Gordon Williamson

Can you post some close upshots of the reverse, and the eagles head on the obverse ?

Steinhauer & L?ck made piece, circa 1980s. Earlier pieces were properly cut out in the indicated areas. Later pieces tended to have a circular dished out area in the middle, but flat around the edge, much as continued in the very late 925 silver pieces.

It does look to have been polished. The gilt finish should be fire-gilt - (very much a matt finish), with some burnished highlights. The finish looks very smooth on this one suggesting the fire-gilt top finish has been gradually polished away, though a lot of how it looks may be caused by glare from the scanner light. Its still a lovely piece.

Below is what I'd expect to see on a nice example, however ANY Tombak maker marked Schwerin is rare and personally, unless the price is astronomic, its one that I'd certainly grab.

Marcus,

Superb example. I've seen very few of these that I would trust, but this is definitely one of them. Very, very nice indeed.

Toby,

The presence of a label with a simple place name "Dresden", as opposed to an actual maker name, on an LDO retail sales piece does not necessarily have any bearing on the maker of the award, but could quite easily refer to the location of the retailer.

Whilst this is interesting, I think we are a long, long way from being able to definitively link it to Glaser or any specific maker/retailer based in Dresden.

An absolutely good original piece. Despite the catch resembling those used by Steinhauer, I still think this is a Deumer made piece.

Old wartime trade papers carry advertisements for firms which just sold pins/hinges to the award manufacturers, thats why you can find so many badges by the same maker which will have different pin fittings over a period of time.

I don't agree with those who think you can identify the maker of a badge from the pin/hinge style alone.

This is still a nice original wartime piece though.

3 isnt it?

1. KVK

2. EK 1914

3. U-Boats

Yup. U-Boats in the next few weeks, KVK next but no firm date yet, its all finished and with the publisher though, not just 1914 EKs though, all the Imperials, 1813,1870 and 1914. The last is not really just mine, its being worked on with Chris B and others and with lots of help from members of this Forum.

Some more

Sound like it,s going to be a great read !

Anything in it relating to the postwar period or 1957 awards ?

Grant,

Yes, some coverage of Bundesmarine and 57 stuff too.

A replaced pin can be explained away, but unfortunately the hinge block is entirely wrong too. As shown here and in Michel's picture, the hinge block on these, even though the badge was zink, was machined from good quality "buntmetal".

Flak crews

The paper on the backs can be removed by careful use of a damp sponge, gentle rubbing, and an artist's brush and water for the stubborn bits.

Thanks for the tip Tom, I'll give it a try.

Any ideas on what this other ribbon might be ?

Well, unfortunately the phots had been cut out from an album into which they had been securely pasted, so its not possible to determine if there is anything written on the back.

Rick, you were correct, his shoulder strap bears a large 3D crown, not a rank pip.

His EK2 looks freshly awarded, but there is another ribbon sewn into his button hole beneath it.

You need Michel on this one. I have only ever owned one unquestionably original example of this type of cap (original officer issue - as opposed to upgraded enlisted- KM Bordm?tzen are exceptionally rare) and this had the join in the gold piping to the side, not at the centre rear. I believe this side jointing of the piping is typical on original pieces. Mine did not have a sweatband.

Man...I wish someone would make a good book on wound badges.Not much book wise out there on them .

I am sure your book will be well done, Gordon

don

One day Don, one day. There isn't really enough to write about on WW2 German Wound Badges on thier own, but add in Imperial, then maybe all the other Axis countries, in fact all the combatant nations of WW1 and WW2 and there is certainly enough material for a good book. Working on it for a future project. Getting pics of the stuff being worn (other than German) is the real challenge. Even pics of stuff like the humble British WW1 period badge like the one shown here being worn aren't so easy to find. This is the area I'm concentrating on at the moment, but the Imperial EK project has to some first.

gordon-

who is the person in the picture

and what did he do to earn his

awards?

thanks!

joe

Joe,

Its Generalleutnant Otto Stapf , head of the Feldwirtschaftsamt at OKW

Scott,

As you can see, the answer to your question is yes. There was nothing in the regulations of either award (EK or KVK) to prevent a soldier earning both Knight's Crosses.

Matt,

You know as much as me. Unfortunately once completed and handed in to the publisher it just has to sit and wait out its turn in the queue of other books waiting to come out. I know he has a full schedule so it could be quite some time yet.

There are quite a few Knight's Cross winners I haven't found photos of yet, so the delay gives me more time to try and track them down.

No, the Edkins book photo isn't all that clear but I believe there is also a photo in the Hildebrand & Zweng book which also shows him wearing the Oakleaves for which it would seem, not one single source would credit him as being entitled.

Hans Schuler

And for service in an earlier time.

Lothar Arnauld de la Periere

No U-Boat badge at this stage yet, but look what he does have

One of several who entered the U-Bootwaffe after service in naval aviation.

German Cross winner Hans Meier. The badge is amazingly clear on the original print, but is unfortunately a type which hasn't been attributed to a specific maker yet.

And the full size worn on the Kriegsmarine uniform ( The individual seen here won the badge as a Merchant Navy officer before transferring to U-Boats as an ordinary seaman and winning his commission over again in the Kriegsmarine).