Bavaria, Kingdom. A Military Merit Order In Gold, I Class Grand Cross, By Gebrüder Hemmerle, C.1910 Archive with Ten Years' Service Clasp

with Ten Years' Service Clasp (silver gilt

eventually being promoted to Generaloberst

with its period original ribbon affixed to the backplate

Dolphin (1918)

with brocade dress belt

Bavaria, Kingdom. A Military Merit Order In Gold, I Class Grand Cross, By Gebrüder Hemmerle, C.1910 Archive with Ten Years' Service Clasp(Bayerische Militrverdienstorden I Klasse). Instituted 19 July 1866. (1905 1918 Issue). An exquisite award consisting of a hollow Gold Maltese cross with blue enameled arms and hand etched Gold flames in each quadrant, centre obverse with a central black enameled medallion bearing a crowned cipher of King Ludwig III and surrounded by a broad white enameled ring in the form of a buckled belt, inscribed MERENTI (MERIT), in Gold lettering, reverse centre