Germany, Wehrmacht. A War Merit Cross I Class With Swords Hold and is wrapped with twisted

and is wrapped with twisted aluminum wire

The award was patterned after Napoleon's Legion of Honour of 1812 and the French Colonial Order of the dragon of Annam

The epaulets with minor tarnishing of the silver crescents and bronze stars is evident

An extremely fine quality manufacture “Verdienstorden vom Deutschen Adler mit Schwerter”

Naming on the Breast Badge is engraved on the reverse

Germany, Wehrmacht. A War Merit Cross I Class With Swords Hold and is wrapped with twisted(Kriegsverdienstkreuze I. Klasse mit Schwertern). Constructed of silvered zink, consisting of a Maltese Cross with crossed swords through the centre, the obverse with pebbled arms and a central wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse with an integral barrel hinge and banjo style pinback meeting a rounded integral catch, unmarked, measuring 49. 13 mm (w) x 48. 63 mm (h), weighing 16. 7 grams, with loss of finish throughout, in overall very fine condition.