DavidM

Hello Dan That's a really nice one that you have Looks identical to mine, your's being in better condition though. These are the only two of these that I have ever seen - well, the 57 versions anyway. If you ever decide to part with yours let me know first. And post your Luftschutz as well !!

Hello I have just recieved this 57 version of the Olympic Neck Cross. It has, at some point, suffered a small bit of enamel damage on the right side arm, which has been repaired. I believe this is the first class version of this award. As usual, any comments or observations welcomed.

Hello I have just recieved this 57 version of the Lufschutz award. As usual, any comments or observations welcomed.

Hello I have seen this on other repainted EKs, Imperial and Third Reich, in that the when repainted it fills up the gap between rim and core, leaving it looking as if it is all one piece. You also get the same appearance on the very late production three piece 57 EKs, where the cores were painted after the EK was put together. From the areas I described I'm pretty certain this one is a three piece.

Hello A very nice and desirerable cased EK.

Hello Looks a a quite common slightly vaulted, three piece original to me. I have a similar one marked '800' on the pin, and if you search the forums you find quite a few like these. I would agree the core looks re-painted. Look at the 3 O' clock arm, bottom far right side. You can just see a solder join where the two frames meet. Also, on the bottom left side of the 6 O' clock you can see the two frames are marginally out of line - showing it is a three piece. In my opinion, a nice original cross with a (probably) repainted core.

Hello A very nice 57 EK1 - and one of the early ones as well. Plus a great bonus score of a WW2 case. Beautiful set.

Hello A really super set of EKs. Thanks for showing them.

Hello WOW WOW Enough said !!

Hello Sweet, very sweet

Hello Absolutely beautiful. A really nice EK.

Hello I think this is a 'genuine' 137th anniversary edition.

Hello Here are some stickpins that I recently acquired. They are, from left to right, a Bar to the EK2, EK2 and Winter Campaign in Russia medal, EK2 and Black Wound badge and a War Merit Cross without Swords. As usual any comments or observations welcomed.

Hello Dan Looks like a re-painted '24' to me as well, but as Ulsterman asks, is it magnetic and what are the dimensions. Don't worry if it doesn't rattle as a lot of genuine original EK2s don't - especially if they have been re-painted as the paint sticks the core to the frame and stops any movement.

Hello A very nice, original round 3 EK. A very nice collection as well. I thought the bit in the middle was an armband not a flag, but either way I agree with Chris.

Hello At present Bowens 'The Prussian and German Iron Cross' is, in my opinion the best source of information on Imperial EKs. I have a first edition and one of the last editions and they are really good, useful reference books. If I can find it, I have Vern Bowens grandaughters e-mail address, who was selling off the remaining last edition volumes of his book for him. She said I could pass it on to other collectors, so I'll post it on here if I find it. Question is, when is Gordons book on the Imperial crosses going to press? Edit: Here is Vern Bowens grandaughters e-mail address, or at least the one I contacted her through and which she said I could pass on to other collectors. It is charlottepugh@hotmail.co.uk She doesn't reply very quickly, so even if you haven't heard from her for a week don't worry.

Hello Richard Thanks for that. I had a notion in the back of my mind that RKs that appear to have rounded inner corners are Junckers. Thanks for confirming that. As for the GC, please shoot me I looked at the scan and lumped in with the RKs. Clearly the size of it alone makes it a GC, which I am fully aware have dipping rings. I will shuffle off now and berate myself for sillyness and lack of observation on this one

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Hello You will have to excuse me, and bear with me on this one as I am still learning about WW2 RKs. The three RKs featured on the page scan from the 1940 edition of Signal, appear to what is described as the Rounder, (the two next each other, one being just an RK, the other having oaks with it), and the one at the top of the page which appears to have a definite dipping eye. Are these RKs what they appear to be, as described above, or am mistaking them for known RKs? Many thanks.

Hello A nice grouping, and in the correct style. Thanks for sharing it.

Hello I too feel this is a geniune 57 piece, and not one of the repro or copy pieces that can be seen on E-Bay and elsewhere. Is the core magnetic? If so it should be one of the early produced pieces, although not the earliest. From the photo it also gives the impression that it was, and still retains frosting. Is this the case? Anyway, for what it's worth, I like it.

Hello It looks like a good, original cross to me. I don't have a '20' marked EK2 that I can compare against, so I can't say if this is a '20' or not. Have you looked in the forums Iron Cross database?

Hello That's a very nice EK that you have there. Here's mine to compare against.

Hello Does anyone have any 57 pieces known to have been produced by Assmann? If so could you please post some photos of them. Many thanks.

Hello The cross looks good to me. As for the core, if the greyish white patches that can be seen in a couple of small areas aren't left over cleaning residue, I'd venture zinc.