Red Eagle Order 4th w/Swords

[Bill M]

--As on the bars...
This is all just an excuse to post pics...

[Gerd Becker]

Bill,

i have checked all my books and all my files and didn´t find one RAO, that had a such bad painting on the medaillon.

A few things bother me on the cross in question:

1. The tail looks very funny.
2. the left wing is very different to the right wing
3. the wreath is not symetric
4. The legs are also very different.

The head looks ok, as well the shield, but the rest...

Sorry, i still don´t like it.

best,
Gerd

[Bill M]

And respectively...

[Gerd Becker]

Nice bars, Bill

Here is the worst, i could find. An early one with smooth arms:

[Mike Kenny]

Hi,

No comments about variations on tiny hand painted eagles from my!

I have a more general question regarding swords on RAOs (and Crown Orders). How should they be attached? Were they cast with the body of the cross? Were they neatly soldered on? Were they screwed on? Are there ways of determing fakes and upgrades from an issue cross with swords? Bill asked the same/similar questions in his first post but there doesn't seem to have been an answer.

Regards
Mike K

[Christian L]

to my info, the swords should be made out of stamped gold plate and front and reverse of the sword part soldered together and all 4 parts should be screwed into the cross "body".
very high detailing and fine and filigran way of hand production!

hope my info is ok and my engish is understandable - christian

[medalnet]

Swords

I just found this older Thread and need to empasize on something here.

Prussian swords were always made from GOLD. Hollow made coined 2 piece construction.

This changed by law in 1916 to SILVER GILT. Yet, again coined, but in one strike.

Red Eagle orders in 4th and 3rd grade with silver gilt swords are extremly rare, since one would first use the old stock up. Also, there were not many awards with swords for the 4th and 3rd class.

The piece that started this Thread was made by Godet and shows the matching Godet sword type. This sword type can be found on multiple other house orders. Like Waldeck or Braunscheig.

I couldn't find a picture of a silver gilt example, yet a nice 3rd class with swords by Wagner.