06-173 IRON CROWN ORDER 3^rd CLASS WITH SWORDS - ORIGINAL AWARD DOCUMENT - AUSTRIA. This is an Order of the Iron Crown 3^rd Class with Swords along with its original award document, from Austria. The award document is quite large and ornate. It measures 12 3/4" x 7 1/4." The document’s format is quite similar to Prussian documents in many ways. At the top, the document begins," Seine Majestät Der Kaiser von Oesterreich König von Bohmen u.s.w. und Apostolischre König von Ungaren." The document follows that the awardee is a Dr. Artur Trotter, who serves in the Army Reserves. The award is dated 7 February 1916 with notice made in Vienna on 26 February by the Chief or the Ordens section. This official’s signature is at the bottom. In the left lower cover of the document is a huge embossed seal of the Kaiser’s House, complete with the double-headed Austrian Eagle. This document is in PERFECT condition for being ninety years old. It has never even been folded. It has been cared for beautifully all of these years. This is the identical theme used on the Iron Eagle itself.  As for the Iron Eagle, it is in wonderful condition. The decoration’s obverse is in sparkling condition, with all of the enamel in first-rate condition. The same goes for the reverse. The decoration’s blue and yellow ribbon is in the Austrian tri-fold style. The gilt crossed swords are attached to the ribbon. They make a very fine pair. $1,995.00

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06-187 1870 MILITARY SERVICE CROSS 2^nd CLASS AND URKUNDE - MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN. This is a simply marvelous grouping which consists of the 1870 Military Service Cross 2^nd Class and its Urkunde (award document) from the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71, Friedrich Franz II (1823-1883) ruled the duchy. He sat on the throne from 1842 to 1883. Mecklenburg-Schwerin had long been Prussia’s ally. It fought with Prussia during the 1864 Danish-Prussian War and the 1866 Austro-Prussian War. The document and decoration were awarded to a young officer by the name of Wilhelm Meyer. Meyer served in Hannoversches Pionier Battalion Nr 10. The regiment was raised in 1804. It was garrisoned in Minden and assigned to the X. ArmeeKorps. The battalion was a former Hanoverian unit. It fought proudly in the Peninsular Campaign and at Waterloo with the Duke of Wellington. Its men carried the bandeaux for those campaigns on their pickelhauben. Meyer went on to become a Generalleutnant in the Prussian Army. He was assigned to the General Staff for matters relating to Pionier-Battalions. The document is quite ornate and measures 12 1/4" x 7 1/2." It is dated 31 December 1872 and signed by Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. The embossed seal of the Duchy appears on the document. The decoration is the same size as an 1870 Iron Cross 2^nd Class. It is gilt-toned. A short length of original ribbon, measuring 4 1/2" x 1 1/2," is present. The silk ribbon is light blue, yellow, and red. The Military Service Cross 2^nd Class was awarded in far fewer numbers than the 1870 Iron Cross 2^nd Class. This is a fine presentation to a future German Army general. In the coming weeks, we will be offering a fine assortment of Meyer’s documents from throughout his military career. $1,495.00

 

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06-201 AWARD DOCUMENT - DECORATION - 1914 IRON CROSS 1^st CLASS. This is a marvelous mini grouping that consists of the 1914 Iron Cross 1^st Class and its award document. Such a fine pair has a to recommend it. First, it was awarded to an officer, Leutnant der Reserve Coesfeld. Second, he was assigned to Reserve Jäger Battalion Nr 21. The document was signed personally by the Deutschen-Jäger-Division’s commander, a generalmajor. The document was signed on 14 June 1918. It measures 6 1/2" x 8 1/4,"and sports the Deutschen-Jäger-Division’s unit stamp. The commanding general’s signature is rendered in the typical purple grease pencil so often used in the field instead of black ink. The 1914 Iron Cross 1^st Class is vaulted. It has very fine paint on the obverse that rates at nearly 98%. The frame displays a pleasing patina. The reverse features a flat pin, with no evidence of silver or manufacturer’s hallmarks. It is a very handsome grouping from a unit and division that is rarely represented. $595.00

 

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06-202 AWARD DOCUMENT & DECORATION - MILITARY SERVICE CROSS 3^rd CLASS - CROWN AND SWORDS BAVARIA. This is a mini grouping consisting of the Military Service Cross 3^rd Class with Crown and Swords (Militär-Verdienstkreuz 3. Klasse mit der Krone und mit Schwerten) from the Kingdom of Bavaria. The decoration was first authorized in 1866 during König (Mad) Ludwig II’s reign, when Bavaria fought on Austria’s (losing) side with her other allies (Saxony, Württemberg, Hannover, and Braunschweig) in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War. The decoration was awarded in three levels (1^st through 3^rd Classes). It was similar to the Iron Cross awards’ family, except it was awarded during peacetime as well as wartime. The cross was awarded by itself during peacetime. During wartime, it was awarded with swords. A higher level of the award featured a large crown. It is the latter we are offering today. The decoration, swords, and oversized crown are all bronze-toned and in very fine condition. A blue, white, and black ribbon is attached. The document accompanies it is very high-quality. It represents an early-war example, and measures 13" x 8 1/4." The King of Bavaria is mentioned at the top. The award was issued to a Max Kuhnigk, and is dated 23 December 1914. The document is countersigned by the Ordens-Großkanzler. Both document and decoration are in very fine condition. $425.00

 

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06-206 DOCUMENT AND DECORATION - MILITARY SERVICE CROSS 2^nd CLASS - MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN. This is a fine example of both the award document and the actual Military Service Cross 2^nd Class from the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. The large-format document measures 13" x 8 1/8." The document was issued to a man who served in Reserve Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr 36. The regiment was created in 1890 and garrisoned at Danzig, which was close to Mecklenburg-Schwerin. The document is dated 18 August 1917. It bears Friedrich Franz IV’s reproduction signature. The decoration looks similar to the 1914 Iron Cross 2^nd Class, which was its equivalent. It has a gilt finish and is actually set up as a one-place medal bar. The blue, yellow, and red ribbon shows wear. $195.00

 

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06-207 DOCUMENT AND DECORATION - WAR SERVICE CROSS 2^nd CLASS - BRAUNSCHWEIG. This is the document and decoration for the War Service Cross 2^nd Class from the Duchy of Braunschweig. The decoration was its equivalent of the 1914 Iron Cross 2^nd Class. The Duchy had only one infantry regiment, one cavalry regiment, and one artillery battery. The decoration was awarded to both the native sons of Braunschweig and other German allies. The document was issued to an Unteroffizier Furrmann. He served in Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr 19. The document was issued on 27 June 1918. The decoration is mounted on a blue and yellow, court-wrapped ribbon. It measures 13" x 8 1/4." This makes for a very pleasing grouping. $225.00

 

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06-205 DOCUMENT - DECORATION - HANSEATIC CROSS - LÜBECK. When WW I broke out, the Hanseatic states of Hamburg, Bremen, and Lübeck decided to issue their own decorations to honor their cities’ enlistees. Hamburg was by far the largest of the three, with a population of 768,349 in 1900. Bremen had a population of 224,882 in 1900. Lübeck was the smallest, with a population of 105,857 in 1905. Each city-state awarded its own Hanseatic Cross to its own native sons, as well as to selected soldiers of their allies within the Central Powers. Today we are offering a Lübeck Hanseatic Cross and its award document. The urkunde (award document ) measures 11" x 9." The urkunde has been folded into quarters, then unfolded several times, and now remains folded. When folded, it measures 2 3/4" x 4 1/4." Tears have developed in several places along these folds. The urkunde is in fragile condition and should be handled very carefully. Heinrich Stegemann is the name of the awardee. The award was made on 22 March 1916. The urkunde boasts Lübeck’s two-headed eagle. A stamped signature appears at the document’s foot as its authorizing official. The cross measures 1 1/2" x 1 1/2." Its arms are a fine red enamel, which remain in excellent condition with NO chipping. Its center features the two-headed Lübeck Eagle in black against a gold background. The eagle’s chest sports a red and white enamel shield (thus displaying Germany’s national colors within the city’s symbol). The decoration’s reverse has silver-toned arms. Its center acknowledges war service during 1914. [The decoration was not officially authorized and awarded until 1915]. The cross has a jump ring, but no ribbon is present. $395.00

 

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06-177 ENLISTED MAN’S FRAMED DOCUMENT AND DECORATIONS - GARDE-GRENADIER-REGIMENT Nr 4. This is an interesting framed grouping of a document and decorations from a man who served in Königin Augusta Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr 4. The regiment was established in 1860. It was garrisoned in Berlin, where it was attached to the Garde Korps. The presentation comes in a period frame, and measures 10 1/4" x 8 1/4." Inside the frame is an award document for the 1914 Iron Cross 1^st Class, which measures 8 1/4" x 6 1/4." The man’s award of the Iron Cross 1^st Class did not come until 17 September 1924. This is the latest awarding of the Iron Cross 1^st Class that I have seen, personally. It is truly remarkable, since the award comes nearly six years after the war’s end! It is signed by a General der Infantrie of the Reichs Heer, who was stationed in Cassel. The man receiving the decoration was named Wald. Within the regiment he was assigned to the 2. Machine Gun Kompagnie. A red and white ribbon is stretched diagonally across the frame’s upper left corner. A Gallipoli Star has been secured in its lower left corner. The upper right corner displays a ribbon for the 1914 Iron Cross 2^nd Class. Finally, the lower right corner shows a 1914 Iron Cross 2^nd Class that has been converted to a 1^st Class. The decoration’s ring has been removed from its top, and the remains have been neatly filed off.  The frame’s back displays several interesting bits and pieces. Two newspaper photos of General Liman von Sanders appear. He was the German commander in Turkey, who dealt directly with Germany’s Turkish allies. He was greatly respected by the Turks and constantly honored by them. A portion of a Feldpost card from Wald to a loved one back home is included. It features the regimental stamp for Königin Augusta Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr 4. Under this material is a blue envelope with the German name for the Gallipoli Star. This might be the original award envelope for this decoration. Finally, an original photograph of Wald as a young man in the full dress uniform of Königin Augusta Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr 4 appears. A small, hand carved pipe also comes with the framed collage. It measures 8 1/4" in length. It seems like a style one might find in Turkey or other portions of the Middle East. It is ready to hang on your wall. You can even have a pleasant smoke while you admire it. $1,095.00  

 

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06-195 OFFICER’S DOCUMENT - DECORATION - PHOTOGRAPH - 1914 IRON CROSS 1^st CLASS. This is a mini grouping to an officer who received the 1914 Iron Cross 1^st Class. His name was Hauptmann d. L. II Karl Pletscher. As indicated on the document, Pletscher was a member of Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr 30. At the time of the award he was forty-four years-old and hardly a youngster. The award document measures 6 1/4" x 8." It features the award date (1. April 1918) and the regimental commander’s signature (he was a major). [This illustrates the officers’ attrition rate by the late war, having a major command a regiment instead of an oberst]. A privately-purchased EK 1 accompanies the document. The Iron Cross is a "KO-manufactured," flat (non vaulted) model, which was the primary, issued 1914 Iron Cross 1^st Class. We can see the KO hallmark under the reverse’s catch. A large-format photograph depicts Pletscher when he was a younger officer, probably as a leutnant around the turn of the 20^th Century. A 10 September 1918 clipping from Berlin’s Allgemeiner Anzeiger zum Militär Wochenblatt (General Gazette Weekly Newspaper for the Military) accompanies the mini grouping. It features several soldiers’ obituaries, including Pletscher’s. His mentions that he died on the battlefield on 10 August 1918, exactly a month before the obituary notice. This is an interesting, and ultimately, touching, group of items. $650.00

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06-200 ALLGEMEINES EHRENZEICHEN 2^nd CLASS AND AWARD DOCUMENT IN THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION CASE. This is a mini grouping of the Allgemeines Ehrenzeichen 2^nd Class in silver. The civil decoration was first awarded in two classes during the 1810 Napoleonic War, while König Friedrich Wilhelm III ruled Prussia. Our offering today is the final version, which was awarded from 1895 through 1917. The decoration is in nearly-mint condition. It measures 1 1/2" in diameter. The 2^nd Class was only awarded in silver. The obverse displays König Friedrich Wilhelm III’s royal cypher. The reverse states "Verdienst Um Den Staat" (Service for the State). The decoration is housed in a black leatherette case that measures 2" x 2 3/4" x 3/4." Inside the case gold trim runs around the frame’s edges. The case opens from the side rather than from the bottom. The silk liner on the left is black, while the case’s fitted bottom is lined in black velvet. An 13" length of original red and white ribbon is laid over the decoration’s top. The original urkunde (award document), measuring 13" x 8," is included. The document is in the same format used by virtually all Prussian decorations, including the Red Eagle Orders, Crown Orders, Hohenzollern House Orders, and even the Orden Pour le Mérite. The man receiving the award was named Wilhelm Geuting. The award was made in September 1902! Below the basic information, the document is signed by Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Ordens Kanzler. It is a beautiful set, in superb condition. $350.00

 

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