Württemberg medal bar

[Dave Danner]

Here is a recent pick-up. The silver military merit medal is silver, but debased, and has Herr Schwenzer's name. The gold medal is silver-gilt, but lacks the name, so is more likely a wearer's copy. Also note that the bust is at a different angle from that of the silver medal.



I hope this is of interest. I just got a scanner so I can post more items from time to time.

[Rick Research]

Dave--can you post a scan of the reverse side of this bar? The "gold" medal is, as von Hessenthal & Schreiber reported in 1940, one of a large variety of "private Nachbildungen" i.e. privately purchased wearing copies. My question about the reverse of the bar is because I am seeing the market flooded with fakes of this typical south German flat bottom style mounting, which usually had clips in front or hooks on back for wear as oversized ribbon bars without the medals. Presumably they are easier to churn out than the Prussian style sewn-into-a-bow curved bottom style. Now, there are lots of UGLY bars that are perfectly original, and this could well be one. But normally the ribbons are doubled over into the distinctive German "drape," not just stuck on flat (the difference between the EK and both Wtbg medals' ribbons), and I suspect that MAYBE the old ribbons of unmounted single medals may have been used to "squeak" out just enough for a bar, not having enough length to do the doubled folds. This would generally not have been a problem at the period, when replacement ribbon was cheap and readily available, and reverses should have a nice "wasteful" amount of material in back. This does get tricky in evaluating--some cheapos DID cut corners (I have seen bars with soldered on extensions etc--yuck!). As a general rule of thumb these days, though, it pays to be suspicious of this style bar, especially with Third Reich bars--the style was not popular then. As is always the case, GOOD bars suffer from the bad. Rick

[ 06 April 2001: Message edited by: Rick Lundstrom ]

[Stijn David]

Hello,


Interesting post, because the Gold Military Merit medal should be considered a rare award, assuming there where only 4234 off these gold medals awarded during WWI , in contrary to the silver ones that are much more common ( with 201412 award pieces. )
The gold awards can be specified as following ; 1832 to officers , 2402 to privates and non commisioned officers.

This award is instituted on 30.05.1794 by Duke Ludwig Eugen and the gold award is the highest miltary award for non commisioned officers and privates in the state off Wurtenberg.
This could also be given to Younger officers and in the case they did receive the gold medal as well as the Military merit order 2 nd class, the gold medal should be worn before the Military merit order.

Yours Sincerely,

[Dave Danner]

Here is the reverse. The felt, thread, ribbon and backing plate all appear to be of older manufacture.

[Rick Research]

Yup, looks like a perfectly good recipient-made ugly bar.

[VerKuilen Ager]

Rick isn't just yanking your chain when he says "recipent-made." Members could probably run a decent thread on some of the home-grown versions encountered. I once had a nice Freikorps bar that was extremely flexible and coming apart. Further examination revealed that the owner had fashioned the metal base from a tobacco tin.