Hee hee, look what I found

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Gudi better keep looking through her boxes...

Best document so far

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

tough for most to read the little one above...

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

I'm glad for you Leo that a few things survived the years!

[Guest Rick Research]

Somewhere in the aunties' disordered packing and storage are...

the ribbon bars!

[landsknechte]

It's a shame that the signature is so tiny. You can barely make it out in that scan...

--Chris

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Somewhere in the aunties' disordered packing and storage are...

the ribbon bars!

←

Funny you should say that. I asked Gudi, so what about the uniforms and ribbon bars. She distinctly remembers the uniforms in a trunk but then no sign of them when she took over the business of going through the belongings. I surmise the uniforms of G.v.Etzel are out there somewhere sold for food to a British or American soldier. I would think the ribbon bars were very possibly on the uniforms in the trunk? It's why I keep looking...

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

I know he had a late ribbon bar as I found this photo taken when he must have been a Corps commander. Believe it was mistakenly ID'd earlier than the 1918 I believe it was. Why else would he be standing next to Hindenb.

I think he's say to Hindenb., "I have a bigger bar than you do." And, I'd be happy to have one of those Grand Crosses, though...

Edited September 11, 2005 by Brian von Etzel

[David Gregory]

Brian,

Wonderful stuff and with a real story, to boot.

I like your eclectic collecting interests (framed photo in lower right of image in post #3).

/David

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

You mean the signature of RK winner Martin That's Amore.

[Biro]

It just gets better and better Brian... a great find!

Perhaps he also says to Hindenburg..."If I stand side on like this, my EK1 will look vaulted...."

Do you have the EK1... and is it?

Marshall

Edited September 12, 2005 by Biro

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Here is the one in the photo that replaced a very early one with a thin core that broke. Maybe he tried to vault it!

[Bob Hunter]

Let's hope your good luck continues, Brian.

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Who recognizes the maker of this one?

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Let's hope your good luck continues, Brian.  

←

Thanks Bob, but I think that well is pretty much dry.

The only things I know about for sure are his trunks with his name that he carried throughout the war. I have one photo that shows them in what was his 'room' that looks like a church.

[Blitz]

Great stuff Brian.

[Biro]

Who recognizes the maker of this one?

←

It's a Sy-Wagner.... and I would venture extremely early.

When was he awarded this and could I please see the pin and hinge set-up on this Brian?

The obverse detail of this piece is extremely interesting to me... I'll elaborate, but a reverse would be great...

Marshall

Edited September 12, 2005 by Biro

[Stogieman]

Hi Brian, very nice. Unusual to see a broken 1914 one! A great history that seems to just keep growing!

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Thanks Rick.

Marshal, how do you do it...

Yes it is...

And yes, very early. He won it in 1914. The other is unmarked, which, I always thought ironic, from a collector's viewpoint. Which would you rather have, an unmarked PlM winner's EK or a marked one by any maker?

Edited September 12, 2005 by Brian von Etzel

[Biro]

Brian

I have a vested interest!

It is my opinion that the thin core is not the only indication that yours is early!

Take for example, this matching EK1 on the right from another VERY famous recipient....

I know for a fact that his is early....

[attachmentid=10551]

because things are not quite as they seem!

[attachmentid=10552]

The piece next to yours above is unmarked and attributed to Kaiser Wilh. I.

We can clearly see by the matching crown and W on the 1914 and 1870 examples above and the VERY similar, slightly crude style of dates, that the dies for these two EK's from different era's came from the same hand.

To the best of my knowledge, S-W marked only the pin on the early 1914 examples like yours, never the cross itself.... so I beleive the original dies that spawned the Kaisers 1870 piece (and incidentally, my 1870 Godet marked piece which is identical to the Kaisers above...) were reworked in 1914 either by or for Sy & Wagner and that therefore the dies for your example started life in 1870, possibly originally as a Godet product.

It's a very nice piece either way... and yes, unmarked PLM winners piece over fancy maker marked piece anytime!!!

Marshall

Edited September 12, 2005 by Biro

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Good work! You certainly have me convinced. I am astounded how you have this so well figured out.

[Blitz]

Marshal it seems, is quite the researcher.. Do you have a nightjob at the scotland yard by any chance?

There is a pattern to see, I agree. Good call!