Bavaria, Kingdom. An Order of Military Merit, War Merit Cross First Class, with Swords and Crown, c. 1918
(Militärverdienstkreuz des Bayerischen Militärverdienstorden I. Klasse, mit Schwertern und Krone). Issued 1913-1918. A Maltese cross in gilded silver; the obverse with a central medallion bearing the crowned cipher of King Ludwig II within a border in the form of a buckled belt inscribed with lettering reading “Merenti” (Latin - “Merit”); the reverse with a central medallion bearing a crowned Bavarian lion within a border in the form of a buckled belt with numbers reading “1866”; suspended from a structure composed of arabesques with crossed swords; with a loop for suspension; measuring 41.31 mm (w) x 66.96 mm (h - including its crown suspension); measuring 28.1 grams; in overall near extremely fine condition.

