Assistance with Tapferkeitsmedaille in Silver

[TomP73]

Hi all

 

Over the weekend I picked up my first and only Tapferkeitsmedaille from a medal fair. I'm struggling to find decent information online to assist but was hoping the experts on this forum can!

 

The medal is silver and as per the 3rd picture has the 'A' hallmark on the rim denoting it is made from Silver (thats the most I have been able to suss so far).  

 

How can you distinguish between the 1st and 2nd class of this medal? I believe the 3rd class is Bronze, but for silver i am unsure how to tell them apart.

 

Also in terms of age, am I correct in thinking this could have been awarded any time between 1848–1916 or is there a way of telling whether this is First World War or not?

 

I also note the suspender looks to have been changed at some point with a more modern hook, the ribbon itself feels nice and old. 

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

Tom

 

 

[Megan]

If you like Austro-Hungarian Orders, Decorations, and Medals, you should go to https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/booksbyauthor/537591 and get hold of Richard Lussier's extremely comprehensive work, available in PDF or EPUB formats for free... absolutely magnificent. The level of detail may answer some of your questions, but it should be a useful addition to your library anyway.

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

 

besides the excellent ifo given by Megan, I might add that the piece posted, is a Silberne Tapferkeitsmedaille 2nd Class, of the type awarded from 1914, until the death of Emperor Franz Josef in 1916 (this type was awarded until the early 1917, when the new dies of Kautsch bearing the image of Emperor Karl I were ready.

 

Re. the size, the 1st class medal is larger than the 2nd class and has a diametre of 40,0 mm.

 

Another sign indicating the difference between the 1st and 2nd class (Franz Josef type, from 1866, until 1916), is that the 1st class bears the artist's signature of "LEISEK", while the 2nd Class, that of "TAUTENHAYN".

 

All the best,

 

Enzo (E.L.)