Odd 5-Place Medal Bar for Review

[ErwinRommel1940]

Hello,

I'd like some opinions about this medal bar. I'd also like to know why it is mounted in reverse and at an angle.... I am a new collector and trying to learn.

Thanks in advance!

Nathan

[ErwinRommel1940]

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[ErwinRommel1940]

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[J C Gray]

It is known as a "Frack" bar and is designed to be worn at a very steep angle on an item of civilian type dress, such as a tuxedo. The angle of wear would ideally follow the lapel and reversing the order of precedence ensures that the most important award ie. Iron Cross remains displayed at the top and front.

[Tom Yanacek]

Hi Nathan,

As John has said, this bar is a Frackschnalle and was meant to be worn with civilian tuxedo dress and never with a military uniform. It was worn at an angle and has the reverse order of a military mount. Order of precedence on a military mount went from the viewer's left to right. On a Frackschnalle the order of precedence was from the viewer's upper right to lower left. However, in my opinion, this bar was not assembled during the Third Reich Period. It is a postwar assembly using original medals and ribbons. I say this for several reasons: If legitimate, the presence of the East Medal would imply an assembly date of no earlier than summer or fall of 1942. In the middle of the war there was no need for having a Frackschnalle made up. When would this guy have needed a medal bar for a civilian tuxedo? If going home on leave for a wartime wedding he would have been in uniform with a military mount medal bar if he even had a military mount medal bar made up at all. Medal bars were supposed to be worn only in peacetime for special occasions and ribbon bars were for daily wear and during wartime. With the war raging most were not thinking about making medal bars for wear in peacetime, nor for wear on a tuxedo. And although some younger enlisted men and junior officers did have military mounts assembled during the war, the senior officers and NCOs were not upgrading their medal bars. It is highly unlikely that a guy with at least 12 years in the military by 1940 would be upgrading his military medal bar once the war got going let alone even thinking about a Frackschnalle. Another issue I have is with the attachment hardware and the overall look of the reverse. I also don't like the use of the same color thread for all of the medal tie-downs. The tie-downs were supposed to look inconspicuous and not stick out like a sore thumb. Using the same color thread for each tie-down is indicative of laziness and shoddy workmanship. That was not acceptable as the assemblers took pride in their work. Another red flag for me is how the backing cloth is stitched to the top of the ribbons. I have seen that trait on countless postwar assembled medal bars. The backing cloth is too high up and is visible in a few spots when viewing the medal bar from the front. Not a good sign I'm afraid. The lack of the Wehrmacht eagle devices on the long service ribbons is one last red flag for me. Original medals and surplus ribbon stock was readily available in the postwar years but not so much the eagle devices. Therefore, many postwar assembled medal bars will lack the long service eagle devices. Although none of these issues taken singly are proof positive, when taken collectively I think they make a strong case for why this bar is not an original assembly of the Third Reich Period. I have also handled this particular medal bar personally and can give my opinion here with certainty.

Best regards,
Tom

[Yubari]

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