EK 1914 Transitional EK

[Tony]

Hello all,

I have had this EK for well over a year now and have believed it to be a 100% conversion/trasitional type cross since I bought it (and still do).

I?m going to have to part with this cross as I spent too much money on a gallantry group last month, so, I?d like to hear if any of you have seen one like this before and your opinions before selling it.

It?s the usual 3 piece magnetic cross, it rattles in the frame and there are no rough edges around the very tiny holes drilled in the frame.

Cheers

Tony

[Tony]

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[Tony]

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[Chris Boonzaier]

A good question indeed...

Those holes look like a profi job, not some guy with a dremel tool in the basement.

[Tony]

A good question indeed...

Those holes look like a profi job, not some guy with a dremel tool in the basement.

Don't know if you remember Chris, you had it in your mitts last year.

[Chris Boonzaier]

I do indeed.

Impossible to date the holes, but they were done by a real craftsman/Jeweller.

[joe campbell]

i have several examples like/very similar to this,

and am inclined to think that they are not only

historically significant, but a product of the times as well.

these awards cost money.

in the financial ruin in germany and austria after the war,

with the treaty of versailles, and later the depression, , many

of the frustrated, proud troopers of the great war as time

rolled on would be given a chance to display their awards.

necessity is the mother of invention. it is no stretch for me to

see someone taking steps to modify an ek2 - ek1.

i like this one, tony!

joe

[Tony]

Thanks Joe,

I was thinking along those lines too. It is the first of its type I've ever seen though.

Tony

[Steve campbell]

It looks like an EK2 with the ring either cut off or more likely broke off and the owner had the holes drilled to be sewn on whatever article of clothing would have been worn.

[Glenn R]

Wha a really simple and effective way to convert an EK2 into an EK1. It would very efficiently get around the problem of securing it nice and neatly and securely to a breast pocket without the usual splodges of solder and scraps of metal. I like it. Logical and cheap way to quickly effect such a modification. I've not seen one done this way before but I would be quite happy that it was period.

[Mike K]

Hi Tony,

I don't have a problem with this conversion method, providing the holes don't look recently drilled! I would expect dark tarnish inside the holes to match the frame if it is an old conversion. The method is not unknown - I've seen WW1 flyer badges with holes drilled around the side for sewing onto a uniform.

The cross itself looks to me like a high quality early cast iron core example. It would not be inconceivable that an early awarded EK1 was field converted from an EK2 in the absence of an "official" award.

Regards

Mike

[Tony]

Thanks again for the comments.

Mike, I never thought about tarnish inside the holes and have just tried takng some close ups. I should point out that the photos above were taken quite a while ago (last spring/summer), since then, everyone who has handled the cross has rubbed their sweaty thumbs over the holes making the corners look a little lighter.

Tony

[joe campbell]

excellent shots of the holes, and certainly one of the things

i look for.

again, you have a wonderful piece here.

joe

[Motorhead]

Every biker and every metalhead had an iron cross like this on his cut off......25 years ago these1914 EK2 where about 5-10 DM(2,50-5?).On every flea marked there where dozens of them,so no one cared about them.I'm shure there are wartime modifications like this,but I think it's impossible to tell when the wholes have been drilled in.

Micha

[Chris Boonzaier]

Every biker and every metalhead had an iron cross like this on his cut off......25 years ago these1914 EK2 where about 5-10 DM(2,50-5?).On every flea marked there where dozens of them,so no one cared about them.I'm shure there are wartime modifications like this,but I think it's impossible to tell when the wholes have been drilled in.

Micha

Hi

Having held the piece I would say that a very professional jeweller did this. Its not a biker with a dremel tool. These holes are 100% straight, perfectly spaced, done with a tiny, tiny drill bit.

I don't think we will ever know for sure, but I would point more in the direction of something "Old" than a recent modification.

I think on this cross everyone will have a gut feeling and stick to it.

[Motorhead]

From the pics you can see that it was a professionel work-and if you have had it in your hands it's even better to judge!

I just wanted to say that 2nd class EKs has often been mistreated by "freaks"

Micha

[Stogieman]

I have seen a multitude of similar conversions over the years and have yet to see one that really made me think "fake". This seems to be a somewhat neglected copy venue (at the moment at least...). My favorites are the 2. klasse kreuz converted in the field to a pin-back 1. klasse. the crudity of the workmanship screams "at the front". I did have a rather outrageously well done 1870 EK2 converted by a jeweler to a pin-back once upon a time. I'll try and dig out images tonight. It was pretty special.

[Alex K]

Hi everyone very interesting, I must admit that I've never seen these conversions before, had I not have seen this post any cross looking like the ones posted that I may have come across, I would have dismissed as something produced by a biker in a silver plated M35 german helmet!!

you live and learn, very informative post

regards

Alex