Bill Garvy

I thought I would post what I construe as an unusual "800" marked Iron Cross in 1st Class. It is very light with delicate features. The core appears to be copper coated, at first I thought brass, and it is magnetic. Comments welcome. . . obverse: reverse:

As you can see, it's maker marked "66" on both sides of the ring, although I don't know if this was common for this maker, Freidrich Keller of Oberstein. . .

I must have been pretty good this year because I received this double maker marked "66" in 2nd Class. . . [attachmentid=20583]

I'm wondering if the mark on the ring is also "L/56" (Funcke & Bruninghaus), and if so that would make this a rare ensemble, in my opinion anyway. . .

maker mark. . . note the welded split on the ring. . .

Reverse. . .

And yet another. . .

Here is the maker mark under the pin. . .

For example, here is a "23" maker marked Iron Cross in 1st Class. Note the rounded inner corners, sharp cornices, and low "1939", although the swastika is quite well defined. In my opinion this has a similar frame, but a different core. Secondly, why do we assume this style frame was manufactured by Souval? Couldn't they have just as easily purchased the frames from some other manufacturer?

-Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "CD800" -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "W" -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "WuS" (Wagner u. S?hne) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "WuS" (Wagner & S?hne) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "III" (unknown maker) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "R" (unknown maker) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "Fr." (unknown maker) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "Fr." (unknown maker) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "S-W" (Sy Wagner) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "Z" (unknown maker) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with non-combatant ribbon, maker marked "IVI" (unknown maker) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with non-combatant ribbon, unmarked -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "KAG" (unknown maker) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, maker marked "ED" (unknown maker) -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, with ribbon, unmarked -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, cased, with ribbon, maker marked "LW" -Iron Cross, 2nd Class, 1914, cased, with ribbon, maker marked "KO"

Thank you, Dave! Any idea which type is period manufactured or post war manufactured, or are both considered genuine of period issued crosses?

Here is the reverse of the above cross with its broken clasp, sigh, and what I thought to be a typical Souval hinge assembly. . .

I think you've touched upon the reason I, and I suspect many other collectors for that matter, have stopped collecting Souval Iron Crosses, becasue there really seems to be no way to tell period manufactured crosses from post-war restrikes. Be that as it may, I still have a couple in my collection that I shall post here for comparison. By the way, David, I was not aware of the two different types of hinges utilized by Souval, so thank you for that valuable information. I would be most interested in seeing an example of the other type than I have posted below. . .

That does not appear to be a Souval hinge, in my opinion, although more than one manufacturer utilized that unique frame style with rounded inner corners and those pointy cornices. Interesting cross. . .

Begining efforts. . . -Iron Cross, 1st Class, 1914, cased & marked "We" -Iron Cross, 1st Class, 1914, marked "800" (silver content) on the pin, vaulted -Iron Cross, 1st Class, 1914, unmarked "26", B.H. Meyer . . . more to follow

Here is an alternate view. It appears they both are flat and wide, but the curl is missing from mine. . .

Here is a scan of the clasp. . . Note the split in the seam of the arm. . .

Darrell, I don't have a scan of the clasp from the bottom as nicely as you do, but I can make one and post it later. As memory serves, the clasp is indeed quite similar. . .

From the front. . . Hope you don't mind this non-Imperial Cross being posted here. . .

Here is a Third Reich example of an unmarked "22" for Boerger & Company, Berlin with a similar pin, hinge, and clasp configuration. . .

And from the other end of the spectrum, an unmarked example from the same manufacturer. . . obverse: reverse: clasp & vaulting:

I believe they are different manufacturers that happen to have the same last name. . .

maker stamp on the reverse. . .

Reverse. . .

Another example of a Zimmermann envelope of issue. . .