SINCONA Auction 67

Description

Princely House Order of Hohenzollern. 3rd model (since 1852), Cross for Merit in Silver [Verdienstkreuz in Silber] or Silver Cross for Merit [Silbernes Verdienstkreuz] (1910), silver, with original ribbon. OEK22 1007.
Fürstlicher Hausorden von Hohenzollern. 3. Modell (seit 1862), Verdienstkreuz in Silber bzw. Silbernes Verdienstkreuz (1910), Silber, am originalen Band. OEK22 1007.
Gutes sehr schön / Good very fine.
(~€ 465/USD 550)
According to Link and Gauggel (in LNK p. 123) the Silver Cross for Merit was conferred by Prince Wilhelm (1864-1927, „reigning“ prince since 1905) between 1910 and 1927 120 times, and by Prince Friedrich (1891-1965, „reigning“ prince since 1927) between 1927 and 1965 only 51 times, so that in total only 171 of these crosses were conferred.
The originally only two-class (1st and 2nd class, with an affiliated medal in gold and silver) order, named Princely House Order of Hohenzollern in 1842, was established on December 5, 1841, by Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Constantin von Hohenzollern-Hechingen (1801-1869, reigned from 1838 until 1849) and by Prince Carl von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1785-1853, reigned from 1831 until 1848). After the two Hohenzollern principalities had become Prussian territory in 1849, the order continued to be conferred as a house order.
The following decades brought numerous amendments and extensions. With the statutes’ addendum of June 6, 1910, the Cross for Merit in Gold and in Silver were introduced. Apparently, with the death of Prince Friedrich in 1965 the order ceeded to be conferred outside the princely family.