Social Welfare 1st Class oddball or fake...

[Rick C]

First thing I notice is there’s the odd ring set up.

Then is the lack of ‘space’ between the wings & the legs.

Then there’s a disparity in size - my Godet is 52.77 x 57.26mm while this one is 54mm x 54mm & its eagle 31.39mm high x 27.67mm wide.

Finally, its head flatter than my Godet.

The enamel doesn’t react to UV.

Either an oddball maker or an outright fake. For $20 bucks I couldn’t resist bringing it home to check.

Your observations & comments will be welcome.

Thanx, Rick

[Rick C]

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[Rick C]

here's my Godet to compare this one to...

[Rick C]

I note the 120 views of this thread without a comment thus far. Hmmm. Okay.

Risking some thinking I may be barking at the moon, I’ll continue my dialog with myself over this oddball piece.

One of the oddities noted, compared to my Godet (and many other Social Welfare crosses), is the lack of open space between the wings & legs. The present piece has, obviously, enamel where it seemingly shouldn’t be based on my Godet and the vast majority of the crosses I’ve seen. Since no one’s piped in with any evidence to trash or support this anomaly I just ordered Angolia’s In Service of the Reich which I hope might have some useful data & photos of the various Social Welfare crosses such that I might puzzle this out further.

Till that arrives, I’m posting a few photos from Forman's 3rd edition which I do have. It 'appears' that the two crosses below, the stern & the 2nd class have enamel between the wings & legs, similar to the cross in question while, in the same reference book/section, the other examples are shown free of enamel in these areas. I find this curious & hope you do as well. Either Forman was using photographic evidence which were patently fake or there was a maker that used this configuration.

[Woolgar]

Rick

Most of the 1st class medals I have seen have that gap you mention.

However I once remember seeing a picture of one without that gap and it was listed as an "early version" but it wasnt a very convincing badge and I shrugged it off as a repro.

I am sure this info doesnt help.

I will interested to see some expert answers on this too

Cheers

Nick

[Rick C]

I am sure this info doesnt help.

Of course it does. 'Observations' are what builds a database. The only way to learn anything is collating the "observations" noted by others.

Thanx Nick, RC

[Rick C]

Continuing on the enamel between the legs theme, the following two images are from Angolia's "Fuhrer & Fatherland; Political & Civil Awards of the Third Reich" showing, as did Forman's, awards manufactured with enamel between the wings & legs.

The Star was awarded by Hitler to a Dr. Gerhard Wagner on the Chief's birthday. The other is, obviously an award to a female recipients.