The purpose of this thread will be to inform collectors about the basic characteristics of Rothe Style Pour le Merites and to create a repository of these types of PlMs for readers to view and study.
The focus will be on 1914-1945 pieces. It should be noted that very few Austrians were awarded the PlM and that vended items to recipients in the TR era would be quite rare as well. Consequently, nearly all Rothe style PlMs that appear today are fake. Still, it is certain that Austrians were awarded the PlM and that Rothe produced some examples as a jeweler during the awarded and TR period.
I want to be respectful of pictures that have been sent to me before from many of you and will credit all of you with your pics that I post to the extent that I know them. I will post nothing that I have not been given permission to use if the owner is known. I will correct any pics that do not give proper credit. I also hope collectors on this forum will post what they believe to be genuine Rothe type PlMs here even if they have been posted in older threads. The idea is to gather them here for a single point of study.
History of the Rothe Firm
My research on the firm of Rothe reveals the following.
Christian Friedrich Rothe originally came from Altenburg in Saxony. In 1834 at age 17 he came to Vienna and entered into a goldsmith studio in the Waldschnepfenhaus on Gumpendorfer Street. He successfully led the studio to independence and took it over in 1844.
In 1849 he found great opportunity and moved the firm to a new Vienna address: Kohl Markt 7. It was here he developed his goldsmith skills into a fine art. Around 1850 his nephew Anton Otto Gerbitz entered the enterprise, whereby Mr. Rothe changed the firm’s name to “C.F. Rothe & Neffe.” A second nephew, Heinrich Emil Rothe, joined the firm in 1867 and together these men established the Rothe firm as one of the premiere jewelers and orders manufacturers in all of Europe.
Famed sculptor and artist Anton Dominik von Fernkorn is said to have stated that Rothe must have crafted the lost treasure of Nibelungenhort. This was in reference to Ernst Raupach’s epic Nibelungenhort, where the hero Hagen orders a vast treasure sunken because of its temptation and beauty. Rothe’s stock continued to rise. It was Rothe that set the diamonds into gold on Austrian empress Elisabeth’s crown and Rothe likewise made Sofia’s large pontiff cross.
Fortune smiled as a result when in 1855 Emperor Franz Joseph I appointed Rothe as one of the state’s chief goldsmiths and in 1868 the firm was granted the privilege of producing all major royal chamber orders. In the course of the time Christian Rothe received orders for royalty and royal orders all across Europe.
With Christian Rothe’s death in 1892, Anton Otto Gerbitz was named successor. After his death in 1908 Heinrich Emil Rothe led the enterprise followed by his son Rudolph Ferdinand. Emil Adalbert Rothe suddenly found himself in charge of the firm after the untimely death of his father in 1938. During the Second World War the business nearly came to an end. However, the firm had been spared from major bombing and it was possible to continue orders and medal production after 1945.
Since gaining Franz Josef’s favor, the Rothe firm produced all the official Orders of the Golden Fleece, the Austrian Empire’s oldest and highest order. It produced many of the most prestigious and important Habsburg orders. With the decline of Austria as a world power, and with the wane of royal orders and decorations, Rothe ceased most production of wartime awarded and royal house orders in 1991 due to their extreme expense in craftsmanship.
By 1999, Susanna and Elizabeth Rothe, both skilled goldsmiths, managed the firm. Business shifted to the production of high-end pearl and gold jewelry as well as traditional orders and hunting awards. In 2005 the business closed after more than 150 years. Their collections, tooling and machinery were entrusted to museum collections.
Despite the rich history, little is known of their Pour le Merite production. Given that 14 Austrians were awarded the order in World War I, it is highly likely that Rothe made copies the award, especially since Rothe was the court jeweler of Austria and many were royalty that received it.
To date, I have yet to find a marked Rothe example. Examples found are unmarked. Awards attributed to Austrian recipients, such as von Bojna, are unmarked gold examples. Even von Bojna's award (found in Prussian Blue, pp. 260-263) is a unique singular design that follows no standard pattern. It is truly a one-of-a-kind, likely made by Rothe but not in the design attributed to them. Rothe is purported to have made the last (unofficial) issued Pour le Merite in 1964 for Theo Osterkamp in recognition for being named Chancellor of the Order. The medal had the 50-year crown attached to the ribbon above the Order. I cannot find a picture of this award.
Characteristics
I will begin by covering the basic characteristics of the Rothe-style PlMs produced from the 1914-1945 period.
The Pie-Shaped Wedge. The ‘pie-shaped’ wedge at the top of the cross that held the ribbon suspension ring is stippled like the Godet. I have yet to see what I believed to be an authentic Rothe that had any kind of mark on the wedge.
The Crown and F. The Crown is very detailed similar to the Godet in scoring but similar in shape to the Wagner crown. It has distinct ‘gaps’ between the spars and jewels above the band. The ‘F’ extends to the right base of the crown as well. The crown top and jewels are ‘chased’ with ‘dots’ by the jeweler to enhance it with engraving marks on the details. The band is chased parallel and the crown opening is chased both parallel and perpendicular.
Scored Letters. ‘Scored’ or engraved ‘chase’ marks along the details of the letters by a jeweler marks all of the lettering. This ‘chasing’ provides very handsome detail unlike Wagner and some later Godet PlM styles. Unlike Godets, the scoring is in a distinct ‘Ladder’ pattern.
Narrowed Center and flat shaped Maltese cross. Like Godet crosses, the Rothe has a very thin ‘waist,’ measuring only about 1mm and sits slightly off center. It is also more squat and flat shaped with less angle on the end of the ray arms, like Godet but unlike Wagner.
Cockaded, Open Beak, Fishbone-tailed Eagles. The eagles have a distinctive ‘flat top’ or ‘cockade’ on the heads like a Godet. Their beaks are also open. True PlMs have the eagles facing the center of the cross, no matter where positioned, rather than mounted in clockwise fashion as seen on some fakes. The eagles are almost a blend of the Godet and Wagner styles. The wings resemble the curved Wagner but the heads are like Godet. Rothe feet, similar to Godet, are prominent and have wedge-shaped legs rather than the rounded ‘drum stick’ shaped legs like on the Wagner style crosses, although the knee caps are similar. The tail feathers are formed by five feathers—two sets parallel and a bottom feather. Unlike Godet and Wagner, these tail feathers are cut out and appear similar to a ‘Fish bone,’ making them the most obvious feature of the cross.
Special thanks to Barry Turk at eMedals for use of the pics of what I believe to be one of the few authentic and period Rothe-made PlMs. It was believed to have been made in the 1930s.
More to follow, Steve
The focus will be on 1914-1945 pieces. It should be noted that very few Austrians were awarded the PlM and that vended items to recipients in the TR era would be quite rare as well. Consequently, nearly all Rothe style PlMs that appear today are fake. Still, it is certain that Austrians were awarded the PlM and that Rothe produced some examples as a jeweler during the awarded and TR period.
I want to be respectful of pictures that have been sent to me before from many of you and will credit all of you with your pics that I post to the extent that I know them. I will post nothing that I have not been given permission to use if the owner is known. I will correct any pics that do not give proper credit. I also hope collectors on this forum will post what they believe to be genuine Rothe type PlMs here even if they have been posted in older threads. The idea is to gather them here for a single point of study.
History of the Rothe Firm
My research on the firm of Rothe reveals the following.
Christian Friedrich Rothe originally came from Altenburg in Saxony. In 1834 at age 17 he came to Vienna and entered into a goldsmith studio in the Waldschnepfenhaus on Gumpendorfer Street. He successfully led the studio to independence and took it over in 1844.
In 1849 he found great opportunity and moved the firm to a new Vienna address: Kohl Markt 7. It was here he developed his goldsmith skills into a fine art. Around 1850 his nephew Anton Otto Gerbitz entered the enterprise, whereby Mr. Rothe changed the firm’s name to “C.F. Rothe & Neffe.” A second nephew, Heinrich Emil Rothe, joined the firm in 1867 and together these men established the Rothe firm as one of the premiere jewelers and orders manufacturers in all of Europe.
Famed sculptor and artist Anton Dominik von Fernkorn is said to have stated that Rothe must have crafted the lost treasure of Nibelungenhort. This was in reference to Ernst Raupach’s epic Nibelungenhort, where the hero Hagen orders a vast treasure sunken because of its temptation and beauty. Rothe’s stock continued to rise. It was Rothe that set the diamonds into gold on Austrian empress Elisabeth’s crown and Rothe likewise made Sofia’s large pontiff cross.
Fortune smiled as a result when in 1855 Emperor Franz Joseph I appointed Rothe as one of the state’s chief goldsmiths and in 1868 the firm was granted the privilege of producing all major royal chamber orders. In the course of the time Christian Rothe received orders for royalty and royal orders all across Europe.
With Christian Rothe’s death in 1892, Anton Otto Gerbitz was named successor. After his death in 1908 Heinrich Emil Rothe led the enterprise followed by his son Rudolph Ferdinand. Emil Adalbert Rothe suddenly found himself in charge of the firm after the untimely death of his father in 1938. During the Second World War the business nearly came to an end. However, the firm had been spared from major bombing and it was possible to continue orders and medal production after 1945.
Since gaining Franz Josef’s favor, the Rothe firm produced all the official Orders of the Golden Fleece, the Austrian Empire’s oldest and highest order. It produced many of the most prestigious and important Habsburg orders. With the decline of Austria as a world power, and with the wane of royal orders and decorations, Rothe ceased most production of wartime awarded and royal house orders in 1991 due to their extreme expense in craftsmanship.
By 1999, Susanna and Elizabeth Rothe, both skilled goldsmiths, managed the firm. Business shifted to the production of high-end pearl and gold jewelry as well as traditional orders and hunting awards. In 2005 the business closed after more than 150 years. Their collections, tooling and machinery were entrusted to museum collections.
Despite the rich history, little is known of their Pour le Merite production. Given that 14 Austrians were awarded the order in World War I, it is highly likely that Rothe made copies the award, especially since Rothe was the court jeweler of Austria and many were royalty that received it.
To date, I have yet to find a marked Rothe example. Examples found are unmarked. Awards attributed to Austrian recipients, such as von Bojna, are unmarked gold examples. Even von Bojna's award (found in Prussian Blue, pp. 260-263) is a unique singular design that follows no standard pattern. It is truly a one-of-a-kind, likely made by Rothe but not in the design attributed to them. Rothe is purported to have made the last (unofficial) issued Pour le Merite in 1964 for Theo Osterkamp in recognition for being named Chancellor of the Order. The medal had the 50-year crown attached to the ribbon above the Order. I cannot find a picture of this award.
Characteristics
I will begin by covering the basic characteristics of the Rothe-style PlMs produced from the 1914-1945 period.
The Pie-Shaped Wedge. The ‘pie-shaped’ wedge at the top of the cross that held the ribbon suspension ring is stippled like the Godet. I have yet to see what I believed to be an authentic Rothe that had any kind of mark on the wedge.
The Crown and F. The Crown is very detailed similar to the Godet in scoring but similar in shape to the Wagner crown. It has distinct ‘gaps’ between the spars and jewels above the band. The ‘F’ extends to the right base of the crown as well. The crown top and jewels are ‘chased’ with ‘dots’ by the jeweler to enhance it with engraving marks on the details. The band is chased parallel and the crown opening is chased both parallel and perpendicular.
Scored Letters. ‘Scored’ or engraved ‘chase’ marks along the details of the letters by a jeweler marks all of the lettering. This ‘chasing’ provides very handsome detail unlike Wagner and some later Godet PlM styles. Unlike Godets, the scoring is in a distinct ‘Ladder’ pattern.
Narrowed Center and flat shaped Maltese cross. Like Godet crosses, the Rothe has a very thin ‘waist,’ measuring only about 1mm and sits slightly off center. It is also more squat and flat shaped with less angle on the end of the ray arms, like Godet but unlike Wagner.
Cockaded, Open Beak, Fishbone-tailed Eagles. The eagles have a distinctive ‘flat top’ or ‘cockade’ on the heads like a Godet. Their beaks are also open. True PlMs have the eagles facing the center of the cross, no matter where positioned, rather than mounted in clockwise fashion as seen on some fakes. The eagles are almost a blend of the Godet and Wagner styles. The wings resemble the curved Wagner but the heads are like Godet. Rothe feet, similar to Godet, are prominent and have wedge-shaped legs rather than the rounded ‘drum stick’ shaped legs like on the Wagner style crosses, although the knee caps are similar. The tail feathers are formed by five feathers—two sets parallel and a bottom feather. Unlike Godet and Wagner, these tail feathers are cut out and appear similar to a ‘Fish bone,’ making them the most obvious feature of the cross.
Special thanks to Barry Turk at eMedals for use of the pics of what I believe to be one of the few authentic and period Rothe-made PlMs. It was believed to have been made in the 1930s.
More to follow, Steve
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