Austria, Imperial. An Order of the Iron Crown, II Class, with III Class War Decoration by Rothe

(Orden der Eisernen Krone 2. Klasse). Instituted on 7 April 1815 by Emperor Franz I. Type 3. (1914-1918 Issue). A Wartime II Class Order of the Iron Crown, c.1918, constructed of gilded bronze, consists of the Lombard Iron Crown presenting green, red and white-enamelled jewels, on which rests the two-headed Austrian eagle with sword and orb, with a blue enamelled central shield showing on the obverse the imperial initial F and on the reverse the year 1815, above rests the imperial crown firmly attached to the double-headed eagle, presenting star hallmark indicating gilded bronze, measuring 32.37 mm (w) x 63.46 mm (h - inclusive of crown), weighs 30.1 grams (including ribbon), suspended from a hollow swivel crown suspension from a horizontally pierced ball and flat suspension loop, presenting a later & privately added III Class war decoration likely by Rothe (c. 1960) constructed of green-enamel in the shape of a laurel wreath, with mid 20th century neck ribbon, and in fine condition.

Footnote: The war decoration of the lower 3rd Class is shown by a laurel wreath around the central shield on the obverse. By the end of 1917 (taking into account only awards from 1914-17), the number of members of the order for 2nd Class alive at a given time was 375 Austrian/Hungarians and 123 foreigners. See, M. Christian Ortner and Georg Ludwigstorff, Austrian Orders and Decorations, Part 1/Volume 2: The Imperial-Royal Orders up to 1918 (Verlag Militaria, 2017), 162.