dond

Thoughts on this award please.....

I've seen others like this before and have no problem with them. You can make anything look bad if you blow it up enough.....

I think you could compare the Battle of the Somme to the whole of the Franco Prussian War and might come out statistically equal.

I think you are comparing apples to oranges here. The type of fighting and the duration of it along with the amount of time units spent under fire was totally different. I think the acts that earned one a cross were the same, just that in 14-18 the german soldier had more opportunity to earn one thru repeated combat exposure.

The guy with the EK has a bigger moustache, which looks alot like the Kaiser's.

My last one.

Then there is this beauty.

and this......

and this......

Or this one....

OK.

I can show one that was awarded in Aug 1917.

You will get more responses if you post links instaed of item numbers that have to be modified to work.

I do...... :whistle:

I saw that as well. A total loser imo.

I think a lot of this style is usually found with a 9th bead fake and bogus reptition bar.

In the last couple of months I've managed to track down the author of the "Sponneck Saga." He is Geofrey Harry Sponneck, living in South Africa. He took a great interest in the artifact and that someone outside of his family would have an interest in such a thing as it relates to his family. After several correspondences he has helped me narrow down the possibilities to: Wilhelm Franz v Sponeck (Major General) 1845-1913 Karl v Sponeck (Lt. General) 1816-1904 Anton Franz Heinrich v Sponeck (Major) 1845-1905 Theodor v Sponeck (Major General) 1869-1982 Hans v Sponeck (Lt. General) 1888-1944 He was also nice enough to send me a hard bound copy of his self published work, "The Sponneck Saga." It is a more extensive work then the online edition and is fully illustrated. He has also asked family members to look thru files to see if we can find an old receipt or membership card to finally put a face to this item. A true gentlemen.

Nice update. I wish I had a room like that.

Try looking a little harder. It is very clear.

And you cannot see the ammo belt on that badge? Its clear to me.....

Looks more like a machinegunsharpshooters badge to me.

That is an odd pin/catch assembly.....

Can you get a close up of just the clasp?

If the EKs are good then someone got a deal.

Who know when the cross was placed in the paper and by whom. We had the same problem with a PAB marked AS in a triangle that was found in an AD Schwerdt envelope.