EK 1939 Urgent Opinions on this Bar to the Iron Cross 1st Class

[DavidM]

Hello

I have just received this bar to the iron cross 1st class and would like opinions and comments on it. I can't match it to any known makers. Equally it doesn't appear to match any known fakes.

Size wise it is virtually identical to my Deumer made EK1 bar. Wing tip to wing tip it measures 45.22mm and in height, (bottom of the date trapezium to the top of the eagles head), it measures 30.30mm. It is the same thickness as my L/11 Deumer EK1 bar at around 1.86mm. Visually, 'in the hand', there is nothing immediately jumping out at me which says fake, and the overall quality of the bar appears to be good.

Sorry that the photos have been taken with flash, but it's dark here now.

Please let me know your opinions and comments on this piece as to it's originality or otherwise.

Many thanks in advance.

[DavidM]

Hello

Here are a couple more shots of it taken without flash, but under a normal indoor lightbulb - hence the golden cast to the item.

[joetauchretter]

Hello,

In my opinion this looks like a cast copy . The back of this has that rough cast look to it and the front does not have the sharp , crisp details that I would expect to see on an original item .

Joe

[DavidM]

Hello

Thanks for that Joe. It's probably the photos, but the back is actually smooth. Under a 10x loop it looks pretty similar to my known original bars. The bits that appear to be pitting or rough are where there is some patina on the item.

This is one of the things that is puzzling me with this one. Overall it doesn't appear to be a cast copy - the dimensions etc are correct, and 'in hand' it does look a lot better than in these photos. If I get chance I'll do some more shots in natural daylight. In the mean time, and I probably should have done this earlier given it's dark here, here are some scans of the piece.

Edited December 28, 2006 by DavidM

[Guest Darrell]

Dave it looks fine to me. Sometimes Tombak badges take on that speckled look patina. Look at my Tombak KVK1 for comparison. As well ... it is very smooth.

[DavidM]

Hello

Thanks Darrell.

[DavidM]

Hello

Anyone else have a view on this bar ? In particular, I am concerned by the lack of 'veins' on the wings. Does anyone know of any maker who omitted the veins on 2nd pattern bars?

All comments and observations warmly welcomed.

Many thanks.

Edited December 29, 2006 by DavidM