Bavaria, Kingdom. A Bavarian Military Merit Cross, Third Class with Swords
(Militär-Verdienstkreuz). Constructed of coppered bronze, presents as a Maltese Cross with crossed swords above the upper arm, the obverse with a circular central medallion with the cypher of King Ludwig III, surrounded by a ring inscribed “MERENTI” (“MERIT”), the reverse bearing the Bavarian lion rampant circumscribed by a buckled belt dated “1866”, on a loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, unmarked, measuring 43 mm (w) x 65 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition.

