Germany, Third Reich. A Rare Mother’s Cross Medal Bar for Services to the Red Cross and War Effort

(Ordensschnalle). A rare medal bar for a female recipient featuring three awards, including:

1. A War Merit Medal, constructed of bronze, on loop for suspension with its period original ribbon, the obverse bearing a Maltese Cross with pebbled arms and a wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse bearing an inscription of “FÜR KRIEGSVERDIENST 1939” (“FOR WAR MERIT 1939”), unmarked, measuring 32.11 mm in diameter, in extremely fine condition.

2. An Honour Cross of the German Mother, Bronze Grade, constructed of bronze with multi-coloured enamels, on loop for suspension with its period original ribbon, consisting of a Latin Cross with its arms joined through the quadrants by stylized rays, the obverse with blue and white enameled arms, overlaid by a central white enameled disc bearing a black swastika, circumscribed by an inscription of “DER DEUTSCHEN MUTTER” (“TO THE GERMAN MOTHER”), the reverse bearing an etched institution date of “16. DEZEMBER 1938” and a signature of the Führer, measuring 36.92 mm (w) x 46.68 mm (h), demonstrating moderate loss of finish to the base metal and a small chip to the enamels of one corner of the twelve o’clock arm, in better than very fine condition.

3. A Medal of the German Red Cross, constructed of silvered bronze with multi-coloured enamels, the consisting of a Geneva Cross, the obverse with red enamels arms with pronounced hatching, overlaid by a central gilded and black enameled Red Cross-style German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, with the arms joined through the outer quadrants by a circular white enameled ring, the reverse with pebbled arms, bearing an inscription of “FÜR VERDIENSTE UM DAS DEUTSCHE ROE KREUZ” (“FOR SERVICE TO THE GERMAN RED CROSS”), unmarked, measuring 39.00 mm in diameter, demonstrating minor flecking to the enamels, in extremely fine condition.

All suspended from a 70 mm-long bar with a horizontal pinback, grey wool liner, and non-magnetic metal core, unmarked, demonstrating minor soiling to the ribbons, a scarce mounted combination of awards, in near extremely fine condition.