Germany, Imperial. A Medal Bar for a Veteran of the German Wars of Unification

 A medal bar with two awards, consisting of 1) A War Commemorative Medal of 1870-1871. (Kriegsdenkmünze für die Feldzüge 1870-1871). Instituted May 20th, 1871. A bronze circular medal, constructed of captured bronze cannon barrels, the obverse depicting the crowned Royal cypher of William I over the inscription “Dem siegreichen Heere” (To the victorious army, inscribed around the edge “Gott war mit Uns, Ihm sei die Ehre” (God was with us, to Him be the glory), the reverse depicting a Cross Pattée with rays emanating from the center in the quadrants between the arms of the cross, with a central laurel wreath encircling the dates “1914” and “1918”, the edge is stamped “Aus Erobertem Geschuetz” (from captured cannons), otherwise unmarked, measuring 29.0 mm in diameter. 2) A Königgrätz Commemorative Cross. Instituted September 20th, 1866. A Cross Pattée, constructed of captured bronze cannon barrels, the obverse with a central crowned Prussian eagle leaning against a captured Austrian cannon, with the arms of the cross inscribed “Königgrätz den 3 Juli 1866” along with a laurel wreath in the quadrants between the arms of the cross, the reverse depicting the central crowned cypher of King Wilhelm I, circumscribed “Preussens Siegreichen Heere” (Prussia’s Victorious Army), with the arms of the cross depicting a Prussian royal crown on the top arm, with the other three arms inscribed “Gott war mit uns Ihm sei die Ehre” (God was with us, to Him be the glory), unmarked, measuring 34.3 mm (w) x 34.3 mm (l). Both medals mounted onto a medal bar using their period-original ribbons, the medal bar with a magnetic metal core, along with a dark blue wool backer and functional horizontal pinback, measuring approximately 75 mm (w) x 70 mm (l), moderate soiling on the ribbons on the medal bar from age and wear, with the medals otherwise in very fine condition.