filfoster Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 I apologize for asking this, if it's commonly known (but not by me!): Is it the case that Imperial German medal bars with detachable medals were only worn by enlisted men, not officers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91-old-inf-reg Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 I don’t think this is the case at all. For instance, when the medals where awarded to an enlisted man, NCO, or officer, they where awarded as a single decoration, not mounted. It was the at the digression of the awardee to have their awards mounted, and thus, depending upon how much or little they had or wanted to pay, determined the quality and style of their medal mounting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filfoster Posted October 19, 2021 Author Share Posted October 19, 2021 That is what I had thought until recently, a knowledgeable person expressed this belief. I will survey the early medal bars to see if there are any obvious officer bars there, for example, having a higher grade of the Red Eagle or Crown order or something like that. Well, this is interesting, and perhaps deserving of our time to explore. I just surveyed the medal bars in the thread listed for 1870 and older bars in the mega medal bar section and could not find a single one mounted that way that was clearly for an officer. There were at least two that had a Red Eagle 4th class, without any additional embellishments, eg crowns or swords, which would be rare enough for an enlisted man, but not a single one, mounted that way, that included any higher order gong. So.... I invite anyone to show here examples of officer medal bars of the period 1870's and before, mounting detachable medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Krause Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Hello, here an example: This bar has 5 hooks at the back to put all the awards on. see I have seen Officers up to General ranks with that style of bars. Not common, but not overly rare as well. Best, Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filfoster Posted October 19, 2021 Author Share Posted October 19, 2021 Daniel: As always, you come through! Can you show a few more of these? I would like to use this style for a Prussian colonel uniform display, circa mid 1870's-1900. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VtwinVince Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 I think the use of Trapetz-Schnallen was similar to British 'swing-mounted' groups, a question of the individuals' taste. Also, if the medals were removed, it could be employed as a Feldschnalle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dedehansen Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Hi, early one Regards Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filfoster Posted October 19, 2021 Author Share Posted October 19, 2021 Any higher rank Prussian bars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dedehansen Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 30 minutes ago, filfoster said: Any higher rank Prussian bars? at least Major Regards Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91-old-inf-reg Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Could you get anymore high ranking than him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filfoster Posted October 19, 2021 Author Share Posted October 19, 2021 (edited) Well, that last one seems to prove the point. Still, It'd be fun to see some other examples of officer medal bars in this style. Thanks to all who contributed thus far. Willy 2 is wearing a RUSSIAN uniform, but with many Prussian awards. Are there any photos of him wearing this bar with German uniform? Edited October 19, 2021 by filfoster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91-old-inf-reg Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Well, I couldn’t find any other photos of Willy du with that particular medal bar, however here are some other examples: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filfoster Posted October 20, 2021 Author Share Posted October 20, 2021 3 hours ago, 91-old-inf-reg said: Well, I couldn’t find any other photos of Willy du with that particular medal bar, however here are some other examples: Well, that last one seems to prove the point. Still, It'd be fun to see some other examples of officer medal bars in this style. Thanks to all who contributed thus far. I am inclined to think these are simply ribbon bars per the regulations for the trapezoidal form, rather than a bar with attachment hooks for medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Krause Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 This chap liked that style of bars too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filfoster Posted October 20, 2021 Author Share Posted October 20, 2021 YEs, this is a famous photo and I have actually replicated that bar. No way to know if they are detachable gongs, although I think an example of this medal bar survives in a museum at one of the castles. I hope some will post photos of Prussian officer medal bars that have detachable medals, e.g. show the hooks on the reverse, vs. purely early style ribbon bars or medal bars made in this style but with permanently attached medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Krause Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 Here is the backside on my bar, mentioned above. From my experience, there were less bars like this in the early 1900s but far more in the middle of the 1800s. Might be a fashion thing, might be a Financial thing... who knows... Best, Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filfoster Posted October 20, 2021 Author Share Posted October 20, 2021 Thanks, Daniel. Perfect example of what I was looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Danner Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 This is technically an officer's bar with detachable medals, but I don't think it was intended to ever be worn as a ribbon bar without medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filfoster Posted October 21, 2021 Author Share Posted October 21, 2021 Dave: Yes, thanks for this as well. It is an example of an officer's detachable medal bar but the 'bowing' of the ribbon behind the medals, at bottom, suggests, as you say, that it wasn't intended as an alternate ribbon bar. From what we've got so far, I still think these were NOT common for officers, who seem to have preferred the full folded mounting style with permanently attached medals. I hope folks will continue to post examples like yours, of officer bars with hooks, and that rarest of species, the bars that could also be worn as ribbon bars without the medals. I'm sure there are some more out there, like the one shared by Daniel Krause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Krause Posted December 5, 2021 Share Posted December 5, 2021 to keep this alive, here a bar, whch Rick and I discussed many years ago. We thought it might be a fake, until we found a pic of that guy. LtCol Karl Schiller Best, Daniel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck Posted December 5, 2021 Share Posted December 5, 2021 1 hour ago, Daniel Krause said: to keep this alive, here a bar, whch Rick and I discussed many years ago. We thought it might be a fake, until we found a pic of that guy. LtCol Karl Schiller Best, Daniel Hi Daniel, very nice bar is there a reason why the Hessen award is last? Regards, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Krause Posted December 5, 2021 Share Posted December 5, 2021 Hi Chuck, I have no idea. Best, Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck Posted December 5, 2021 Share Posted December 5, 2021 2 hours ago, Daniel Krause said: Hi Chuck, I have no idea. Best, Daniel Daniel, Just seems odd a bravery award would rank in last place on his medal bar considering he must have been a professional military officer. Do you know what decoration is he wearing around his neck? Regards, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91-old-inf-reg Posted December 5, 2021 Share Posted December 5, 2021 @chuckits the Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischer Hausorden Komturkreuz mit Schwertern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filfoster Posted December 7, 2021 Author Share Posted December 7, 2021 Daniel: Thanks for that! That's an outstanding example of what I was looking for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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