My new medal bar - one way to see the world

[Noor]

Here is my new nice (and rare!) medal bar.
Prussian guy who was serving his country at least from 1897 and was in China and Italy (Medal of Merit for the Messina Earthquake -1908)!

[Don D.]

An interesting combo for sure.

[Erichjr]

Very nice, i like the one in the middle..
Erich

[Scott Powell]

excellent bar!!

[Noor]

Thanks guys !!!!!!!!!
Like one very trustfull collector from another forum answer my question.... there was only two German Navy ships who went to there to help people in Italy - Hansa and Hertha.
Always good to know some backround or extra information as well!
Also its my first medal bar with China service medal!!!

Here is another part of the set:

[stevenn]

Nice, but......

It's a lovely group and it has one of my favorite medals presently tacked onto the end of it; however, it doesn't match the ribbon or the nationality. The ribbon for the Messina earthquake medal is white with 2 green stripes in the same location and size as the red ones. Also, the Messina medal you have is for an Italian citizen and not a foreigner which is silver. I do have a German group with an Mess. Earthquake in it. (I also have British , Italian, and French groups. I need U.S., Turkish, and Russian groups to round off the collection.)
What is the last ribbon? I think we can rule out vritish medal for the Indian Mutiny, there are some Prussian merit awards that may fit the ribbon. Also, possibly a Red Cross award from the German Weimar period or later, as well as foreign Red Cross awards.
Sorry to cause you to rethink your bar, but that Messina is a $200.00ish medal, if that is any consolation.
Stevenn

[Noor]

Thanks stevenn for your answer!
It is silver Messina medal, I took the picture in the evening when the light wasn´t right or just my photographic skills are not in there.
This bar came from a one of the bigest Imperial navy collection and I really trust well known collectors who give advice here in the collectors forums as well. So, I am sure its not made up medal bar .
Most of the Imperial Germany medal bars with same award are with wrong ribbon because Italy wasn´t "friend" after WW1 start. And this group is put together during the WW1 or after. So, no change to order new ribbon from Italy. I even just saw one group of awards with different ribbons for the messina medal in one group - crazy . My Messina medal is with the Hamburg cross ribbon.
I know, its not the right ribbon but I am really happy with my group because its from secure collector!
As far I research, the owner of this group probably served on the SMS Hertha. but same time there is only so common awards that its almost impossible to track down owner name.

[Noor]

stevenn,

Can you please post here a picture of your medal bars with Messina medals. I would like to see them

Regards,

Noor

[Brian S]

Very nice. I assume this is a pre-war bar. Was the order of the decorations as earned and applied as such? Such an interesting combo I have no idea how the regulations would have required order on the bar.

[McCulloh]

War time decorations first, then merit, then long service, then campaign , then commemorative-lastly foreign awards.
This bar was obviously to a long suffering petty-officer who got bumped up upon demobilization in 1919 to a Ltdr-hence the officers LS medal. For what its worth I think the Messina medal was awarded and it's ribbon is a 'close enough" job by the local tailor.
I doubt it's a war time state award as that would be towards the front ...but maybe Japanese?
It does look pristine.

[stevenn]

With my German messina group, the ribbon is correct, but the the medal's reverse is presented instead of the Italian king's bust. This was for the "political " reasons mentioned above i.e. Italy betraying the Germans and Austrians.