Imperial German soldier / NCO help please...

[Stuka]

Hi there,
My wife and I have inherited an old family album from German. In it are the following photographs of a soldier. One is of him as a young man, in the uniform of a one-year volunteer (OYV), taken in about 1896. The other is of him as an old man, possibly in an NCO reservist uniform. We think we know who this man is, but can find no trace of him in the WW1 rolls for the state of Bavaria. He would have been aged about 45-46 in 1914, assuming we have the identity correct. What I am interested in knowing is any information about the uniforms, the epaulettes, the collars, the buttons, cuffs and sword so that I can do further research, and perhaps even identify a unit. Is there anyone who can advise on how to research this soldier? It appears that as a young man he was an other ranks, and as an older man he was a non-commissioned officer or officer aspirant? Many of the photos in the album were taken by Munich photo studios. The family lived in Munich at this time.

 

 

Here are the photos of the soldier as a young man, in uniform ...

Edited January 30 by Stuka