austrian workshops. Some of the Arthus-Bertrand medals had problems with enamel cracking over time. The model of the White Eagle with Swords was founded in 1915 as a sign of acknowledgement of services in wartime.

The Workshop Huguenin Fréres began production of the Order of the White Eagle after WWI when production was moved to the Swiss firm from Arthus-Bertrand mainly due to cost considerations. Medals produced by the Huguenin workshop were of high quality and fine finishing, approximating those of Austrian workshops.

 

The Order of the White Eagle ceased to exist in 1941 with the creation of Yugoslavia.

Information and copy were sourced from the book, Serbian and Yugoslavian Orders and Decorations, by Pavel Car and Tomislav Muhic. I Highly recommend this book.

[Daffy Duck]

Well explained indeed!

[asraka]

Order of The White Eagle with Swords Class III, manufactured by the French company Arthus Bertrand.