1870 Saxe-Altenburg Group

[matt johnson]

Hello all,
I rarely have time to sit and post anything but I thought it was time to share some pieces rather than keep them to myself. I recently acquired this group. The medal on the left is the Saxe-Ernestine House Order Merit Medal for Saxe-Altenburg with the 1870/1 ribbon bar with swords. It's too bad the swords are damaged but finding a bar intact can be a trick at times. The bar with swords is a screw back and goes right through the medal bar. The medal on the right is the standard 1870/71 war service medal and below the Prussian 9 year service bar.

[matt johnson]

Here is the reverse. The fellow on the front of the House Order Merit Medal is Ernst, Duke of Sachsen-Altenburg. Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Saxe-Meiningen shared the same order but each having their own individual obverse and sharing the same reverse.

[matt johnson]

Here is another 1870 medal bar with the Saxe-Ernestine House Order Merit Medal for Saxe-Meiningen. This ones has Georg, Duke of Sachsen-Meiningen on the obverse. The cross at the far left is the Mecklenberg-Strelitz 1870 Military Merit Cross II class. This was Mecklenberg's version of the Iron Cross. The other medals are the 1870 KDM with Paris and Orleans campaign bars and the Centenary Medal.

[matt johnson]

Here is the reverse. This medal bar started out a three place bar but after 1897 it was elongated to accommodate the Centenary Medal. The campaign bars would have been added after 1895 when they were created and authorized. There are around 25 authorized bars and many variations and unofficial ones.
Hope you guys have enjoyed seeing these.

Best Wishes,
Matt

[JensF.]

Hi,

thanks for sharing! Great and rare medal-bars!!!

Best regards

[Daniel Krause]

Hi!

Really nice and rare Medal bars. Thank You for sharing!

Show us more!

Best regards

Daniel

[Tom Y]

Great bars. I'd never even heard of a screwback device before. How uncommon are they?

[Daniel Krause]

Hi,

I think, the screwback is private made. Normally the Sachsen- Ernestiner Devices have a loop on the backside to fit it on the ribbon.
I have no doubts about this device. The Medal bar is great and rare!

Best regards

Daniel