Watch List notes:

Austria, Ferdinand I (1835-1848) Honor Civil Medal " MERITIS " FIRST CLASS first class in gold. 76,25 g and 48 mm!! signed I D BOEHM F . FERDINANDVS I D G AVSTRIAE IMPERATOR / MERITIS, awarded to " FRANCISCI KLEIN ". extremely rare and in uncirculated condition. Au. Klein Franz, building contractor, born in Wiesenberg ( Moravia ) in 1794 and dead in Seibersdorf ( Silesia ) in 1855. Brother of the Industrialist Hubert. Learned the gardening trade, but soon became self-employed with his brothers and carried out water and road works. The initially modest company soon aquired a good reputation, expanded steadily and received its first road construction contract in 1815. Klein gradually expanded the company of all branches of construction, also carried out current regulations and, above all, numerous railways constructions, of which the Semmering railways tunnel built in 1849 are particulary noteworthy. Barac 178. I/II