Enigma EK1

[Don D.]

I've had this cross for a long time, probably around 10 years. It is a stippled core, slightly convex, one piece german silver (nickle silver) EK1. It is the only one of its type I have ever seen. It is very well made and exhibits wear. I would like to determine if it is genuine and if so, who a possible maker could be. It is probably a 1920-40s made private purchase zweitestuck. It is 42mm x 42mm and weighs 19.3 grams.

For comparision my one piece german silver Deumer EK1 weighs 20.3 grams and is 42mm x 42mm.

[gregM]

Enigma Ek1. I have one of those.
An Enigma I mean.

Sorry Don. I wish I could help.
I saw one like it on ebay not long ago and I passed it off as a fake
which I probably should not have done. I like the core style but I wish
that the reverse. hardware looked more like traditional pieces. That's
why I passed on it.

[Brian L.]

Hi Don

I can't obviously speak to the cross. But, the hardware is of a type seen on some Freikorps awards especially the Silesian Eagle and Weimar-era veteran's awards.

[swjXE]

It's very attractive. Even if it did turn out to be a copy, I'd still want one.

[Don D.]

Thanks for the comments so far. I think the stippled core was to allow the paint to adhere better. You see it on the Deumer as well.

Brian, if I could find a match for the reverse hardware that might point to a maker.

[Brian L.]

Hi Don

I'll see if I can find an example that identifies a maker.

[Brian L.]

Although not an exact match, I think the pin on the first type of Deutsches Feld-Ehrenzeichen is pretty close. These were made by Fleck u. Sohn, Hamburg.

[swjXE]

This sure seems to legitimize the pin on the cross.

[Don D.]

Thanks for the pic Brian. Do we know who produced the Feld Erhrenzeichen?

[römischIX]

I guess: The core -and may be the complete cross- was made by Godet, Berlin.
It`s a private purchased piece made of the 30s/40s. Definitely a late one.

The core`s the same as the private purchased MMC of Mecklenburg-Schwerin -
and they have the GODET stamp on its back.

[Don D.]

The cross is a one piece cross.

Do you have a pic of the MMC?

[römischIX]

https://www.kuenker.de/img/00106/06767q00.jpg

[gregM]

I guess: The core -and may be the complete cross- was made by Godet, Berlin.
It`s a private purchased piece made of the 30s/40s. Definitely a late one.

The core`s the same as the private purchased MMC of Mecklenburg-Schwerin -
and they have the GODET stamp on its back.

To me, they are not the same. The crowns are similar but not a match.
The 1914 dates do not match either.

They are very, very similar but not an exact match.
Do we know if the MMC is an original Godet piece?

[Brian L.]

Thanks for the pic Brian. Do we know who produced the Feld Erhrenzeichen?

Hi Don

As I said in my post, the Feld-Ehrenzeichen was made by Fleck u. Sohn, Hamburg who were a well-known manufacturer of official and unofficial awards during the 1920s and early 30s. Except for the blunt end on the pin on your EK I and the point on the pin of the first type Feld-Ehrenzeichen, the pins and hinge are the same in my eyes, including having that distinctive 'pinch' at the top of the pin near the hinge. It's generally thought that this type of Feld-Ehrenzeichen dates from the mid - late 1920s.

[Don D.]

Another clue: https://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/for...-reich-breslau