DavidM

Hello As I understand it, the 1914 EKs were in production from 1914 until around the early 1970s, with most of the manufacturers producing them, but not in large numbers.

Hello Welcome to the forum The 1957 new form awards were available from the outset for anyone to buy, veteran or collector alike. I believe that the only restriction was that if you wanted to wear them you had to have evidence of entitlement, e.g. original award document, soldbuch entry etc, (Uwe, am I correct on this, and if so did this only apply to members of the then newly formed West German armed forces?). The new form awards were not re-issued, rather the then West German government passed a law in 1957 (hence the term '57') which allowed the manufacture of certain awards and badges from WW2, but re-worked so that the banned swastika etc was removed. As has been said, Steinhauer und Luck still make some of the new form awards, purely for the collectors market, but the quality is very poor compared to the ones made in the late 1950's and early 1960's. The early ones can be found made out of either left over WW2 frames or made using the original war time dies - and the quality is every bit as good as the WW2 versions. If you want a new form version of the EK, shop around and you will find early examples. What ever you do, before buying one, post photos of it on here first and get some comments.

Hello Absolutely superb :love:

Hello That looks like a decent quality one Dan. From the photo it appears to have a good, clear crisp strike to it, good detail and some quality about it. Nice find. :beer:

Hello A really great piece, and super provenance as well. They don't come much better than this :beer:

Thanks Micha :beer:

Hello Absolutely fabulous set of pillowback EKs Damm it, I'm drooling all over my keyboard now :lol:

Side view

Rear

Hello I just received this 1914 EK1, which I believe dates from around the 1930's or perhaps just into 1940. It's the same style as the very early, so called 'Schinkle' WW2 EK1s. Three piece construction, vaulted, non magnetic core and measures 43.35mm x 43.30mm. The maker of these is thought to be Deumer. As usual, any comments or observations welcomed.

Hello A really great inscription I'd venture to say that, given the text of the inscription, this was period engraved. It's unlikely someone 'enhancing' a standard WW1 EK1 would put something like this on it. Great find and super cross.

Hello Sorry, my fault there Georg. The term comes from an article on the 1870 EKs, which can be found here in it's original format: http://www.medalnet.net/Eisernes_Kreuz_1870.htm and here in an English translation: http://www.medalnet.net/Iron_Cross_1870.htm

Thanks for the reply Kay, it's appreciated.

Hello Many thanks for the comments, much appreciated I have just compared this one to two other vaulted 1914 EKs that I have (both are from the 1914/WW1 era), and I think I was a bit misleading with the term 'lightly vaulted'. Side by side with the two others it is as vaulted as they are, and I should have described it simply as vaulted. My fault for not comparing that first. I have been told elsewhere that this style of EK (based, I believe, on the frame and core) is thought to be by Deumer and made sometime in the 1930's. In the hand it looks much better than in these photos, (if I can I'll get a couple of better shots and post them), and I'm glad that you like it - as indeed I do.

Hello Chris That's very useful and interesting information. I've always been led to believe that the only ones without veins are the 1st and intermediate type spanges. So as long as everything else matches, then a Mayer without veins is ok. I wonder if other makers also did these without veins?