EK 1914 1813 EK2 grouping.

[Gordon Williamson]

Picked up at Kassel.

[Gordon Williamson]

25yr Long Service, Maker marked Rossauer on the edge of the lower arm.

[Gordon Williamson]

4th Class Red Eagle. Also marked for Rossauer

[Gordon Williamson]

Kriegsdenkm?nze

[Gordon Williamson]

And the EK2. Nice early piece with multi-part pinned frame and stepped core.

Unfortunately, it will need some TLC. Not well stored and there is active rust which will need to be stopped.

[Stogieman]

Of additional interest should be both the earlier styled 25-Year LSC (also note the split ring suspension! Quite correct on an early cross) and the Lilac/smooth armed RAO4. Fantastic group!

[Gordon Williamson]

Thanks Rick. In my ignorance of such things, I thought the split ring indicated the oriuginal had been lost and this was just a crude replacement.

That particular one is also marked Rossauer, but on the edge of the circular centre medallion at the 10 o'clock position.

[Stogieman]

Hi Gordon are you sure it's not Hossauer? He was one of the pre-eminnent House Jewelers of the era and a known maker of Long Service Bars, the RAO, etc. That "R", might just be an "H"!

;>)

[Gordon Williamson]

Rick, you are absolutely correct, it is of course an "H". The first one I looked at, the first letter wasn't fully formed. Cursory glance the others were the same, but with a closer examination it's clearly Hossauer on the others !

[joe campbell]

the smooth arms(glatte?) are a very dtrong

indicator of age, smooth being earlier.

looks like you had a gem of a day, gordon!

joe

[Gerd Becker]

Thats a most impressive group. The Red-Eeagle-Order is a particular nice example

Now imagine this group WITH PAPERWORK

[joe campbell]

not to distract from the theme of the

thread, but what would be the method for

preventing further decay by rust?

is there anyone who could address this in another thread?

thanks! joe

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

The RAO painting is particularly nice. I'm also a tad curious if you're going to arrest the rust!

[Stogieman]

Well, I've never had to do this to an EK, but I've used WD-40 with excellent results. It cleans, drives the moisture out and keeps it out, penetrates (so would probably even get in behind the frame) and will darken/protect the iron. Of course the cross will now stink like chemical....

[Biro]

That is an absolutely wonderful grouping Gordon.. my congratulations on a great & rare find.

I too would be interested in knowing how you will go about arresting the rust to the EK2.... I have an 1870 EK1 that is beginning its innevitable submission to the 'orange' meanie..

WD40 .... maybe, but I'd be interested in your approach too.....

regards

Marshall

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Rick, you ever heard of Boe-Shield?

A more up to date replacement for WD40. No damage to paint.

My problem are surrounding ribbons...

[Jim Baker]

My God, what a beautiful group. Something most of us can only imagine owning.

Congrats Gordon, and thanks for sharing this!!

[Gordon Williamson]

I'm wary of doing anything which might have an adverse effect, but as the core doesn't have the baked enamel painted core of later crosses WD40, which I seem to recall might damage paintwork, may well be safe. I'll probably try a smear of that on a cotton bud and see where we go from there.

There are a couple of other aspects of this cross which deserve mention, including its construction which is one that so far, I haven't seen recorded, and its not one of the three methods "Iron Time" shows. The ring is pretty special too. All will be explained later today when I'll post some more pics.

[Biro]

..All will be explained later today when I'll post some more pics...

Good... cos I'm dying to know what this pin is all about!!

A 'wrap-around' type frame maybe??

Marshall

[Gordon Williamson]

Good... cos I'm dying to know what this pin is all about!!

A 'wrap-around' type frame maybe??

Marshall

Just to show how the camera can lie, its not a pin, but a ridge running along the arm. Imagine the frame consisting of the usual obverse half, and also the reverse half of the outer flange, made from several parts pinned together. Then lay in the iron core, and then to hold everthing together, the reverse part consists of the inner ribbed beading only, which is soldered into place, butted up against that ridge. Truly bizzare.

[Gordon Williamson]

Okay, first really unusual feature is the suspension loop. Not the usual sealed ring, but an open split ring. My first thought would have been that the original ring was lost and this was a replacement until Stogie Rick pointed out that this arrangement is correct for very early pieces ( see the 25Yr LS at left in the frame) of this era.

I gave the surface a wipe ( little more than a smear with a cotton bud barely damp with WD40) and it has certainly improved the appearance of the core. I think I'll leave it at that for now.

[Gordon Williamson]

I don't have a decent camera to hand at the moment, but hopefully you will be able to see that there is no joint line around the centre of the frame. the outer flange being integral with the beaded inner frame of the obverse. The beaded inner frame of the reverse however, is a separate part, and you can just make out the join line. First I have ever heard of this type of construction

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

What a great piece. I am so jealous. I have been looking for one that I could believe 100% in for a long time to mount next to this photo...

I imagine your piece is as early as they get.

[VtwinVince]

Brian, that's a great portrait, is it a watercolor? My great-great-great grandfather was with the Prussians at the Voelkerschlacht in 1813, while a cousin of his died the previous year in Russia, fighting with the French.

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Yes, but I'm not trying to hijack the thread but put a more human element into an old piece of metal and rust. It was once brilliant and hung proudly around someone's neck.