Original Antique Austria Hungary Decoration for Services to the Red Cross 2nd Class with War Decoration | Comes with Original Case | A silver Latin cross with chased edges. Inside the edge of the cross is a 2 mm wide band of opaque white enamel. Inside the white portion of the cross is the body of the cross, which is enameled transparent red. A fine chased line of silver separates the white and red portions of the cross. In the center of the cross is a circle of silver edged transparent red enamel in which is inscribed in silver letters PATRIAE AC HVMANITATI (Patriotism and Humanity). Inside the circle is a silver edged transparent red enameled Geneva cross on a white opaque enameled background. Attached to the arms of the cross is an enameled wreath. It is composed of oak leaves on the viewers left and laurel on the right. The wreath is tied at the bottom with a silver bow. The wreath is enameled transparent green with red berries. The Reverse shows A silver Latin cross with chased edges. Inside the edge of the cross is a 2 mm wide band of opaque white enamel. Inside the white portion of the cross is the body of the cross, which is enameled transparent red. A fine chased line of silver separates the white and red portions of the cross. In the center of the cross is a silver edged circle of transparent red enamel with a 10 mm white enameled center medallion within which are the dates 1864 and 1914 in silver, one above the other. Applied to the obverse arms of the cross is a wreath the reverse of which is plain silver | Approx. Size: 1.75_ H x 1.5_ W exclusive of ribbon | Generally Good Condition with small crack in center enamel | Includes the original menÕs case box. Provenance: Part of a prominent Lifelong Military Medal Collection; Acquired from private Chicago, IL family of the collector. The Decoration for Services to the Red Cross (Ehrenzeichen fŸr Verdienste um das Rote Kreuz) was an Austro-Hungarian award instituted on 17 August 1914 by Emperor Franz Josef I to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Geneva Convention, and was issued until 1923. It was intended to honor individuals who had worked in the voluntary emergency services of the Red Cross, either in peacetime or in war. Awards for military services was augmented with a war decoration.

Very good, the cross without box has some enamel loss