Early tinsel stars are the rarest pieces in the field of orders and medals. These delicate stars, made from gold and silver thread, complete Grand Cross and Grand Commander sets. Carried at exposed places on the uniform, these embroidered stars became worn very easily. This lead to their replacement around 1850 to the sturdier metal stars. Even though the embroidered stars were less expensive to produce, they had to be exchanged too often.  For this reason their existents could no longer be justified for further use. Metal stars were more expensive to produce because of the high metal value, but they were much sturdier. Also, they could be awarded again after they were returned to the Ordenskanzlei after years of carrying. A further advantage was naturally the possibility of repairing broken stars. 

Fehrmann of Berlin, well known for his work for the Prussian Ordenskanzlei, manufactured the gold and silver embroidered tinsel stars. Stars from his hand might possibly belong to the most beautiful stars.

embroidered star of an Red Eagle Order 2nd class

Fehrmann did not only operate for Prussia, which shows the following example. A embroidered star of the Princely Saxon House Order of the White Falcon. 

embroidered star of the House Order of the White Falcon

This is characterized by the exquisite quality of its embroidering. 

Tinsel stars appear very rarely on the collectors market and, especially in good condition, belong , as already mentioned, to the large rareness of German and international medals. 

 

Grand-Duchy Anhalt
Grand cross star of the order of Albrecht the Bear

Hessen-Kassel
Grand cross star of the order of the Golden Lion

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Kingdom of Prussia

Star 2nd class with oak leaf

Kingdom of Bavaria

Grand Commander Star

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Kingdom Hanover

Grand Cross Star with Swords

Kingdom Hanover

Commander Star with Swords

 
© A. Schulze Ising, VII/0I