EK 1914 How / who used cardboard boxes?

[TerryG]

I would like to know if only the Military authorities used the little cardboard boxes to send a new EK1 to the recipient or whether private firms also used them? Reason is that I have 2 cased KO EK1's. One case is black and has sharp angles. The other is sort of burgundy, is slightly dome-shaped and looks more like a case I would describe as a private purchase. ( Page 200 of the Iron Time shows a box with a black case similar to mine). I would like to get the correct case together with the cardboard box and would appreciate your comments.

Here 's the black case:

Edited October 7, 2006 by TerryG

[TerryG]

and here's the other one. Do I assume that this was a private purchase? Can it be paired in my collection with a cardboard box?

[Motorhead]

From my observations-the brown domed case with the golden EK at the top is the one that will be found most in cardboxes-but I've also seen a couple of black ones(one of them with the light blue inlay) coming in complete groupings.what I haven't found until now is a dark red one in a cardbox!

Micha

[TerryG]

Thanks for the comments. I am still intrigued by this. Can I assume that if the cross/case was sent to the man in a box, it was sent by some official organisation? If so, would it be fair to assume that the case would be a "standard" one? (so plain, black, would be an ideal candidate for that). WHen I look at the many other types of EK cases you can find, I assume that these were private purchase....but would these private shops have used the same sort of card boxes with the usual label (to be opened only by the receipient...)???I guess there must be a similar system with the TR Crosses. I would not expect to see an LDO case in a cardboard box but maybe I am wrong....(I do not yet have a WW2 carboard box....)

[Tony]

Hello Terry,

I can?t answer your question but I do have the card outer box, case and cross below which I bought as a set in an antique shop at Steinhuder Meer in 1986 or 87.

The cross only has the square mark under the clasp. The outer box has a black/green indentation on the inside of the flap caused by the brass clasp/push button from the case. Therefore, I can only assume that they?ve been together from the start or at least for a very, very long time.

This case fits perfectly and doesn?t move around inside the outer cover, whereas my other cases are either ever so slightly too large (because of height) or small and so move around.

Tony

[Motorhead]

Hi Tony,there should be something in the "square" mark-this EK isn't a "square,so if you use a glass I'm shure you will find a"FR" or a "Fr"!

Micha

[Tony]

Micha,

I can't anything but the square, the photo isn't too clever but you may see something I haven't.

Terry,

I don't know if this will help but I've measured the few cases I have excluding the hinge and catch, in mm:

The case with outer box is 67x67x22.7

Brown/red case 65.5x65.5x18

Black with EK 1914 applied 65x65x23

Black with EK 1914/15 applied 65.5x65x21.5

Black with sort of diamond shaped pattern 64x63x21.5

[TerryG]

Thanks Gents. I have also measured my 3 cases and there seems to be very little difference between them. Both of the ones above seem to fit well into the card box so....

[Daniel Murphy]

Issued Ek1s were cased in a number of variations of case. In general they were as listed above square black, rounded corner burgundy and some dark red ones. The main requirement was that they fit in the issue paper box. There were a number of case making companies and the makers of the EK1 would purchase the cases from them. To complicate things the same maker did not always use the same case. Some used two or more varieties over the course of the war. So you may see 2 KO's in the case and box, but one case will be burgundy and the other black. And both may be perfectly original. Per your question, only an issue EK1 would come in the paper box, the only use for the paper box was to protect the case and EK1 until awarded and in the hands of the new owner. This was not neccesary when buying directly from a jeweler.

Dan

Edited October 9, 2006 by Daniel Murphy