EK 1914 The 1914 Eks with blued core

[Motorhead]

The screwback variation. My example is only stamped with an "*" at the screw.I've seen also exmples with that marking at the washer.(There's also a pinback variation stamped with the"*"-that marking is located at the pin!) Back the the screwbak-of course there are also exaples marked with "SILBER" at the backside-and I know examples they are additional marked with "Sedlatzeck".But as I count him as a retailer it's not a "real" variation of these crosses.

[Motorhead]

Reverse

[Motorhead]

And the last picture......I hope it was not to boring at all!

[Kriztofer]

Nice Micha, thanks for sharing. I've seen this last type screwback setup with no markings, are they any relation to this type/maker?

[Motorhead]

One reply....thank you,Chris! There are two core designs at the 1st class crosses. In my opinion they are from the same maker.The last one(the screwback you've pointed out) is regular(if there's a stamp) marked with the letters "SILBER" on the backplate.The silver content is very low(that's why it's marked just with the letters SILBER and not with a proper 800 ect...).The other core variation is regular (if there's a stamp...) marked with "800" or ""930".Just the example I borrowed the pictures from the WAF(collection stdub) is a mix! It should have the "800" or the "930" on the back instead of the letters "SILBER"

Micha

Edited June 2, 2009 by Motorhead

[gregM]

A very interesting and well researched thread.

I have a perfect match to the 2nd class version posted in post 17 and 18 except

mine has not silber making on it. Other than that, the core and frame beading

are identical.

Here is mine, Not as nice as Michas but still a match.

Edited June 3, 2009 by gregM

[Kriztofer]

The last screwback is a beauty the detail is very crisp, I don't know if its the scan but the frame has a brass tint to it?

[Kriztofer]

I must admit these Blue core are my favorite examples. I am curious as to the meaning of the Silber mark. I've heard two different schools of thought on it. The first is that they are pure Silver and this was the Bavarian way of content stamping and the second is that they contain little or no Silver & the Silber mark was actually a sort of promissory note to exchange for a higher Silver content piece when resources were in abundance once more.

No idea which if any of these statements are correct.

Nice job on this thread, a very good reference.

[Tom Y]

It's my understanding that the star mark is Austrian to denote base metal to be replaced by precious metal after the war. Could these all be Austrian made?

[Kriztofer]

It's my understanding that the star mark is Austrian to denote base metal to be replaced by precious metal after the war. Could these all be Austrian made?

Perhaps, I don't recall seeing a star mark on anything other than a screwback plate or screw, the exception being one EK2 and a screwback EK1 but these were the only instances that I can recall. It would make sense to signify that plates & screws were base metal but why only mark these and not the cross?

Another thing I would attribute to crosses marked Silber is that the examples I've seen don't show the Black age patina that high Silver content pieces normally display.

Suprisingly there are still a lot of if's & maybes regarding these marks.

[frontkampfer]

:beer:

Hi gents !!

Nice Micha, thanks for sharing. Very interesting,and lovely pics for doc as usual !

Regards

Fkr

:jumping:

[Daniel Murphy]

Micha,

I recall seeing this "star" mark on a prussian pilots badge in my collection.I will have to do some digging and find out if I can find it for a photo. Btw, Ialso have one of the first pattern blued ek1's marked "Silber".

Dan Murphy

[Kriztofer]

Dan, this mark is still somewhat of a mystery although I haven't seen it on any other EK's except for the Blue cores, but you never know.

Please post a photo of your EK & the pilots badge here for reference, I would like to see them.

Chris

[Daniel Murphy]

Dan, this mark is still somewhat of a mystery although I haven't seen it on any other EK's except for the Blue cores, but you never know.

Please post a photo of your EK & the pilots badge here for reference, I would like to see them.

Chris

Chris,

I found the badge it is a Meybauer style hollow silver badge with the puffy crown. The pin on the reverse is nothing like that on the crosses but the only marking is this asterisk-like star on the pin.iam unable to get a good photo at this time. Maybe I will be able at some point to figure out how to send a digital camera photo to my pda where I can post it,but right now I can't. It could very well be that the star mark was that of a retailer, not a maker.that would explain the mark being on only a few pieces.Sorry,

Dan

[Streptile]

Chris,

I found the badge it is a Meybauer style hollow silver badge with the puffy crown. The pin on the reverse is nothing like that on the crosses but the only marking is this asterisk-like star on the pin.iam unable to get a good photo at this time. Maybe I will be able at some point to figure out how to send a digital camera photo to my pda where I can post it,but right now I can't. It could very well be that the star mark was that of a retailer, not a maker.that would explain the mark being on only a few pieces.Sorry,

Dan

Very nice thread, and nice crosses. Incidentally I have seen this exact cross (same reverse, too) with the 1870 date. Can anyone post a photo of one?

[Motorhead]

This one was sold yesterday at Ebay..........just the 4th of this kind I've ever seen(but the best one is in my collection... )

Micha

I'm a link

[Kriztofer]

These are extremely hard to find, especially with the backing plate! Is this one now a part of your collection Micha?

Chris

[Eric Stahlhut]

ah, nice keyback! hopefully i'll get around to adding one of these...someday!

[Motorhead]

Chris,

no-someone went higher.... But on the other hand mine is better and I've saved the pics on my hard drive. I'm still looking for a complete one....maybe some nice day...

Micha

[Kriztofer]

Micha

Would you say that this particular model is harder to find than, lets say, a KMST or AWS?

I must admit that these are my favorite EK's, the detail on the cores and the lines of the frame are unmatched IMHO.

I've also noticed that some have the Blued cores and other don't. Another detail of this type is the extremely fine coating of paint, it's almost like a chemical process rather than a coating as the ones I've seen have the color worn off and not chipped or flaked like normal painted models.

Chris

[Richard Gordon]

This one with the * mark on the pin sold yesterday on Ebay:

EK1 1914

Rich

[Mike K]

Hi Rich,

Yes, it was a nice one. I was sniped for it, but that's fine as I already have a decent one.

I've been meaning to add to this thread for ages....in the interests of fairness, a third type of blued core EK1 needs to be added, as seen in the group scan below. These normally come 800 marked with either a thin flat pin or needle pin and a small barrel hinge.

Regards

Mike

[Eric Stahlhut]

mike, that was me. i decided to get it in order to round out my blued-core selection. i already have 800, 930, 935, and 'silber' versions, and the mark on this one was very nicely done. hinge looks kinda wonky, tho

[Kriztofer]

Hi Mike

Nice crosses buddy. I don't believe the bottom model is of the same line as the others, not sure if that's what your saying or if it's just in the group. It doesn't share the same filigree lines as the other Blue cores or the closed 4. Any chance of photos of the reverse?

Chris

Hi Rich,

Yes, it was a nice one. I was sniped for it, but that's fine as I already have a decent one.

I've been meaning to add to this thread for ages....in the interests of fairness, a third type of blued core EK1 needs to be added, as seen in the group scan below. These normally come 800 marked with either a thin flat pin or needle pin and a small barrel hinge.

Regards

Mike

[Mike K]

Hi Mike

Nice crosses buddy. I don't believe the bottom model is of the same line as the others, not sure if that's what your saying or if it's just in the group. It doesn't share the same filigree lines as the other Blue cores or the closed 4. Any chance of photos of the reverse?

Chris

Hi Chris,

No, it's not "related" to the other two in any way. The title of this thread is "...EKs with blued core". It has a blued core. It shows that there were more than just one or two manufacturers who finished their cores in this fashion.

Imo the only thing this one shares with the other two core types is that they are all stamped from thin sheet metal.

Regards

Mike

Edited February 16, 2010 by Mike K