(Published in Orden Militaria Magazin of BDOS e.V. No. 73)

Issued on December 31, 1850 the Order of Albert was awarded in its initial design until January 31, 1876.
Until then the decorations varied to its successor in the design of the medallion and in only few but particular details. Conspicuous however are the swords witch were awarded for merit during the wars of 1866 and 1870/71.

There are three different types. The first type is shown in Picture 1 and 2. It is the most common type made by the jeweler Moritz Elimeyer in Dresden. A different type was made by Rothe in Vienna. This type varies totally in its style and is the rarest one, because it was officially produced only during the war in 1866 (Picture 3-4). Most of these particular decorations show makers marks. The last type, published in OMM No. 46 Page 26, comes without markings (Picture 5).
 

All those types have some thing in common. The swords are all attached to the oak leaf wreath with little cramps and are chased on the reverse of their handles in fine detail.

In contrary to the decorations for merit in peace time, the war decorations are very rare. After they have been issued on October 29, 1866, they were awarded during the wars of 1866 and 1870/71, only.

All together 83 decorations were awarded: 14 in the 1866 war and 69 during the Franco Prussian war 1870/71. The numbers are set together as follows:

Sources:

"Staatshanbuch für das Königreich Sachsen. 1867.", Dresden 1867, S.44-78.
"Staatshanbuch für das Königreich Sachsen. 1873.", Dresden 1873, S.77-155.
Staatarchiv Dresden - Sächsische Ordenskanzlei, Matrikel des Albrecht-Ordens Nr.16 und 17.