Please help I.D. EK Maker Mark

[Adam H]

Hello Gents:

I picked up a very nice 1914 EK2 in a swap. I am getting interested in these little things once again so might actually start seeking them out...could be I'll soon number among you Imperial collectors...

Anyhow the cross is marked on the ring, but I don't know the maker. Can anyone help me out?

Kind of looks like "S-W" or "M-S" but I really don't know...?

Thanks in advance

Adam

[Mike Kenny]

Hi Adam,

Looks like S-W to me, which is normally attributed to Sy & Wagner.

Regards
Mike K

[Adam H]

Hi Mike,

I think you are correct, Sy and Wagner would make perfect sense...are they common or more on the rare end? Thought to be one of the better makers or more run of the mill?

Thanks for your help!

Adam

[JensF.]

Yes, right. Sy & Wagner, Berlin.

[Rick Research]

Sy & Wagner were an old established firm making Prussian Orders for the Court, so I'd say they were up there in the front rank of makers.

[JensF.]

They produced Red Eagles and Crown-Orders too. EKs with that makers mark are nearly common like the "KO" marked crosses. I've found a lot of "S-W" marked crosses on bavarian medal-bars. From all 5 bavarian bars I have only 1 has a cross without a "S-W" mark. Maybe this is coincidence or maybe the Bavarian gouvernment bought these crosses from Berlin. Who knows...

[Eric Stahlhut]

He's got the bug. Watch out!

Adam, now you are going to have to obtain a 1st class example to go along with the 2nd class you have!

Sy and Wagner made very fine quality EK1's. Much nicer than the 'KO' examples in my humble opinion.

[Dez H]

Here is an EK1 marked S-W on the pin for Sy & Wagner. In my opinion these pieces are always of very high quality and far nicer than any KO marked piece.

[Bill M]

--I agree that these 'other' Wagners made excellent pieces!
--Do me a favor Dez and post a shot of the obverse. I'll try and get a shot up here later of my EK1....

[Dez H]

The quality and crispness is not brought out very well in the picture but these are really lovely EK’s. The crown is nicely detailed and the numerals well formed. These can be sometimes found in 800 silver content. Definitely one of my favourite producers of the 1914 EK.

[Eric Stahlhut]

Jens does bring up a valid point

Don't S-W EK2's seem to be a lot more prevalent than S-W EK1's in regards to maker/class ratio when compared to the rest of the more well known manufacturers?

Oh, Yeah. Nice cross, Dez!

[Adam H]

Thanks guys

Thank you gentlemen. I knew that you'd take the time to help, even if my question seemed "obvious" and second nature for you....that's why I love this forum so much!

I think I will start to dabble a bit in Imperial again...it will accompany my Canadian WWI collection quite nicely.

I look forward to seeing you all here frequently!

Thanks again


Adam

[Brian S]

This forum has just been the best online experience. My grandfather's EK1 was given to me a few days ago. It's in a beautiful case, a rich brown with a dark rich purple lining. And, it's an S-W. He was awarded the cross no doubt immediately after the beginning of the war. He was married the day war was declared. His adjutant told him he had to report immediately after the ceremony. Might explain why my mother was not to be born for another 12 years. At that moment he was Kommandeur der 33. Kavallerie-Brigade.

The S-W has a broken bottom arm. He replaced it at some time with a very cool extremely vaulted EK1.

The history behind your crosses, although lost for many, is, believe me amazing...

Thanks all for the amazing information on all these awards.