Mike K

Hi Chris, A very interesting Meybauer! I assume the dimensions are 44 mm as you state LdO? Is it slightly vaulted or flat? I thought I had most of their "Imperial" variants. I did not realise they persisted with their patented screwback post-39! Another one to look out for! Thanks for sharing Regards Mike

Actually, you forgot to add the the case is slotted for a pinback - look carefully, you can make it out if you are looking for it. Regards Mike

Exactly. I agree that FR and Fr are different more than likely different makers. When it comes to 1914 EK1s, there weren't all that many makers. Of those makers, very few of them used unique cores/frames/hardware. Most of them, in pairs or small groups, appear to have had some sort of working relationship - be that direct or through a 3rd party we'll probably never know though. Regards Mike

I am embarrased that both of the a**holes involved are Australian. All I can say is that I DO NOT KNOW THEM! I saw one of them had listed a brand new produced cased 57EK1 at over Aus$500 and some idiot had bid on it! And if it was a shill bid, then I re-emphasise that it was an idiot that bid on it. I hope the moderators here monitor IP addresses and keep them off this forum! Regards Mike

No, he was not medical. He was Veterinary Corps - animal doctor. His WW2 boards were carmine with the vet "snake only" device - correct rank term was Oberfeldveterinaer (Oberstleutnant equivalent). Regards Mike

My Bad - the fake is not marked "DESCHLER & SOHN", it is marked "DESCHLERSOHN" - one word, which is totally incorrect, but it fits perfectly with the fakr on offer to Troy. Here are a couple of cruddy pics of other poorly stamped examples - but if you look closely and "combine" the various partial maker marks, you'll get the picture. Regards Mike

Hi Troy, Pure fake cr*p. ANY EK1 - 1813, 1870, 1914 or 1939 EK1 with this attempted "Deschler & Sohn" stamped marking is a fake. These things are currently flooding the market. Regards Mike

So what exactly gives this away as bad? The combination itself? Regards Mike

In this case, my thoughts exactly! Regards Mike

Hi Andy, An unusually marked example - but very nice! That's the second style of CD 800 marking on a pin from this maker I've seen now. I'd say the paintwork was ruined when the cross was silver dipped, cleaned and polished. Regards Mike

Hi, Thanks for the link Andy. Interesting reading! I don't recall seeing any other non-LdO marked TR period 1914 EK1s. Must have been a Mayer quirk. Of further interest (for me anyway) is that I can not match this TR Mayer core with any other 1914 EK1 cores, TR or otherwise. Looks like I'll have to find one of these for myself to study! Regards Mike

Hi Andy, Have you examined the edges of this one very carefully? I don't have a problem with the core or the frames or the hardware, but I find it unusual that a TR replacement (private purchase) example would be marked with a Prasidialkanzlei (TR award piece) number. Maybe it's only a production error, but unusual combinations should be looked at carefully. Regards Mike

Both examples imo came from the same (obverse) die. If you look carefully at the reverse scans below, specifically the example on the right above the catch, you'll see the Meybauer crest poking out from behind the pin. The Meybauer relationship to the DRGM example on the left becomes self-explanatory, taking the other evidence into account imo. Regards Mike

Hi, I'm in a position to add a couple of pics to prove the Meybauer-DRGM relationship. Below are two WBs from my collection. Both Silver Grade, although the one on the left is heavily worn. They share the same obverse features (taking wear into account) and also appear to share the same obverse features as Chet's Black example above. Regards Mike

Hi, The first KO is a nice original with some light wear. Looks like it's been cleaned based on the patchy patina. The second KO also appears to be a nicely worn example. To me, the main pin looks thinner than usual and I have a question over the catch on this one - a possible repair in the absence of an oblique pic of the catch. The Meybauer looks nice from the obverse. The maker mark and silver content are correct, however that is not a Meyabuer main pin. The main pin is imo almost certainly a replacement. I'd also want to see an oblique pic of the catch on this one - it should be true "C" form but I can't make it out from this pic. The 1914 cross has obviously been matched with a WW2 vintage case. Regards Mike

Hi Micha, I was watching this one out of curiosity. Personally I thought the cross was OK - at least no alarm bells and the screwback system looks believable. The case I also thought looked old. Whether the case and cross belong to each other is anyone's guess. From your image, there seems to be an old impression of something else? There seems to be the impression of a ?crown above where the top cross arm lies?? Regards Mike

Hi, Sorry for the slow reply, I've been on the move today. Andy's screwback EK1 linked to by Chet clearly and definitevely links the DRGM screwdisk to Meyabuer via the PM stamping. Sometimes you get the PM, sometimes you don't. I totally agree with Chris that the DRGM is only related to the screwdisk though, not the cross (or Wound Badge in this case). Personally, I have only ever seen this DRGM screwdisk in relation to Meybauer items (commonly in conjunction with a crest marking on the back of the item and commonly a cross shaped backing plate for cross-shaped items), be they screwback Prussian EK1s, Oldenburg FA1Xs, Braunschweig KVK1s, Schlesien Adler 1Kl screwback, etc, etc. The DRGM screwdisk was used on quite a WIDE variety of Meybauer produced awards. Unfortunately I can't show a pic at present to illustrate this. Regards Mike

Nice screwback Meyabuer Regards Mike

Reverses...

I finally found one (sorry Greg - you've got the next one) to match a cousin from Oldenburg. Regards Mike

Hi Thomas, I think your friend can sleep easy, they both appear genuine to me and are imo probably of earlier (ie WW1 to 20s vintage). The example on the left has a fairly generic core used by quite a few manufacturers, including Godet. The example on the right for me remains an unknown maker. Don't lose those nuts - impossible to find them! This type somtimes comes with very large round backing plates (with variable numbers of holes, from 2 to many). Regards Mike

Hello Naoki, I look forward to seeing the additional pic. These days when it comes ot crosses I mainly collect 1914 EK1 variants. Regards Mike

Hi Naoki, You have three very nice engraved EK1s. Personally, I have no doubt that all 3 engravings are period (ie, WW1 or soon after). Could you please show a picture of the reverse of the 950 cross in Post#3 with the pin down / closed? Although the catch is a definite replacement, I have a suspicion this may be a very hard to find FLAT-backed Meybauer. Regards Mike

Hi Andy, I pretty much agree with Joe. The first one is a nice probably 30s example. Re the second one, an extremely nice obverse but imo a definitely repaired/replaced screw post. The PM on the DRGM screwdisk definitely stands for Meybauer. Regards Mike

Hi Paul, A nice Wagner & Sohn EK1. The engraving will always be a question - it looks unusually deep but patinaed. Interesting engraving style (and Galizien location!), but I like it. Regards Mike PS: what's that SS stuff it's sitting on!