Some Austrio Hungarian Items for viewing pleasure

[eindecker2]

First up is a medal bar that I got a few years back. Though its locked in a frame now, the center supporitng bar that the ribbons hang on seems to be a large sliver of shrapnel. I put it in a frame and cant get it out without ruingn the frame but here is a photo anyhow...

[eindecker2]

Next up is a set I got this year, though it is not sewn together it is mostly complete to my knowledge. I had to add the bravery medal as the dealer at the flea market had a worn and slightly faded bravery medal. The ribbon was torn and could no longer hang on the 'bar'. When I got to the set someone else had just bought the single bravery medal and walked off with it . Well, I got the bar anyhow for a very reduced price and added a bravery medal myslef - too bad I cant find a ribbon with the same shadow fade as the others. A guy who probably saw action in the closing year of the First War and then was called back up for service at the beginning of the Second War.

[eindecker2]

and the back. It was that massive catch that probably wore down the original ribbon for the barvery medal.

[eindecker2]

And a wound medal with (from my understanding) is a ribbon for Spanish Flu or other disableing sickness during the war.

[eindecker2]

the back

[Daniel Murphy]

Nice bars, the first officer piece is NICE. You are right this wound medal is for a serious sickness possibly even being gassed. For normal wounds one black edged red stripe would be in the center of the ribbon. I have seen as many as five -six wounds represented on these.
Dan Murphy

[McCulloh]

That officers' bar is sweet! I would love to own it. Interesting that the Austrian commemorative (issued 1933+) is at the end and that there is no HKx: chronological order or a hint as to Hungarian nationality?
The 2nd bar appears as if it was to an enlisted Hungarian who was recalled by the Hungarians in WW2.

[eindecker2]

The offciers bar is the more sweeter of the two (even since I had to add the bravery medal to the enlisted bar) I am really contemplating tearing out the bar from the frame and taking a photo of the piece of shrapnel. Its quite interesting you can see between the barvery medal and the Karl Troops Cross there is an iregualrity as this is where the piece of schrapnel is broken - perhaps to acomidate the curve of the chest? If it were not broken I wdl have never found that there was an irregualr metal shard inside. Truly a unique piece. I wont even tell you what I paid for it. You would never believe me....
PS what is an HKx??? BTW...