She is arrived !

[pinpon590]

Hello gentlemen !

Since a very long time, I searched her ! And I have found it (a little bit expensive, but i wanted her !!!)

Friedrich-Franz-Alexandra cross... Only 951 awarded during WW1...

I've received her today.

Weight 31,6g, subtle but nice patina : I think the cross is in silver. No maker mark or silver mark...

Good details on the cross.

So she's beautifull !!

Only one negative fact : the ribbon is a modern one... I will search a hold one (as represented or the second model, who is the same than Mecklembourg 2nd class merit cross, combatant model. If someone can help me?)

Enjoy !

:beer:

Edited April 9, 2009 by pinpon590

[Deruelle]

Salut pimpom590,

Vraiment splendide. Encore une superbe trouvaille pour ta collection.

Cdt

Christophe

[922F]

Womderful and extremely nice condition! Congratulations!!.

[pinpon590]

Thank you !

Close up :

[Claudius]

Very nice.

You are right, the patina is wonderful.

[Komtur]

Hm, as far as I know, there are casted copies on the marked. I am not sure, what I have :unsure:

[Komtur]

some details

[Komtur]

Sorry for pouring water in the wine

Kind regards, Komtur.

[Kris D]

Only one negative fact : the ribbon is a modern one... I will search a hold one (as represented or the second model, who is the same than Mecklembourg 2nd class merit cross, combatant model. If someone can help me?)

Hi

Regarding the ribbon try http://www.detlev-niemann.de/en/

Regards

Kris Duzniak

[pinpon590]

Sorry for pouring water in the wine

Kind regards, Komtur.

Hello ! What a nice cross ! With a very fine lettering ! I never see any crosses as this one ! All the cross I've seen (3 or 4, not more...) had the same "poor" lettering as mine...

Some example :

http://www.sixbid.com/nav.php?p=viewlot&sid=112&lot=5203

Semms having the same "poor" lettering...

[pinpon590]

Close up of the cross :

[pinpon590]

And this one I have seen on Militaria-Fundforum.de :

[pinpon590]

And an other one, always on Militaria-Fundforum...

[pinpon590]

So, 3 crosses which seems having the same "poor" (not really poor... but compared with Komtur's cross...) lettering..

Question :

- Are all these 3 crosses faked / casted ? And mine also ...

- Could be some differents quality made ?

- Could be some differents makers ?

I will try to do some better scans, with a hight resolution tomorrow...

All opinions are welcomed !

:cheers:

Edited April 9, 2009 by pinpon590

[pinpon590]

I have done better scans...

:cheers:

[pinpon590]

next

[pinpon590]

next

[pinpon590]

next...

[pinpon590]

Last one...

:cheers:

[Komtur]

I am not an expert for these medals, but I was told by an expert for decorations of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, that there are copies. But in general, as far as the pictures can show this, I see typical signs of a minted item (like sharpness of the letters an smooth ground) on one hand and typical signs of a casted item (like round contour of the letters and rough underground) on the other.

I?ve seen never two such crosses side by side in original and would like to hear, as pinpon590, other opinions.

Kind regards, Komtur.

[Komtur]

The crosses where made by the Berliner M?nze. The minting tools are still in the collection of the M?nzkabinett of the Bode-Museum Berlin. I have seen them there and have pictures of the tools, but unfortunately I can not show them because of copyrights.

For better comparison I scanned the medal too. The other pictures I showed before where from a digital microscope.

IMO the last one from Militaria-Fundforum looks more like a minted then a casted cross.

Best regards, Komtur.

[pinpon590]

Hello !

I have seen a jewellers, and we have tested the cross, with a touch stone and silver acid :

So, the cross is not silver plated, but solid silver (ca 750-900/1000 : to determine exactly the silver title, I have to pay... So I only have an approximation)

So I don't know what I must think about this cross... :speechless:

:beer: