I have 2 uniform button-hole ribbons with metal devices, which are supposed to be for the Hohenzollern Hausorden, but one is without the Crown that you usually see in period photos of it in wear and the other is in frosted silver, instead of gold. Are these legitimate variations? I've done a search of the forum, but I didn't find anything on what the specs were for this button-hole Spange. I would appreciate any help in understanding what the rule was and would also like to see other examples out there.
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Nick, these devices are found in a variety of styles, and in usual German fashion, pretty much anything went. Having said that, I've never seen one in silver before. I have an example where the Crown Order device was used instead of the HOHX, and I think this was fairly common, the jeweller just used whatever looked close. Often they just used swords, as in your first example, and sometimes the swords and crown devices were two separate pieces. -
Vince,
Thank you for your reply. I did not know that so much improvising already took place at that time. Any idea what the silver device might be for then?Comment
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Theoretically, it might be for the Inahberkreuz of the HOH (rank list name HOH4X). Practically, it loks quite suspicious too me. I'd never touch something related to an award that was granted just 17 times without provenance.
This silver device or an extremely similar one was sold recently on eBay.de for foolish money. Hope it was not you who bought it.
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Inahberkreuz of the HOH ? You've lost me. It's sounding more and more like chemistry class (H2O and H2O4X), as I don't collect Imperial. I'll have to look it up.
Thank you for the help.Comment
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Oh, so it was not that one from ebay... very good!
The most common seen class of Prussian House Order of Hohenzollern is the knight's cross with swords ("HOH3X"), awarded in WW1 to officers from Leutnant to (I think) Oberst as a bravery/war merit medal. There was a lower grade given to high NCOs: the Inhaberkreuz with swords.
While the mentioned officers' class was awarded about 8.000 times, only 17 of those were awarded through whole WW1. Almost as rare as a WW1 award can get... but as said before, I would neither pay a high price nor would I assume this once belonged to one of those 17.
Theoretically, this mentioned HOH4X is the only award that would have been signified like this in the button whole.Comment
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