Austria, Empire. Merit Cross 1849, IV Class Case, c.1915

(Verdienstkreuz). Instituted in 1850. Hardshelled design on both the lid and base, the exterior with a greenish-black pebbled covering on five sides, the bottom with an off-white paper covering, date stamped "1915", maker stamped "ETUIS & CASSETTEN FABRIK / JG. BERGMANN / WIEN VII" and inscribed in handwritten black ink "beh. d. 6. Dezember 1915. / Gefr. Jensen", the lid bearing the initials "V. K." (Verdienstkreuz) in silver-coloured ink and framed by two recessed rules on the perimeter, inside lid lined in white satin, padded and marked with the Austrian coat-of-arms, white cardboard insert placed within the base and incorporating a recessed medal bed in off-white felt, single-hinged, push release closure, measuring 58.5 mm in width x 98.5 mm in height x 21 mm in depth, the ribbon linking the lid and base severed, lightly soiled medal bed, better than very fine.

Footnote: The Merit Cross was instituted on February 16, 1850 (1849 being the year of Emperor Franz Joseph’s ascent of the throne), to be awarded "for true and lasting devotion to the monarch and the fatherland; also for long and useful activity in public service and for other services for the common good", in four grades: Gold with and without Crown and Silver with and without Crown.