Ribbonbars

[Kikiko3]

I've been collecting ribbonbars for quite a while, but sadly have to sell some of them because i need money for moving. Before putting them on the Estand, i'd like them to be checked out, help with pricing them would be very much appreciated too. They look good imo, but always nice to have it confirmed. Let me know what you guys think

First my favorite, one of the first bars i bought:
Prussian Iron Cross, second class
Prussian Warriors Merit Medal
Prussian Merit Cross for War Aid
Colonial Service Medal
1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal
Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal
Brunswick War Merit Cross



EK/Hamburg/Lubeck cross


Long sew-on Austrian bar, ww1 and flower war


Ek, hindenburg cross, 2 bulgarian, and the gallipoli star (bought from waf)


Ek, unknown to me, hindenburg cross



Friendly cheers from Denmark
-Anton

[Valter Gorenc]

The middle ribbon on last one is Braunschweig (Brunswick) war merit cross.

The first one is very interesting, although I'm a bit concerned b/c ribbons are not evenly placed, Prussian war effort cross is more deteriorated than others and there are some missing prongs on ribbon tabs on the reverse. But there can be explanation for that.

[Peter J.]

Valter, I think those "missing prongs" is just a trick of he eyes as the light comes in from the right.

cheers
Peter

[tompress]

Hi,

I am not sure, if the last ribbon in first bar ist really the Brunswick Kriegsverdientskreuz (War Merit Corss). It's ribbon is dark blue with yellow stripes, and other ribbons in this bar are not so strong weathered...

It could be Bavarian Merit Cross for War Aid - matchig to similiar Prussian decoration.

greetings
Tomasz

[Kikiko3]

All prongs are still there, i'll take a better photo tomorrow (outside). I'm fairly sure on the long bar, in hand the wear looks more equal, too bad the war aid ribbon has been damaged and the Brunswick is a little ripped. Forgot to mention, it's DRP stamped.

If there are any photo requests, i'll gladly make them.

Friendly cheers from Denmark
-Tjebbe

[Valter Gorenc]

Yeah, i need new glasses! Looking again, prongs are still there!

[Dansson]

It could be Bavarian Merit Cross for War Aid - matchig to similiar Prussian decoration.

Could also be a ribbon for a Finnish Freedom medal 1st class 1918 which were awarded to some in the Ostsee Division for bravery.
However I think a German award is anyway the one that should be searched for in the first place as these German Finnsh combos are quite rare.

Just to add a suggestion for the mystery

[Kikiko3]

Good suggestion, but the 1918 finnish medal ribbon is a little different. It's blue in the mid and with black borders.

Friendly cheers from Denmark
-Anton

[Dansson]

Good suggestion, but the 1918 finnish medal ribbon is a little different. It's blue in the mid and with black borders.

Friendly cheers from Denmark
-Anton

No.

The Finnish Freedom medal 1st class has a ribbon that is blue-white-blue-white-blue. Blue in the middle thin white stripes on both sides of the middle blue, and on the outer edge of the ribbon it's again blue.

What you're describing seems for me to be the Commemorative medal of the Freedomwar 1918 which has a ribbon that's blue-black-blue-black-blue.

I will post a picture later.

Trust me, I'm Finnish and I know my countrys awards

[Dansson]

I managed to post a picture earlier.


Here is a small medalbar from the Liberation War 1918 mounted in a German style.
The medal to the left is the Freedom medal 1st class 1918. It's made of Silver and (813 Silver), made By Sporrong in Sweden 1918 if I recall correct (because we had a slight problem with the award manufacturing 1918, because of the civil war). On the front we have the Finnish lion and text Urheudesta / För Tapperhet and teo heraldic roses in between them, which means in Finnish and Swedish "For bravery", and is in both languages as Finland is a bilingual country, just like me as I speak both Swedish and Finnish as my mothertongue. On the reverse we have the text and year "Suomen kansalta 1918", in English; "From the Finnish people 1918".The ribbon is blue-white-blue-white-blue as you see.

The other award to the right is the Commemorative medal of the Freedomwar 1918 (Our civil war medal awarded for the Whites and their allies in the fight against the Reds.) Which has the image of the Freedom Cross, and the cross has a "Finnish style" Swastica in the middle, which still used today in our awards, with a heraldic rose in the center of the cross imgae today. It has also the year 1918 on the front. You can also see the Karelian swords on the background on the front.
On the reverse we have on the award the Finnish lion. The ribbon is blue-black-blue-black-blue.


Best regards,
Daniel

[Kikiko3]

You're right, my fault! It was the Commemorative medal i was refering to. Seems like you're right, it fits well. But wouldn't the soldier be eligible for the commemorative medal too, if he fought in the war?

Friendly cheers from Denmark
-Tjebbe

[Dansson]

You're right, my fault! It was the Commemorative medal i was refering to. Seems like you're right, it fits well. But wouldn't the soldier be eligible for the commemorative medal too, if he fought in the war?

Friendly cheers from Denmark
-Tjebbe

Yes and no, not all foreigners who were awarded a Finnish bravery medal got that commemorative one. It's a bit unclear for me why, but most did. 71 000 of those commemorative medals were awarded and 94 000 - 105 000 participated on the white side of the war (Including the Germans). So just the numbers tell that there wasn't one for all.

Other possible speculations;

• I wouldn't disregard the thought if he did have it, he didn't mount it on his bar as I have seen this happen before in estates.
  
• The medal was awarded to him at latest in May 1918 and the commemorative medal was instituted on 10.9.1918, he could have died before that as there was a good 5 months of war at least before he would reciee his at earliest.
  
• He was obviously "old" looking at the other awards he got, and no Hindenburg cross seen. He didn't either live long enough to recieve one or outlive the war at all, or then we come in to reason 2, he had just mounted a 1st class Freedom medal on his bar and was not too interested in remounting a new medal after the end of the war.
  
• Or the last reason, it's not a Finnish award at all but something else and I have been leading you on a strange path for the last few posts.

I have laid what I can on the table, anyone is free to pick the story they wish to believe in