Wurttemburg Military merit order

[Alex K]

Hi Does anyone have any information regarding the Grand Cross of the order, it is mentioned in numerous places but whilst I've seen images of the Sash, and lower grades, I can't locate any details on the Grand cross, Did it exist? it states that very few were awarded, so is obviously rare, any details photo'd and dimensions etc appreciated

 

regards

[Taz]

Hi Alex,

Does this help at all?

Verleihungszahlen

1806/15

Ordensklasse	Gesamt
Großkreuz	20
Komtur	68
Ritterkreuz	620

1818/57

Ordensklasse	Gesamt
Großkreuz	5
Komtur	25
Ritterkreuz	30

1870/89

Ordensklasse	Gesamt
Großkreuz	34
Komtur	65
Ritterkreuz	173

1892/1914

Ordensklasse	Gesamt
Großkreuz	13
Komtur	27
Ritterkreuz	55

Erster Weltkrieg 1914/18

Ordensklasse	Württemberger	Ausländer	Gesamt
Großkreuz	2	14	18
Komtur	11	8	19
Ritterkreuz	2.170	119	2.289

 

 

Edited September 3, 2019 by Taz

[Taz]

Inschrift  Bene merentibus (Denen, die sich wohl verdient gemacht haben) und ab 1818 Furchtlos und trew

Regards Eddie

[Alex K]

Hi Taz, thanks for the information, yes it all helps, one additional question, the cross you posted appears to be a cloth type for sewing to the uniform, attached is the sash, currently on a dealers site, together with a "Type 3?" breast badge, what would have been attached to the sash, I assume there was something

 

regards

[Taz]

Getragen wurde das Großkreuz ebenso wie das Komturkreuz um den Hals, allerdings zusätzlich mit einem silbernen Steckkreuz.

The star of the order, awarded with the Grand Cross only, was a gold-rimmed silver eight-pointed star featuring the ringed medallion of the obverse of the cross.

Is that a possibility?

Regards Eddie

Edited September 3, 2019 by Taz

[saschaw]

3 hours ago, Alex K said:

(...) the cross you posted appears to be a cloth type for sewing to the uniform

As with literally almost every Grand Cross grade of the German states' orders, the "Grand Cross" consisted of a badge/cross to be worn on the sash, and a breast star. The star shown by Taz is an odd, privately made star with a fancy fantasy design. May have been a wearer's copy, or may have not been. The Steinam made breast star - picture from the OMSA site, I think? - is an official award type from late 19th century.

Stuttgart auction house Eppli sold a marvelous Grand Cross ensemble, awarded in 1908 to Württemberg General der Infanterie z. D. Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Julius Freiherr Pergler von Perglas (1827-1913), in their March 2017 auction. Check here for pictures and details of this incredible set.

Edited September 3, 2019 by saschaw

[Alex K]

46 minutes ago, saschaw said:

As with literally almost every Grand Cross grade of the German states' orders, the "Grand Cross" consisted of a badge/cross to be worn on the sash, and a breast star. The star shown by Taz is an odd, privately made star with a fancy fantasy design. May have been a wearer's copy, or may have not been. The Steinam made breast star - picture from the OMSA site, I think? - is an official award type from late 19th century.

Stuttgart auction house Eppli sold a marvelous Grand Cross ensemble, awarded in 1908 to Württemberg General der Infanterie z. D. Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Julius Freiherr Pergler von Perglas (1827-1913), in their March 2017 auction. Check here for pictures and details of this incredible set.

Hi, yes  the one I posted is from the omsa site, it looked "official", the link is just what I was looking for, an amazing and rare set, thanks, with regards to the sash badge I've read that at around the begining of ww1 that the crown itself was dropped from all grades, I assume the GK was the same, perhaps I'm wrong, or pre-war awards kept the crown, after that awards were made minus the crown, taz, thanks for your additional input also, best regards, alex

Edited September 3, 2019 by Alex K

[Beau Newman]

Sotheby's sold one in 2000 (Sale L00572, Lot 105).  It was a Wilhelm II issue and had a dimension of 60.4mm, no crown.  It sold for 6,000 pounds.  They have pretty good archives on their site so, you may still be able to find it there.

[Alex K]

Hi Thank for the details, I'll have a scour through their archives to see if I can find it

regards

 

Alex

[Beau Newman]

I was able to find the catalog.  Here is a scan of the photo.  A matching Breast Star (Lot 106) Sold for 3,400.

[Alex K]

Hi just spotted, your message, thanks exactly what I was looking for, thanks, regards

[saschaw]

What might also be important to note: Grand Cross badges and Commander crosses are of identical size for this order, and indistinguishable from each other, unless they come with either solid provenience or the breast star, as the latter was worn by Grand Crosses only (see Klein and Raff, p. 454/455).

Also interesting: the Grand Cross badge was, as previously noted by Taz, worn on the neck as well. It wasn't until the September 1914 statutes changed that it got a sash, as it's usual for Grand Crosses grades (Klein and Raff, p. 460). I was totally unaware of that fact. I'm sorry for my misleading information in my earlier statement.

[Utgardloki]

Wilhelm von Württemberg wearing the grand cross in the fashion before 1914. Obviously, as he died 1896...

Edited December 5, 2019 by Utgardloki

[Alex K]

Nice image, thanks for posting, regards

[Utgardloki]

Just have seen another one: 

"Karl von Knoerzer, General der Infanterie, Kommandeur der 26. Division von 1881-1885
(1884?, siehe Rückseite), stehend in Uniform des Grenadier-Regimentes Nr. 119 (Königin
Olga), Orden und Degen / 1897"

Equaly interesting, his beautiful Degen

 

[saschaw]

On 05/12/2019 at 16:56, Utgardloki said:

Wilhelm von Württemberg wearing the grand cross in the fashion before 1914.

A nice photo as well, thanks for showing! Noteworthy, he's wearing a knight's cross of the same order as well, possibly as a "small decoration"!

Edited April 4, 2020 by saschaw