ribbon

[brucef]

One of my fellow employees at work saw I was interested in German items. She had a box of items and this is one. Nieman had a Prussian order of the red eagle last week ( this one has enamel damager upper arm front and back) but the other medals I know nothing about. Thanks for your help . Any ideas on value.

[brucef]

The cross on the right says Fur Kriegs Hilfsdienst on the front and a R with a crown on the back. The one in the middle has a cross with crowns on 3 ends with an A & V on front. On the back has Fur Verdienst VM Das RotheKreuz

[brucef]

Previously someone did research and told her one was an Olberkreuz. Thanks.

[David S]

YIKES

What an odd medal bar!

This bar is read from right to left instead of left to right, it is called a 'Frackspange'

This bar looks to be for a non-combatant in WW1

1. Prussian War Service Cross
2. Red Eagle Order, 4th Class ?
3. Prussian Red Cross medal, 3rd Class
4. ??
5. ??

#4 looks familiar but can't place it, possibly a religious order

As to value I have not a clue

[Klaus O.]

Dear Bruce,

The second cross is the Roter Adler Orden 3. Klasse mit Schleife (with bow), rarer than the simple 3rd class.

The 4th decoration is the Oelberg-Kreuz, issued by Prinz Eitel Friedrich von Preussen as "Herrenmeister" (Master) of the Johanniter Orden (religious order) of the "Balley Brandenburg". It was issued to commemorate the foundation of the Kaiserin-Auguste-Victoria-Stiftung (Institution) on the "Oelberg" (mount of oil???) near Jerusalem.

I have already seen the last medal but I don't remember where... I am not sure if it is a Prussian decoration or maybe a commemorative one.

The so-called Frackspange (tuxedo medal bar) was worn exclusively by civilians on their evening dress.

Ciao,

Claudio

[Klaus O.]

I found also the last medal: it's the "Ehrenmedaille der Kaiser Wilhelm-Gesellschaft 1930" (honor medal of the emperor William-Association 1930). I think that it wasn't an official medal, but just a commemorative medal of this association. It is not listed on the Nimmergut's catalogue O&E and his Handbücher.

Ciao,

Claudio

[JensF.]

Bruce, this is an ultrarare medal-bar! I am still counting the values... It is HIGH!

[brucef]

Thanks for all your help.

[Daniel Krause]

Donnerwetter! Thats a nice one! At least this guy also held a Crown order 2nd class around his neck, otherwise there would be a KO3 on the Bar.
Normally this bar should be traceable if somebody has a members list of the Kais-Wilh-Ges.

Last medal is actually a MEMBERSHIP medal for the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gesellschaft and so not really an award, but this things were usually worn on the medal bars.

Best regards

Daniel

[Rick Research]

It is just too bad that this bar is in such poor condition, with chips and dirty stained ribbons... because those are going to dramatically lessen "value," even if the original owner can be verified.

Oh if ONLY this hadn't been left lying around UNCARED FOR in a dirty basement or wherever for the last 50 years!

[Brian S]

So WHAT can you do to the bar without lessening value any more but bringing it back a bit? Dry cleaning fluid? Something?

[Ed_Haynes]

Please leave it alone. Any actions would strip the history from it!

[Rick Research]

Ed is right. NO repeat NO "commercial" or supermarket cleaning material can possibly help... but will only make the wear and damage even worse. I know this from bitter personal experience in my Young And Foolish days. Believe NO claims of "miracle" cleaning!!!!

It can NEVER be brought back-- but as long as it IS together on this bar, all original to the same owner... it IS his, it is real history.

We have all seen reckless and greedy people who think that ripping a damaged bar apart and selling the pathetic fragments will somehow make it more valuable. The opposite is true.

Leave this bar as is. Do nothing to it. It's value will not decline from what it is worth NOW, as is, unless ANYTHING is done to it. ANYTHING done to it, at all, will make it worth LESS.

Believe us Old Collectors. We've seen Every Horror Imaginable.

[Brian S]

So, no dipping in lye, acid wash, bleach or repainting, dyeing. You seem very sure of that.

[Rick Research]

Tried those.


Not good.


Then there was the guy who took a GRINDING WHEEL to his "tarnished" WW2 Ehrenpokal and...