Austro-Hungarians

[Roglebk]

And the Knights Grade Gold chain that the Rothe FJO came with. Many marks on it but the maker is probably H (in a square)

[gregM]

Carl,
The minis you come up with are stunning. I am always on the
search for them but never seem to find mini enamel.

[Don D.]

Truely some of the best designed and executed pieces from the era.

[Roglebk]

Truely some of the best designed and executed pieces from the era.

A couple of the Austrian Jewellers where at the very top. Here's a 'Kleindekoration' to the Leopold GK.

[Roglebk]

Mini Goldenes Verdienstkreuz by Vinc Mayer.

[jwburchell]

Mini-Marianer-Kreuz des Deutschen Ritterordens, 1871-1918

Here is a miniature of the award shown by RonR starting in his posting #80 of this thread. It measures approximately 18mm x 15mm. The inscription reads: PATRIAE AC HUMINITATI

Regards,

John

[RonR]

John,

Wonderful miniature to compliment the full size Cross.

Best regards,

[morel5000]

My small contribution:
Goldene Verdienstkreuz mit Krone

Best regards,
Michel

[morel5000]

and Militaerverdienstkreuz:

No markings visible.. can the maker be identified?

best regards,
Michel

[Don D.]

Beautiful awards.

[Miro O]

Hello,

in my opinion, that of Austro-Hungarian Orders & Decorations, is one of the less "dangerous" fields of collecting, if compared to the III Reich and the ancient German states.

Until now, no copy or fake can reach the excellent quality of an original piece, at least to a medium trained collector's "eye".

Best wishes,

Elmar Lang

I would doubt these statement with the pictures, but I am not allowed to post attachments. These pictures were taken from one italian forum. I absolved the signing-in torture in this (strange to me) language to receive the set of comparison photos of fakes and originals of austrian pilot´s badges. These badges are neither underrated, nor underappreciated. I think they are far far more beautiful than german ww1 or ww2 flight badges (my opinion). Despite of not easy work, their price is quite interesting to produce fakes. And Horvath company in Budapest is producing great fakes... I´ve allready seen Horvath´s fake with far more correct eagle, marked J. Zimbler. For 190 dollars, don´t buy it, mainly if Barry wants 1.250 dollars for this... So I am only waving with my ears hearing this is less dangerous field... Ok, "medium trained collector´s eye" is good diplomatic therm, it absorbs everything, I just want to warn newcomers, don´t believe this is less dangerous field and don´t step on first mine.
Here is the list of most faked austrian medals (it is your link, Elmar): http://www.ordenskunde.at/fakes.html

Regards, Miro

[Miro O]

Another pic of the first class and the proof marks. This may be an older style medal as Franz Joseph looks younger than on some of these medals I've seen. I'm not sure. Gary

Franz Joseph looks always young on bravery medals, although he is growing older on signum laudis or campaign/commemorative medals. It is because this type of FJ bravery medals was produced from same pattern since 1866. Good to know sculptor Leisek died in 1898, Tautenhayn in 1911. Despite of this, their patterns served until april 1917.

Regards Miro

[Miro O]

The medal is the WW1 medal for Tirol, which is in SW Austria, bordering Italy. A nicely made enamel pin with the Tirolean eagle, and a charm medal. These were all together when I bought them. The charm says something like: "When in the mountains I will protect you." A rough translation, my German is poor.

My great-grandparents came from Tirol to the US in 1895 and were of Italian descent. South Tirol was taken from Italy in, I believe, 1866. So even though my family was originally Italian before 1866 they were Austrian citizens when they came to the US. After WW1, South Tirol again went back to the Italians and is that way today.
Gary

Following defeat by Napoleon in 1805, the Austrian Empire was forced to cede Tyrol to the Kingdom of Bavaria in the Peace of Pressburg. Tyrol, as part of Bavaria, became a member of the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806. Tyrol remained under Bavaria and the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy until it was returned to Austria by the Congress of Vienna in 1814. Integrated into the Austrian Empire, from 1867 onwards it was a Kronland (Crown Land) of Cisleithania, the western half of Austria-Hungary.
...
During the negotiations between Austria and the victorious Entente powers after ww1 in Saint-Germain a petition for help, signed unanimously by all the mayors of South Tyrol, was presented to US President Woodrow Wilson. Wilson had announced his Fourteen Points to a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1918 and the mayors reminded him of point 9: "A readjustment of the frontiers of Italy should be effected along clearly recognizable lines of nationality."
But when the Treaty of Saint-Germain was signed on September 10, 1919 Italy was nonetheless given by Article 27, section 2 the ethnic German territories South of the Alpine watershed.
It has been claimed that Wilson later complained about the annexation:
"Already the president had, unfortunately, promised the Brenner Pass boundary to Orlando, which gave to Italy some 150,000 Tyrolese Germans-an action which he subsequently regarded as a big mistake and deeply regretted. It had been before he had made a careful study of the subject...."
Till these days, the majority of the population speak German. Around a quarter of the population speak Italian, and a small minority have Ladin as their mother language.
South Tyrol is granted a considerable level of self-government, consisting of a large range of exclusive legislative powers and a fiscal regime that allows the province to retain 90% of all levied taxes.
In the wider context of the European Union, the province is one of the three members of the Euroregion of Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino, which corresponds almost exactly to the historical region of Tyrol.

Infos from wikipedia, Regards

[Miro O]

The other engraver name you'll encounter, is Joseph Leisek. I believe LIESEK is only seen on the FJ style 1st Class awards and Tautenhayn on the 2nd Class awards; correct me if I am wrong here.

Tim

As far as I know, his name was Friedrich "Franz" Leisek.
Regards

[Miro O]

After Franz Joseph's death, the medals were changed to the bust of Charles (Karl) in April 1917.

I believe the only engraver's name you'll find with the Charles versions are that of Heinrich Kautsch for all award levels.

Here's a bronze example:

Tim

No, there was sculptor Gál, who also made Karl II. medals. Short time ago I wasn´t quick enough to "buy now" silver variant of his medal. Don´t know too much of him, he was hungarian sculptor so it is very possible these were post war pieces for hungarian veterans purposes. His medals are also unique in the fact that the sculptor´s name is engraved on the reverse, not on obverse as usual.

Regards, Miro