Alex K

Hi Henke welcome to the friendly forum. This link might help with the lower end of the award. regards Alex http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17990

hallmarks

I'm suddenly extremely worried Does this mean that the attached is also a fake. made by Jacob Lesser (Or not) as the case may be, expert opinion is welcome

Edit So if it's not a stupid question , How do you make a Ist class from a 3rd class? It looked good enough to fool a novice like me regards Alex

Hi Kevin lovely example, nice growing family also regards Alex edit I've just noticed on the family picture that the one next to it has a different ribbon, or is it my eyes?

I would also say S & L 39-45 manufacture, nice cross Alex K

Hi I,m no expert on these but to me looks like a nice original, the eagle appears to very well defined regards Alex

Out of interest, why would he be wearing the Polish Order of the White Eagle? Alex

Just for info, here are my Orders of Merit, I particularly like this award, I think I may have posted these somewhere before! regards

Following comments by David and Richard, I never spotted the features when I posted the pictures, but on a second look, the RK's certainly appear to be what have been described as "Rounders", I believe from many postings on this and other forums that they have been identified as post war fakes. Do these photo's throw it all up into the air again as these are actual wartime period images?? Alex Edit http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=20581&hl=

Period Signal photo of the diamonds

Hi, the grand cross was always awarded for leadership actions which had a decisive impact on the war, and was awarded to high ranking officers only, that's why Goring received it for, I believe, the conquest of France, it was never awarded for bravery, this was true for all the grand crosses, 1813,70 and 1914. As this was the case, and other "Imperial" or state bravery decorations had been discontinued, there was a need for a higher award than the EKI to bridge the gap from EKI to grand cross, the RK and it's subsequent additions was created, it was decreed that it could be awarded to any rank and not just officers. That being said, many generals etc also received the RK as a reward for leadership and not combat in the field, Keitel was a good example, he was a staff officer and never a field commander (WWII) Alex K Attached a 1940 colour photo from Signal Magazine showing the complete (at that time) range. the swords and diamonds etc were added after this time

Hi thanks for the comments, yes the core is magnetic and does retains some frosting, the pin does suggest that it is a later "Early version" as the pin is not typically wartime stock. kevin, I wondered what the little ring was for, I assumed that it may have been a mark made by a pin which ejected it from the die, but I could be wrong. regards Alex

I wouldn't buy it

Any comments, I think it's a real version, an early 1957, would welcome opinions regards Alex

BTW This is Pingel mentioned in the first two posts

BoB pilots

same scene different newspaper

Things seem a little quiet here at the moment, I thought I would post a few newspaper clippings which I re-discovered whilst having one of those periodic rummages, I'd forgotten about these, These are newspaper clippings given to me a long time ago, they date from 1940 at the height of the Battle of Britain and I post purely for enjoyment. I like how they talk in the present tense. regards Alex BTW what happened in the end, to the pilots mentioned ?

Hi Erik, nice little bar, but why the two EKII's? regards Alex

What's this then!, It looks like the upper part of a 1 regards Alex Edit 61 would be Rudolf A Karnethz & Sohn

The swastika does look a little shiny, is the core magnetic or not?, it may be zinc, removing the paint wouldn't increase the value though in my opinion regards Alex

Many recipients removed the paint of the swastika to make it stand out more, it was a personal thing and not part of the manufacturing process. regards Alex

Hi I agree, they are both original, BTW there's nothing wrong with your English, I wish I could speak Spanish that well regards Alex K

To the novices, like me, does that mean that an identifiable Zimmerman or Godet is more likely to be genuine than the S & L, Juncker, etc?? genuine question Alex