Frack Medal Bar Queston

[Craig Gottlieb]

I have a question regarding "Frack" medals. For those who don't know, that means medals on medal bars like this:



Note that the medals are "right to left" in order of precedence. This set was submitted to my auction this cycle. I know that it is used on dress uniforms of the diplomatic corps, but what other organizations (and uniform types) use this set up?

[Alex K]

Besides the diplomatic corps, only civilian dress i believe.
Regards, Alex

[Craig Gottlieb]

What about the Navy?

[peterm]

What about the Navy?

Normal horizontal bar.

Kind regards, Peter

[Erich B.]

Found this on the OMSA site:
http://www.omsa.org/content/mounts
I'm pretty sure I've seen these reversed bars mounted on Imperial Naval Frock Coats.
Erich

[Silesien]

Craig,- look on page 418 of Angolia's Vol. 1 'For Führer & Fatherland',- there's a picture of a long angular style medal bar being worn by an officer of a Veteran's Organization. The cap badge on the officer's peaked cap appears to be the wreath w/ central badge having the Kyffhauserbund's Leipzig Völkerschlachtdenkmal (Monument to the Battle of the nations ) in the center.

[luftkrieg]

Anyone who could afford it could have a frack bar. These were to be worn with civilian dress. These were not restricted to one particular branch. Not sure where the rumour that these are navy related started but I have hear it before.

Kind regards
Pierce

[byterock]

Basically it goes back to Queen Victoria and 'Morning Dress' ( well really 'Mourning' dress).

She would only receive visitor's who where in this mode of dress after Albert died (1861) so after 40 years it became the standard Diplomatic style.

The reverse order has more to do with the cut of the coat than anything else. Not 100% sure but in the days before minis it would be the only way to get them all up ther if you had a few.

They are not really reversed you just read them up to down rather than left to right. Up being the high end of the bar. Think of it as a medal bar standing on edge.

More tradition any anything else. The KM wore them this way when in Morning/frock/mess coat and like others said if you could afford one and the other clothes to go with it you would get it.

[luftkrieg]

Just to add that given the combintion of awards on this particular frackspange I would say this was a civil servant of some kind.

Kind regards
Pierce

[Chet Sowersby]

Pierce is correct. This bar has to belong to a civil serveant of some sort. It would not surprize me if some place/point in time a Kregismarine member utilized this style. It is very stylish IMO. However, the order of awards do not indicate a member of the armed forces.

Chet

[Craig Gottlieb]

All interesting feedback ... thanks for contributing. I never really paid much attention to these, but find them to be quite nice.

[McCulloh]

Tuxedo or morning coat- maybe to a Bahn official, but by the 25 Ls cross I doubt it; I'm thinking Provincial RAT in Saxony/Silesia or a Mayor of some sort. Look at the story of the bar. It screams "poltical/social clout", but not too much and no EK noncom nor any HK, nor DRK medals of any sort-nor state awards.

[erichcraciun]

Hello,

Thought this might be of some interest to this thread.

Here is my Frack that I wear to some events.

Previously owned by A.D Lauenstein (research needed). There are clearly two sets of loops for awards (EK 1 and ?) and for a long (diagonal) medal bar.