four ser~es originating in 1906, 1908, 1910 and 1916. Each series contained breast badges, and all grades in all series are scarce. The ORDER FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES, in Detmold only, was of three classes whose badge design represented a rose in full bloom. Also called "The Rose of Lippc," it was bestowed from 1898 to 1918. Schaumburg-Ltppc’s ORDER FOR ART AND SCIENCE from 1899 included a silver enameled cross to 1914, a gilt enameled cross from 1914 to 1918, and a plain silver cross as the Second Class from 1902 to 1918.

MECKLENBURG-SCttWERIN and MECKLENBURG-STRELITZ: The HOUSE ORDER OF TItE WENDISIt CROWN was founded in both states in 1864, but the insignia differed in the motto, "Per Aspera Ad Astra" in Schwerin and "Avito Viret Honore" in Strelitz. There were four classes with several variants but the knight grade, in gold or gilt, was only infrequently augmented with swords. The Strelitz badges of this order are far less common than those of Schwerin. The ORDER OF TttE GRIFFONwas established in Schwerin in 1884 and extended to Strelitz in 1904. The single knight badge could be augmented with a crown as a higher distinction in exceptional cases.

NASSAU: The ORDER OF MERIT OF ADOLPHUS OF NASSAU was founded in 1858 and became obsolete in 1866. It had a knight grade in gold and a silver cross in the fourth class. Both were occasionally augmented with swords. The order was revived in Luxembourg about 1890 and there is a challenge in telling those badges from the earlier Nassau series. Nassau badges are generally smaller and more delicate and commonly of better workmanship.

OLDENBURG had the HOUSE ORDER OF PETER FRIEDRICH LUDWIG, founded in 1838. It eventually had seven classes and is unusual for having four dates important to its ruling house on the reverse arms of the badges. The badges could be augmented w~th swords, swords at the ring, wreath, crown and combinations.

PRUSSIA deserves a whole book to portray its orders and their permutations. The ORDEN POUR LE MERITE, founded in 1667, has no proper breast badges but is included here because of its popularity with German states collectors. There is a civil division, also a neck badge, which is currently conferred. The ROYAL HOUSE ORDER evolved from the Princely House Order of Hohenzollern in 1851, and is differentiated from it by the eagle center medallion and the motto "Vom Fels Zum Meet." Unusual gradation of the order included several breast badge grades which could be augmented with swords and crown. Like most of the Prussian orders, it could be awarded on the ribbon for certain kinds of war service. The has the most intricate structure of any order anywhere, with several different ribbons and multiple augmentations of swords, swords at the ring, oak leaves, lubtlee buttons, and the Johanniter Cross. It evolved from the Brandenburg Ordre de la Sincerite through the Brandenburg Red Eagle. Adjoining or equal grades could be worn together if the c~rcumstances of the awards were sufficiently different. A collection of a hundred different Red Eagle knight badges is possible. There was even a version of the badge in a shape other than cruciform, for non-Christian recipients. The ORDER OFTHE CROWNwas founded in 1861 in ftve classes. Early badges portrayed a small, rounded crown in the center; after about fifteen years, the design of that crown was modified to a bolder, more broad-based one. Breast badges could be augmented w~th swords, swords at the ring, double swords, or the Geneva cross. The JOHANNITERORDEN (Order of St. John) occasionally appears as a breast badge in a mounted group, but the statutory badges

35 were worn at the neck. The ORDER OF LUISEwas comprised mostly of breast badges; all are scarce. They may be found dated 1813, 1848, 1865, 1866, possibly 1870, and 1914 as the orderwas recalled into being to reward certain humanitarian activities in wartime.

REUSS had only the ORDER OF THE CROSS OF HONOR, founded for the Elder Line in 1858 and extended to the Younger Line in 1869. The order had four classes, the three lowest of which were breast badges which could be augmented w~th swords and/or crown.

SAXONY: There are a few breast badges of the one-class but these seem to be "kleiner" decorations orvanity pieces. The MILITARY ORDER OF ST. HENRY was founded in 1836 and eventually had four classes. The knight grade breast badges may be of gold or gilt, and the right to award this order reposes in the Margrave of Meissen. The ORDER OF CIVIL MERIT was founded in 1815 and called simply the Order of Merit after 1848. Earlier badges have centers which appear to be painted, later ones contain die-struck elements. They could be augmented with swords and may be of gold or gilt, or silver, depending on grade. The ORDER OF ALBRECHT, also known as the Order of Albert the Bold, was founded in 1850 and there are two clear periods identified by the striking of the head of the titular sovereign on the obverse center medallion. Breast badges could be augmented with swords, swords at the ring, and the crown, but the crown was not applied to badges of the Knight Second Class. The ORDER OF SIDONIA was founded in 1871 as the first Royal Saxon Orderwhich could be conferred upon ladies. It was of one class, worn at the shoulder on a bow, and is scarce. The ORDER OF MARIAANNAwas founded in 1906 in two classes with a third added in 1913. A silver cross attached to the order after that date is considered by some to be an integral part of the orders’s structure.

SAXE-WEIMAR had only the ORDER OFTHE WHITE FALCON, dating from 1732 and renewed in 1815. There were evidently five classes, with the usual two breast badges. The badge of a Knight Second Class had a design different from the other class insignia of the order from its inception in 1842 to 1892. The knight grades could be augmented with swords, and there was a special division for general merit, which is scarce.

SAXON DUCHIES: The HOUSE ORDER OF TIlE DUCHIES OF SAXONY is generally referred to as the Ernestine House Order. It was founded jointly in four classes in Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg Gotha and Saxe Meiningen on Christmas Day 1833. A fifth class was added in 1864. Early badges until 1864 bore an initial on the upper arm of the cross: "F" in Altenburg, "E" in Coburg Gotha, and "B" in Meiningen. There was also, briefly, a difference in the wreath around the obverse medallion to distinguish between domestic and foreign awards. In rare cases, dates were added to one or two arms of the cross during the First World War. Besides the dates, the badges could be augmented with swords, and the rare swords at the ring. Awards were made as late as 1935.

SCHWARZBURG-RUDOLSTADT and SCHWARZBURG-SONDERSHAUSEN had an ORDER OF THE CROSS OF HONO R from 1853 in Rudolstadt and from 1857 in Sondershausen. There were four classes with possible augmentatmn with swords or a dated spray of oak leaves. The monogram in the reverse center medallion indicates the origin: "FG" for Rudolstadt or "GFC" for Sondershausen.

36 WALDECK conferred an ORDER OF MERIT founded in 1857 as an ornate circular medallion,which became an award for arts and sciences on the reorganization into an order in 1871. There were four grades, now represented by cruciform badges. A fifth class was inserted above the two grades of knight about the time of World War One. The usual augmentation was swords crossed through the center, and the total of conferments of the two breast badges appears to have been 68 in the third class and 561 in the fourth, all but one (for South West Africa) being First World War awards. The MILITARY has for many collectors the status of an order. There were three classes, with rumors of a fourth, and the second class was a fully enameled breast badge. It was seldom conferred and appears to have become obsolete in 1892. A variant of the second class served as an officers’ Long Service Cross with an appropriate inscription in the reverse center medallion; standard badges have no inscription there.

WUERTTEMBERG conferred an ORDER OF THE CROWN, developed from the union of the Order of the Golden Eagle of 1702 and the Order of Civil Merit of 1806. There were fwe classes and the lower grades have become scarce. The ORDER OF MILITARY MERIT was founded in 1799, with alterations of the monogram and/or the suspension through five reigns. Only badges awarded during the First World War are common; they may be gold or gilt and there is only a single knight grade. The ORDER OF FRIEDRICH was established as a one-class order around 1830, and in 1856 was expanded to four classes. The badges could be augmented with swords, always above the badge, and the fourth class without swords is becoming scarce. The ORDER OF OLGA was founded in 1871 in one class for humanitarian acts and services in time of war.

The preceding paragraphs reviewed the German states’ breast badges likely to be encountered by the collector. The following list covers one-class, rare and ephemeral orders which are found in the literature but not often in the marketplace.

ANHALT-KOETHEN’s ORDER FOR MERIT was probably obsolete by 1836. It encompassed two breast badge grades so rare the only examples known to me were acknowledged copies.

BADEN’s HOUSE ORDER OF FIDELITY was primarily a restricted one-class order of knighthood which also had a commander grade from 1893 to 1840.

BAMBERG’s ORDER POUR LE MERITE ~s a one-class order, ephemeral and rare.

BAVARIA’s ORDER OF ST. HUBERT had legendary origins ~n 1444 and its modern era dates from 1800. It was always severely restricted and badges are rare. The same may be said of the ORDER OF THE PALATINE LION, which had one class plus a collar; its basic design was derived from the Order of Military Merit. The ORDER OF ST. GEORGE was in three classes, very exclusive, and had no breast badges as we have defined them.

BRANDENBURG- had the ORDRE DE LA CONCORDEwith a brief existence around 1710. The Brandenburg ORDER OF THE RED EAGLE evolved into the Prussian order of the same name.

FRANKFURT’s Prince-Archbishop conferred an ORDER OF CONCORD in three classes; it is extremely rare.

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