DavidM

Hello A very, very nice early bar to the EK2. Congratulations on a nice find.

Hello Here are mine for your list: EK1 1914 marked KO. High silver content cross. Vaulted EK1 1914 no maker markings but stamped '800' on the pin.

Hello Mine are listed below: EK2 1914 in inscribed case, (inside of lid reads 'Der Dank Meines Kaisers'). Maker mark on ring appears to be MAL EK2 1914 marked KO EK2 1914 marked with C

Hello A very nice, original item. Thanks for showing it. Could it be possible that the cores were made for Fr and they either used two suppliers or changed suppliers hence the two different styles of crown ?

Hello A very interesting piece. I have never read about or seen a four piece EK2 before. Thanks for showing it. I note that there is stamped mark on the ring. Is it legible and if so what mark is it ? Is it a known manufacturers ?

Hello Some have clearly been very good this year !! Very nice crosses. Congratulations.

Hello Looks like a nice original Zimmerman. Nice DKiG. Have a good Christmas and New Year Regards David

And the Silver cut out type

Hello I have two Imperial wound badges, a black one and a cut out silver type. Regards David

Hello Joe Congratulations on really nice, excellent condition cross. Regards David

Thanks for the comments. Santa has indeed been kind, and as Marshall pointed out his 25% discount was the key to making it possible. I hope you, and all members of the forum have a prosperous and happy Xmas.

Rear of Bar to EK2 and top and bottom views of the box

Bar to EK2 and box PS Sorry the quality of the scans isn't the best on this or the DKiG, but it is all my scanner will do.

Maker Mark on DKiG

Rear of DKiG

Hello I have just taken delivery of an early Christmas present, a DKiG and an LDO boxed Bar to the Iron Cross Second class. The DKiG is the first 'full metal' war time one I have ever had, (I have a cloth version and a 57 re-issue). It is maker marked 20 for Zimmerman, measures 63.09mm x 62.98mm and weighs 45 grams. It has the usual Zimmerman 'flaws', being the flaw on the sunburst ray around the ten / eleven clock position and the circular blob, (for lack of a better expression), type flaw on the wreath at the twelve o'clock position. The Bar to the EK2 has no maker marks. It measures 30.56mm across the widest part of the wings and is 30.62mm in height. It weighs in at 7 grams. I hope you don't mind me sharing these with you. Any comments or observations welcomed. Thank you.

Hello Jan Now that is a really nice collection. But, if that's what you call small, what do you think of as big ? Thanks for sharing it. Regards David

Hello I have a W?chtler & Lange iron cross 2nd class but the 'blob' doesn't appear on mine. Is it actually part of the iron centre or is it a paint blob ? Regards David

Hello My understanding is that vaulted EKs from 1939 are only to be found among the early issue pieces. I base this on the following extract from Vern Bowens book, 'The Prussian and German Iron Cross', 1st print edition, page173: "In a memorandum dated 5th September 1940, on instructions received from the LDO, Steinhauer & Luck informed their customers they were unable to supply 1939 EK1's in curved form with screwback fasteners as it was forbidden (verboten), although it would seem prior to this, some firms had been manufacturing and supplying such items. In a directive issued on the 5th March 1941 by the LDO, the following announcement appeared:- Translation.....After agreemnet with the Oberkommando das Wehrmacht, I have permitted dealers to sell 1939 1st Class Iron Crosses with screw back attachments. Forbidden still, as previously, 1939 1st Class Iron Crosses in curved form.....(Note! Only licensed dealers were permitted to sell LDO approved pieces). I have so far been unable to find any directives which permitted the use of 1939 EK1's in a curved form. Those which exist, whether with pinback or screwback fasteners, appear to have been made before September 1940 and without LDO authority. they would have been purchased privately." Bowen, and others, show curved, (vaulted), crosses in their books but based on the above I pressume them to be early items. I dare say that some jewellers will have curved crosses for customers even after the LDO directives and so some later examples probably exist - but not officially. Regards David

Hello Very nice original pieces . Congratulations on your triplets ! Regards David

Hello That looks like a very nice, original set. Regards David

Hello First of all thanks to all for their replies. Bill, I have been and looked at the Souval crosses on the WAF and I have found some examples which match mine and some which match yours. Both appear, by the members on the WAF, to be considered wartime production. The only post war production one I have found has a very thin pin, more akin to the 57 re-issue crosses. Hopefully for both of us this will prove to be correct and that these crosses in this thread are in fact war time production. Regards David

Hello Thanks for the information. Regards David

Closer in shot of beading

Hello I have just received a cased EK1, and although I have a couple of EK1 I've never had a cased one before. However, my question is can anyone help with identifying the maker of this cross. I have seen the beading pattern on this cross before and just can't place it. In particular it's the pattern on the outer points of the beading that rings a bell, but unfortunately, as I say, I just can't place it. Sorry the scans aren't the best, but thats all my aging scanner can produce for me. Can anyone help ? Thank you. Regards David