My new medal bar

[AndyD]

Hello,
here is one of my new bars.I have a couple of questions about it.Firstly,what state is this style of mounting from? Secondly,is it usual for the E.K to hang much lower than the Honour Cross?
Hope someone can help!Please bear with me as i'm still learning!
Kind regards,
Andy

[Rick Research]

That was the standard 19th century Prussian pattern, the one that was still regulation for non-commissioned ranks as late as 1916, and quite "old fashioned" when encountered in the 1930s.

Because the hooks are level on back, unless the wearer made some adjustments (see thread "Medal-Bar with the rarest Hanseatic Cross" by doing a search here on word "crimped") that's the way awards hang down on these, rather than the bottoms being level on other styles.

[AndyD]

Thanks for the reply Rick!Is it worth me 'crimping' the hook that holds the Honour Cross so they hang level,or is it best left alone?
Kind regards,
Andy

[JensF.]

I wouldn't touch it.

[Rick Research]

Never alter anything from the original wearer's condition. Yup, it's ugly-- but they wuz MADE ugly!

[Ed_Haynes]

Rick is, as is often true, right!

As is, it is history (OK, ugly history).

Altered, it is just an invention (= pretty junk).

Ed Haynes

[Eric Gaumann]

Andy,
If you wanted to add some sort of non-permanent 'spacer' to hold the EKII's ring higher up; like a small wood shim or a waded up piece of cotton ball I don't think it would degrade the award at all.

[Ed_Haynes]

Agreed. Anything aesthetic that can be easily reversed is fine. But you do need to think about the fact that the recipient probably (?) wore it much as you see it. What is that "worth"? For some, a lot. You'll never know who the recipient was, but leaving it "as is" will get you closer to how he saw his medals.

Ed Haynes