Iron cross 2nd class question

[Michaelwave]

Hello everyone. I recently bought this small award bar. 
nothing special and I used to collect more until I sold everything to shift my focus on other medals and orders(soviet stuff mostly). So I never really got into Iron crosses that much. 
 

I would just like to ask if it is possible to identify the manufacturer of the cross. I don’t really want to take the ribbon apart to look if the ring has a stamp. And I can’t really show the back very well without tearing something. 
It is magnetic 

Is it a war time piece or a post war production?

 

Very rusty

 

[VtwinVince]

That's some patina for sure. I know nothing about EK's, but my guess is AWS.

[ChrisKelly]

That Iron Cross has some surface rust on it, as does the Honor Cross next to it, so it has been exposed to moisture/humidity.

 

Given the "stylized"/"art nouveau" 1914 date on the front, and the taller, slimmer "W", I am tempted to guess it may be a "WILM", likely manufactured sometime 1917-1921.

 

 

 

Sources:

 

Image1: WILM [H.J.Wilm/Berlin]

https://gielsmilitaria.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=16595

 

Image 2: WILM [H.J.Wilm/Berlin]

https://bevo-militaria.com/shop/sold/ww1-1914-iron-cross-second-class-by-wilivi/

 

Image 3: WILM [H.J.Wilm/Berlin]

https://gielsmilitaria.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=12460

 

Image 4: KO [Königliches Münzamt Orden/Berlin]

https://gielsmilitaria.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=15994

 

Edited yesterday at 01:35 by ChrisKelly

[ChrisKelly]

Addendum:

 

https://www.kaisersbunker.com/stuff/1914_EK2_makers.htm

 

[Michaelwave]

9 hours ago, ChrisKelly said:

That Iron Cross has some surface rust on it, as does the Honor Cross next to it, so it has been exposed to moisture/humidity

I bought it from the great grandson of the veteran. Looks like they didn’t really bother much to take good care of the award.

Or maybe it’s just the humidity in northern Germany…, that’s where it’s from. 
 

Thanks for the answers everyone. This is very helpful   

Edited 21 hours ago by Michaelwave

[ChrisKelly]

For "Michaelwave":

 

You may be able to turn the suspension ring on the Iron Cross to see the hallmark, if there is one.  However, be super extra careful!  Given the humidity/moisture to which this medal bar has been exposed, the ribbons are likely "hard" and will break and crumble easily.

 

Disappointing that the great grandson sold off his great granfather's medal bar.  One more family heirloom sent away to the anonymity of the collector's market.

[Michaelwave]

I will try to turn the suspension ring a bit when I get the chance to. But damaging the award for the sake of knowing the manufacturer doesn’t seem worth it. 
 

About the veteran. I asked for more information but he didn’t want to say anything. Except “it’s from my father and his father and his father”

so the last name “Haese” is consistent here.

that’s about all I could figure out 

[ChrisKelly]

One more consideration...  Be super extra careful. You cannot clean any of the medals without severely damaging them.  The surface corrosion, unfortunately, is permanent.  The Iron Cross's suspension ring does look too far recessed in the ribbon to try and determine if there's a hallmark on it without damaging or destroying the ribbon.

 

Myself, I'd like to see the whole medal bar.  In spite of the corrosion, that's a nice Iron Cross.  Since the Honor Cross for Front Fighters is part of it, it is a Third Reich medal bar.  That may explain your seller's reticence to say anything more about it than it's for sale by the owner.

[Michaelwave]

Personally I’m not a fan of restoring/cleaning medals/orders. I keep everything as it is.

 

heres the whole medal bar

[Michaelwave]

Got another iron cross coming my way. But this time with a “Kriegs-Chronik”. 
I’ll show it in here too when I get it. 

[ChrisKelly]

In spite of it all, I like that medal bar.  I am looking forward to your next acquisition.