Awards of Germany - Order of Leopold with the crown of the 1st model

The plug cross of the 1st model of the Order of Leopold depicted here was introduced with the first amendment to the statutes on February 29, 1908. Until then, the order consisted of the Order of Leopold without a crown and the Order of Leopold with a crown. Both were worn on tape. With this amendment, the cross was also presented to the Order of Leopold, and the silver and bronze medals of the order. The main difference between the 1st form and later forms is the unenameled cruciform arms. The Order of Leopold was established on July 24, 1906 by Prince Leopold IV. donated. The occasion was the 1st birthday of the prince in his homeland as the ruling prince. He was awarded for services to domestic and foreign citizens, regardless of rank and existing awards. On May 30, 1910, the 2nd model of the order came to the award. The difference from the 1st model is enameled cruciform hands and writing in a medallion on the front side. The chain was added to the Order of Leopold, the Cross of Great Honor (1st class) and the Gold Medal to the Order of Leopold. The order shown here, with the crown as its plug-in cross, is 2nd class. 3rd class without a crown was worn on the ribbon. On March 27, 1913, the cross of the Order of Lopold with a crown was added. Model 3 of the Order of Leopold was released from May 30, 1916. The differences are as follows: a redesigned medallion of the front side in the form of a silver Lippian rose with a round central shield on it division - FIDELITER SINE TIMORE - and - in 1916 - in a written ring and middle part a blue-white swallow sitting on a golden star on a red background. The design of the order was developed by court jeweler Karl Busch from Hanover, who also produced all the orders until 1910. The Order of Leopold with a crown as a cross was awarded only 6 times from 1909 to 1910. Source: Rainer Schwark, order and badge of honor of the principality of Lippe Detmold 1778-1933, works of the Lipp Land Museum, vol. VI, 2005.

Eight-pointed cross made of silver. Cruciform shoulders with small balls at the tips have raised, smooth edges. The inner sides are grainy. Between the tops of the upper cruciform shoulder there is an agraff, with which a five-tooth openwork crown is movably connected. Between the cross sleeves, one ornamented letter - L -. Front and back with round middle shields. Back side with perpendicular pin with mating hook.

Front side:

• A medallion with a raised wide edge with a serrated decorative line.
• The enclosed, recessed field is enameled with white.
Laid in
• the center, it raises a red transculently enameled Lippian rose.
• Between 5 petals pointed golden leaves.
• The golden mean of the flower is pentagonal and divided into small quadrangles.

Downside:

• A medallion with a wide ornamented ring, inside and out with raised edges.
• On it is a raised font - FOR - FOR MERIT - at the bottom there are 2 ornaments in the center with a dot.
• The closed field is numbered. In the center is a crowned, elevated, decorated letter - L - for Leopold.

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