General Edan's PLM for sale(?)

pmirl · 18 December 2004, 11:48 PM

Claims to have been General Johanness von Eban's PLM.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

rammjaeger · 19 December 2004, 12:30 AM

At least a Johannes (sp!) von Eban existed and got the award:

http://www.pourlemerite.org/medals/oakleaves.html

Regulus · 19 December 2004, 05:55 AM

Hi,

I'm not an expert on the matter but there are a number of things that look suspicious. Can be the man bought it in good trust, but I doubt it's the real thing.

At first glimpse it looks a bit to good to be the real thing, and I really wonder if it's not a jewellers copy...

Also one can not see the detail from the letters marked on the medal, which are very unique, as is the crown on top of it, by the way it was made.

The enamel does not look to be the real thing. The backside of the Oakleaves device, does not correspond with anything I've ever seen on the matter, and does not look that flat at as this one.

Also the Oakleaves were on the PlM with one single ring, not two as in this case ! However a large number of jewellers copies has the two rings !

I' ve never seen a ribbon in that good shape, but it still remains possible.

Also curious, the award document is printed, while in this period they normally were handwritten, (with exception of the top Wir Wilhelm, von Gottes Gnaden König von Preussen etc) best example is the fact that the one of Lt.

Gustav Leffers on the 5th November 1916 still was.

Even later ones such as the one for General d.I. Alfred Kraus on 7 April 1917 were still handwritten...

The signature looks real, but accidently (?) the award lays over the document on the location where normally the seal should be found of Wilhelm II.

I wouldn't give more then 100 Euro's for it...

Best from Johan

VtwinVince · 21 December 2004, 06:48 PM

Also, with the Oakleaves the ribbon should have a silver strip down the middle. Very unlikely that an award of this significance would appear on ebay.

Rick · 21 December 2004, 06:55 PM

[QUOTE=rammjaeger]At least a Johannes (sp!) von Eban existed and got the award:
QUOTE]

However, I've also seen his last name spelled von Eben. Wonder which spelling is correct. R.

Immo_Frese · 22 December 2004, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

However, I've also seen his last name spelled von Eben. Wonder which spelling is correct. R.

Hi Rick,

you are correct. The Generals name is Johannes von Eben. In 1914/15 he was the commanding General of X.Reserve-Korps. 1916/17 he switched to I.A.K and in 1917/18 he was Oberbefehlshaber of german 9.Armee.

Immo

Rick · 22 December 2004, 05:37 AM

Immo, thanks for that. I was afraid I'd messed his name up. R.

rammjaeger · 22 December 2004, 03:19 PM

Hm, I should not trust American homepages if it comes to German names!

Suddenly German "e" change into "a", the "c" in "sch" vanishes or "Burg" and "Berg" are mixed.

tamerlane · 23 December 2004, 02:58 PM

I just wanted to point you guys to a related thread in the "Medals and Decorations" area of the forum.

The ad on Ebay, if you look closely, is for a "Pour le Merite & Oakleaf + original ribbon." In other words, only the ribbon is claimed to be original and to have belonged to von Eben. However, given that the seller has private feedback, it seems highly unlikely that he will be able to substantiate that the ribbon is original. There is simply no reason for a seller to have private feedback, unless he is trying to hide something.

Tim