|
Quantity
|
Total
|
||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
This item is an extremely rare, original first-class service award granted for twenty-five years of exemplary duty within the police forces of the Free City of Danzig. The badge is designed as a cross with pebbled arms and polished edges, executed in a gilded finish to signify the highest grade of this honor. The obverse features a central medallion with the Danzig coat of arms supported by lions, while the lower arm of the reverse bears the prestigious signature of the local maker: M. ST. & S. (Moritz Stumpf & Sohn). The cross retains a significant portion of its original gilding, which has developed a noble, dark patina over time, providing a truly authentic historical appearance. The condition of the cross is very good, with sharp striking details and no mechanical damage, making it a premier acquisition for advanced collectors of Danzig phaleristics.
Historical context:
The Police Long Service Cross (Polizei-Dienstauszeichnung) for the Free City of Danzig was established in 1938, and the gold version for 25 years was awarded very infrequently due to the lengthy service requirement. The firm Moritz Stumpf & Sohn was the most prominent jewelry and goldsmith workshop in Danzig, serving as an official supplier of insignia and awards for the Senate of the Free City of Danzig. Items signed by Stumpf are highly prized in the collector's market for their local provenance and superior craftsmanship.