Cased 40 Year General Service Long Service Award

Product Description: This cased 40 Year General Service Long Service Award is a beautiful example. The award itself is stunning, with nearly perfect, glossy black enamel to the swastika, full original gilding to the wreath, and lovely old patina with attractive blue and light yellow tones. This handsome medal is complete with its original cornflower blue ribbon, which is clean and crisp, with a brass pin fitting hand stitched to the top of the reverse. The award is complete with the original case of issue. The exterior of the case is covered with red leatherette, adorned on the front in gold leaf with the numeral “40” within a laurel wreath. The hinge and push button closure are intact and functional. The exterior of the case retains strong original color, and shows some marks and light scuffs on the top, from protecting the award for many years. Inside, the medal and ribbon rest on a red flocked insert. The interior of the case lid is lined with white silk, which is neatly maker marked “Deschler & Sohn, München,” a preeminent maker of these civil and political awards. This cased 40 Year Faithful Service Medal remains in near mint condition overall.

Historical Description: Prior to WWII, the German military and civil authorities instituted a wide range of Long Service Awards to reward personnel for years of service. These awards were used by all branches of the German military, as well as civil and political organizations such as the police, the customs service, and the National Labor Service (RAD). There was also a general Long Service Award for civil service. Each of these awards was issued in the form of a medal that was suspended from a cornflower blue ribbon. Many of these were made in different grades denoting a specific number of years of service. They were worn on the uniform in the form of ribbon or medal bars, and up to two long service awards could be worn at the same time. In most cases, a device affixed to the ribbon bar would denote for which service the award had been issued; sometimes the medals themselves had devices on the ribbons, either in the form of pinned-on metal emblems, or else hand or machine embroidery applied directly to the ribbon. Some German Long Service Awards were very widely awarded, others were made and issued only in small numbers.

We are the leading team of military antique specialists. We have specialized in military antiques for over 25 years.

Epic Artifacts offers the highest prices available for your collectibles.

We purchase single items, entire collections, or family estates. https://epicartifacts.com/sell-to-us/

Feel free to email us directly: info@epicartifacts.com