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Identification Of Pour Le Merite Recipient


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Hope everyone has been well. I've been swamped and had to take some time away from the Militaria, now back at it. I've been trying to identify the Pour Le Merite Recipient in the following photo. I'll likely stumble upon paperwork at some point but at the current moment, all I have is an oil painting of the man in question. Perhaps someone recognizes his face? The Photo is from an auction book where the painting and PLM were purchased. I haven't found the rest of the auction book, only the one page with no description, just the lot number. 

 20210324_170640.thumb.jpg.d4e055c41efe1e2f62e1d6bffce981da.jpg

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It has a basic resemblance with Kaiser Wilhelm II., but looks too old in the picture, W.II. was around 30 at that date, so too old. The uniform is the old style of unform of the generals, around 1890, a new pattern was introduced in 1900. Apart from that, earlier pictures of Wilhelm II. would not have such decorations, the decorations look more like the depicted person has served in several campaigns with distinction as a senior officer. The painting and the frame shown in the catalogue is not a very good quality, is between 1890 and 1900, and is typical of the popular art at the end of the 19th century, some of the decorations on the image are not immediately identifiable, but can only be guessed
The logo on the page corners show that the catalogue was from Hanseatisches Auktionshaus, Hamburg, HAH, which closed down around 2010. I used to have many of their catalogues.

Datei:Max Koner - Wilhelm II im grauen Militärmantel, 1892.jpg – Wikipedia

Wilhelm II., an earlier work by Max Koner, 1892

grafik.thumb.png.c040cecd615b1d9aa94acc191f1d4f40.png

A typical poor quality painting of the same period of Kaiser Friedrich (+1888), however, a good likeness.

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L. Grauel, 1910 ? I didn't realise you had the painting. Best to google for the name.
Only found the name Anton Grauel so far, but he created bronzes. In the catalogue would have been the full description of the object.

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Yes I have the painting and the PLM. Just trying to match the painting and PLM to Recipient. I'll keep searching for more documentation. So many things were in different locations, documents slipped inside of books ect. A lot of paperwork to go through.  Thanks

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If you could find that particular catalogue, that would be good. With such an important item, some sort of record or documentation must have been kept? Catalogue was Hanseatisches Auktionshaus Hamburg, which closed around 2010.

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I know right. I found this one page and I believe I found the invoice. The invoice didn't mention name, just the lot number and what was included, purchase price. Looking back a few months, I recycled a bunch or magazines and old auction catalogs. Not thinking I would need them as I was overwhelmed with books. I will search for more auction books. 

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Based off the painting, year, his rank, I should have enough books here to find him? I only have 15 books on PLM Recipients!

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Old catalogues are often offered by dealers, they are a valuable source of reference and a lasting record. I understand about the space, I sold and later gave away most of the catalogues from previously, only keeping a few special examples.

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The painting is from 1910, however, depicted is much earlier, as I mentioned, certainly after 1870/71 due to the decorations, and in style before 1900, so you would have to look up earlier lists, this will give you countless names of generals, also with their decorations listed, but no illustrations of persons. However, we have been unable to identify most decorations on the painting, as they are only painted impressions, rather than a photographic record. Several classes of the Rother Adler Orden can be made out, but the rest is just guessing.

However, was the Pour le Mérite in the catalogue without oakleaf and ring?  In the painting no oakleaf is depicted, however, the bearer may have been awarded this at a later stage?  Or has the oakleaf been added at a more recent date?  The Sprungring should be gold and also have a hallmark, I would check this.

He also has the Iron Cross 1870 in both classes, which does not help much, there is also possibly the Kronen-Orden, Ernestinischer Haus-Orden lowest on the button front, Bruststern 2. Klasse des Kronen-Ordens.

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I found the page! "Lot 747"  Does it say the Recipients name? The Oakleaf was separate. I wasn't sure if it belonged when I took the photo.

20210325_163508.jpg

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Well done, that tells us more, but still not the name of the General, he was certainly in the Franco-Prussian war.

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von Sannow - that sounds like a possibility. He also had the Hess. Ludwigs-Orden, and the 25 year service cross from Hessen-Darmstadt, so he was not of Prussian origin, but as a general, he is wearing a Prussian General's uniform. From the painting, the exact rank cannot be determined, as it is the older uniform, the right shoulder cord is combined with the General's Aiguilletten, there are no rank stars on the cords noticeable, or can you see any?
So the rank would be as from Generalmajor and upwards.

Heinrich Wilhelm Ferdinand Sannow, seit 1871 von Sannow, *Magdeburg, 7. Juni 1827 - 10. Dezember 1883 in Wiesbaden+    Generalmajor, last office, commander 47. Großherzogl. Hessische Infanterie-Brigade till retirement.
so not Hessian, but Prussian. Unfortunately no further pictures or images of person found, this painting may be the last representation of him.

on handwritten document, description Inf.-Regt.16 wrong, it should read:

Infanterie-Regiment Freiherr von Sparr (3. Westfälisches) Nr. 16

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_von_Sannow

 

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