favorite EK2

[Mark McM]

have owned quite a number of '14 EK 2's over the years, but this one's my favorite.  Left portion of the marking is a bit obscure, but appears to be BD800. 

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi, nice cross!! Must be CD800

[Mark McM]

thanks, Chris!  The leading edge of the first character appears to be straight.  That's why I assumed a B.  Might be a H too, I suppose.

[IrishGunner]

Quite nice!  Why is it your favorite?

[Mark McM]

well, it's as issued, the full length ribbon is fairly nice, original pin is there and the cross itself has a very pleasing appearance - nicely toned, etc.  Guess it all adds up to the kind of cross that you just don't bump into anymore.  :)

[IrishGunner]

Mark, ahh...the clues to an issue piece makes perfect sense!  I'm so used to seeing EK2s on bars or with only pieces of ribbon that the long ribbon on your cross is unusual to my neophyte eyes.  Thanks for answering - adds to my understanding. 

[Mark McM]

indeed, usually we're lucky to get one with 3" of original ribbon! 

[kasle]

Nice privately purchased cross by Carl Dillenius, Pforzheim. Since CD used his own unique core, we can be sure it is no BD, or HD even without looking at maker´s mark.
 

[Mark McM]

14 hours ago, kasle said:

Nice privately purchased cross by Carl Dillenius, Pforzheim. Since CD used his own unique core, we can be sure it is no BD, or HD even without looking at maker´s mark.
 

Interesting... can you elucidate on Dillenius' unique cores? 

[kasle]

Some EK2 makers shared so called generic cores, which means they bought cores from a foundry and made just their own frames. Thus the so called Godet core, possibly produced in Godet private Iron foundry, was used also by Meybauer, Roesner and others.

Some makers, mainly those biggest (KO for example) used their own unique cores, but they bought also generic ones to keep up with demand. KO is known with at least 7 cores, of which 2-3 are unique only to KO.

And there were some makers, who produced their own unique cores which were just enough for their EK production. These are the best ones from collector´s point of view, as the maker can be simply identified by core only. Between these belong for example MFH (Max Fleck Hamburg), Carl Zimmermann Pforzheim, M. Hansen and his subsidiary Koch and Bergfeld, and also Carl Dillenius. So if you see this type of core, with typical flat crown, high and slim W and numerals with stressed serifs, you can be sure to find only two marks on it. Either CD, or CD 800. The third very rare possibility is square mark, but it is with highest probability again just Dillenius´ mark, reserved mainly for his EK1 pieces (that where in contrary only rarely marked CD 800).

CD´s EK1 core was slightly different to his EK2 core (mainly the crown), but again it was his unique core not known to be used by other makers.

[Mark McM]

wow!  Excellent background!  Thanks for the detail! 

[buellmeister]

What a fantastic cross!  Love the detail of the core.

Regards,

 

Joel 

[saschaw]

On 16/11/2015 at 11:47, kasle said:

Nice privately purchased cross by Carl Dillenius, Pforzheim.

I would address any "CD 800" cross an award type, other than their "square mark" crosses. What makes (or made?) you believe this - or every "CD 800" - is a private purchase cross?

Edited September 8, 2019 by saschaw