The Luftschutz 1 Class types

[Antonio Scapini]

Ok, let's start from the beginning guys.

I'd like to share with you what I researched about these medals. Not everything what I found, but enough to know (IMO) something more and shed some lights.
Hope to hear what you think about.


We know these medals were made in Buntmetall and in zinc too. Both these types were found on original medal bars or directly acquired from vets.

There are two known different original patterns I call "with open M" and "with close M"supposed made from:
- Meybauer, Steinahuer & Luck, Deumer and maybe Schickle (open M type) – but Schickle is a separate chapter and IMO never made these medals.
- Unknown maker (close M type).

The "M" is the easiest way to understand the type, this is the reason why I focused on them (following an old Giel's thread) for a first evaluation.

[Antonio Scapini]

The "open M" type medals, from what I saw in my researches, are made of zinc and Buntmetall and the "close M" type medals are in Buntmetall (I have seen only few so I would not to be so categorical).

The only big problem is that IMO Meybauer (L/13), Deumer (L/11) and S&L used all the same die, so it is possible that one maker bought medals from another (in this case is understandable due to the low number of requests) or one maker bought the die from the other (we know it happened sometimes during the TR).

IMO Meybauer and Deumer bought medals from S&L (in support of this theory the few known examples are marked for retail sale and not with PK number; only S&L marked the Luftschutz 1 class with his PK number "4").


The S&L 1 class medal and the S&L period catalog.

[Antonio Scapini]

The seam line (or some broken parts) is visible in zinc pieces.

Below the Meybauer attributed piece, found in a box marked L/13.

[Antonio Scapini]

A comparison between a S&L piece and a "Meybauer" attributed piece.
Below a comparison between a Deumer and a S&L medal.

As you can see there are no differences, the die used to make them is exactly the same.
3 makers, 1 die.

[Antonio Scapini]

The "close M" type medals are really scarce to find, hundred times rarer than the "open M" type in zinc.
On these medals the seam line is harder to see / not present.


An unknown maker medal in Buntmetall.

[Antonio Scapini]

In Doehle's book there's pictured a medal that to me looks like a "close M" type.

But after the war happened that Souval (and maybe someone else) starting produce again these medals or used warehouse leftovers.
The problem is that Souval used the die belonged to Steinhauer & Luck during the war, so there are no mistakes in medal design, only differences in the finish, in the lack of details and in some die flaws.

The medal I posted at the beginning of the thread is a post war copy like this one below.

[Stan]

Here's another Deumer which a WAF member sent to me a couple of years ago to evaluate. Sadly, minus the suspender.

Stan

[Stan]

And here's my own piece which I bought from Malcolm at M & T in 1987 when he sold me 5 awards from his own collection (what a great day that was).

Could mine be an unmarked Deumer or another maker?

The red circle just shows the join in the suspender and isn't significant to this thread.

Stan

[Richard]

I've never really believed in the zinc crosses as being period. Why would a medal that was so rarely awarded be made in such a cheap base metal and why would there be so many manufacturers for a medal that was never going to be produced in large numbers?
Richard V

[Antonio Scapini]

I've never really believed in the zinc crosses as being period. Why would a medal that was so rarely awarded be made in such a cheap base metal and why would there be so many manufacturers for a medal that was never going to be produced in large numbers?
Richard V

Hi Richard, we are not sure about the manufacturers, we know only there are 2 different dies (open "M" and close "M"). If you read what I wrote you will find that it is possible that at least 2 makers (Deumer and Meybauer bought medals from S&L).
IMO only 2 manufacturers were involved in production of this award.

About the zinc we know that a lot of rare awards/badges were made in zinc, so IMO it is absolutely not a problem. We have period medal bars with mounted Luftschutz 1 class medals in zinc.

[Antonio Scapini]

And here's my own piece which I bought from Malcolm at M & T in 1987 when he sold me 5 awards from his own collection (what a great day that was).

Could mine be an unmarked Deumer or another maker?

The red circle just shows the join in the suspender and isn't significant to this thread.

Stan

Stan, your medal is a beauty.
I've modified my posts because I saw I used some wrong pictures, now I uploaded the correct pictures.

The medal you showed is from unknown maker, as far as I know no one of the "close M" type were ever found marked.

[Antonio Scapini]

Here's another "open M" type, in zinc.

[Alex W.]

Here to compare is my St&L made cross. It's a later made zink piece. The edges and highlights are not polished as on other crosses. The details are crisp though. It might be a piece from a "barter board".

Best regards,
Alex

[Norm F]

Below the Meybauer attributed piece, found in a box marked L/13.

I'm not convinced that says "L/13" on that one box?

[the cyclist]

http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/attach...mg_0149-1-.jpghttp://www.warrelics.eu/forum/attach...mg_0147-1-.jpghttp://www.warrelics.eu/forum/attach...mg_0142-1-.jpg

The seam line (or some broken parts) is visible in zinc pieces.

Below the Meybauer attributed piece, found in a box marked L/13.

Hi Antonio/Norm

I have been corresponding with Norm over on warrelics.eu forum over my LS1, which Norm believes to be the Souval copy. To be fair, I can see some of the similarities, but at the same time, I can also see the similarities between the above Meybauer and mine. I originally thought that the ring mark was either a 1 or 7, but as Norm says, it is a bit indistinct. Given that it could possibly be a badly stamped 7, that would tie in with Meybauer which does show some of the characteristics of the Souval cuts. Looking at mine, the reverse centre pebble is exactly the same as your example, as is the "punched" hole just above the right hand upper inside of the swastika on the obverse. Before I get my money back on this medal, I would be grateful if you could give me your opinion on this. Apologies if the pictures don't come out on this, it's my first time trying to post pics.