Baltic cross to discuss.

[CRBeery]

I recently added this to my little collection and while researching it further it seems this will be hard to assign to any decade. This is a one piece cross and it has the fleur de lis shape that is associated with 57 pieces.

[CRBeery]

The back. There is a small nut soldered into the larger one that is visible here. That is why the post is not centered in the hole.

[CRBeery]

I love the wear and the look of this piece. I do not really have an interest in pieces that are younger than I am so I dug a bit more to see what I could find on Sedlatzek. It is generally agreed that he was a retailer and did not make awards. While looking around I found a Spanish Cross that had his name on it and it was made by S&L. I went and looked at my copy of the S&L catalog from 1939 and found this:

Edited October 29, 2009 by CRBeery

[CRBeery]

Now, there is no picture of the back of the cross in the catalog to see if it is one or two pieces. I feel that one piece crosses were being manufactured during the TR period and that this is one of them. I will be interested to see if anyone has a grouping with one in it to see how the crosses compare. I do agree that there are versions of this with the 1957 style pins and I would not buy one of those - or did I?

Edited October 29, 2009 by CRBeery

[Mike K]

Are you 100% sure this is a one-piece? I see some evidence on the lower arm of the first pic that the pieces may be soldered together? I know Sedlatzed was still active in the late 50s and probably early 50s, but this one gives me the impression of being earlier. I can't quite figure out the nut you've described on the screwback - what I'm seeing looks like a Hansen screwdisk, but I get the impression there is another nut underneath which is actually threading onto the post? All in all, I like it, if only because I don't mind picking up Sedlatzek items when I can!

Regards

Mike

[Ulsterman]

I treat any Sedalzek Baltic cross with suspicion. he sold many of these well into the 1960s. indeed, this was used in his ad in the SS veterans' magazines.

This type of cross (it may even be the same one) is the only thing I have ever returned to Bill Shea.

[Eric Stahlhut]

i have a hessian war honor decoration in iron with the same type of reverse setup, and have absolutely no problem with it.

[Eric Stahlhut]

unmarked

pics are from dave danner's nice website

Edited October 29, 2009 by Eric Stahlhut

[CRBeery]

I have looked under magnification and I do not see a seam where two pieces were joined. I will look again. The odd thing is that the metal showing through looks darker in color that the brass on the cross. I just assumed there was some sort of plating left.

The hardware that Eric posted is an exact match. Nice piece by the way!

I realize that these could be later pieces and if they are 57 era pieces I would expect to see them for sale into the 60's. I would ask that anyone that has a Sedlatzek marked item to please post it as I have seen several different marks and maybe there is another clue there.

[Ulsterman]

Sedalzek was also selling (illegally) veterans pieces by 1948. I have seen his ads in old SS vets magazines.

[CRBeery]

This is one piece construction and nonmagnetic.

[Tom63]

It is the original pre 1945. The manufacturer - «B. H. Mayers Kunstprageanstalt, Pforzheim».

Below ЕК1 1939 with double marks: «L/18» - «FR. SEDLATZEK BERLIN SW 68».

The hardware is an exact match.

[Tom63]

....

[Tom63]

Below Mayers pinback version. This is one piece construction and nonmagnetic.

[CRBeery]

Tom,

Thanks for those photos! The hardware is an exact match right down to the off center nut.

[Butch]

I Love that Baltic Cross! Gotta have one of those! Stormtrooper