The Schiff base compound 2,2'-{[(2-aminoethyl)imino]bis[2,1-ethanediyl-nitriloethylidyne]}bis-2-hydroxy-benzoic acid (H(4)L) as a proligand was prepared in situ from 3-formylsalicylic acid with tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren). The trinuclear 3d-4f metal complexes of this ligand {[Ln{Ni(H(2)L)(tren)}(2)](NO(3))(3)} (Ln = Gd, Dy, Er, Lu) could be obtained as single crystalline material by synthesizing the proligand in the presence of the metal salts [Ni(NO(3))(2)·(H(2)O)(6)] and [Ln(NO(3))(3)·(H(2)O)(m)] (Ln = Gd, Dy, Er, Lu). In the solid state, the complexes adapt a new V shaped structure. Mass spectrometric ion signals related to the trinuclear complexes were detected both in positive and negative ion mode via electrospray ionization mass spectrometry supporting the single crystal X-ray analysis. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) experiments in solution support the fragmentation scheme. The magnetic studies on all these compounds suggest the presence of weak antiferromagnetic interactions between neighboring metal centers.