German Awards - 2nd Model Order of Leopold with Crown

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. The order was awarded until 1918 in 3 models.
Initially, the order consisted of only 2 classes, the Order of Leopold without a crown and with a crown. Since February 1908, the order was expanded. To this was added a cross to the Order of Leopold, as well as silver and bronze medals to the Order of Leopold. The cross with the crown became nodal. Since May 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. From 1910 to 1916, the Order of J. Gode was made in Berlin. Since 1916, the order was made only by K. F. Zimmerman in Pforzheim. The order was awarded very sparingly and extremely rarely because of the obligation to return it. Shown here 2. The second model class was awarded only 12 times. 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, slightly domed cross made of silver. Cruciform sleeves, with small balls on the tops, narrowly silver-plated and blue-violet translucent enameled in front. Under it you can see a U-turn. Between the cross sleeves, one ornamented, silver - L -. In the center is a round, partially enameled medallion. The reverse is smooth silver with a separate silver medallion. Between the tops of the upper cruciform shoulder is an agraff, with which a relief, openwork princely crown is connected on both sides. Perpendicular to the back - a pin with reciprocal hooks.

Front side:

• Wide ring medallion. It's inside and out with an enlarged polished edge.
• The inside of the ring is finely indented. At the top is an elevated, polished font:
• - FOR - MERIT -, in the lower part there is a 6-beam outlet with decorations on the left and right.
• The font and ornament are separated by a dot on both sides.
• The enclosed central part is enameled. On a white base laid, gilded,
• linden rose (5 petals), soft pink enameled petals.

Downside:

• The cruciform arms and balls are smooth silvery. The crown and letters - L - are embossed on both sides.
• The separately superimposed central shield is silver without enamel.
• On the edge is a ring with raised edges inside and outside. It has an elevated crease line.
A
• short distance inside, another narrow, raised edge.
• The captured field is finely cut in the bowels. In the center, an ornamented letter - L - rises under the princely crown.
• The pin for turning away from the hinge hole to the mating hook, at the bottom, is pointed.

Photos of www.Ordensmuseum.de