1870 Cross another E-Bay ?

[eindecker]

I've been kicking this one around and can't justify it.
E-Bay item http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...tem=1129261540
what bugs me is the suspension ring attachment not like one I have ever seen. I e-mailed the seller and he states that this one had the 25 year oak leaf attached to it so that is why....I originaly thought it might have been repaired before but the seller says it hasn't. Help me keep my wallet in my back pocket....

[Tom Y]

Sit down hard on your wallet and don't get up. This one looks wrong to me. The "teat" on the frame is a scarce late production (WWII) '14 style, the detail on the core is extremely poor for '70 standards, and as far as I know there was never a special frame made for attachment of Eichenlaube.They were always sold separately as an add-on. I may be wrong, but when you're talking that kind of money better safe than sorry. Wait for someone you know you can trust to come up with one.

[Billy G]

I think this same EK was on Ebay from the same seller a month or two ago. It might have been returned.

[Daniel Cole]

I don't profess to be an expert in the EK, but I had at one time time an EKII 1870 that I purchased from "Der Rittmeister". It had an identical suspension as this example, that is a ring through the ribbon, suspension ring on the frame similar to a 1939 RK and a small connection ring. I later returned it to him as a trade in on another piece. Just my two bits.

What does "iron Time" say?

[Bill M]

--The smaller ring is loose, it may have been replaced. The nub holding it is not an anomaly. I've seen this a lot; on respectable sites, 2 of my 4 have it, page 94 of "The Iron Time" and pages 71, 72, and 74 of the Giessler book have examples with this feature as well, also a shot of one with a non-com ribbon in Gordon's book that I believe also shares this characteristic.
Some `14's have them and sometimes you see this on a `39, but not a lot.
--That being said, the cross does look a little thick and that ring looks too large, too thin and too loose. Bottom line is that you'd hafta have it in your hands to really tell. Can't these e-bayers take a decent picture?

[ 04 April 2001: Message edited by: Bill M ]

[ 04 April 2001: Message edited by: Bill M ]

[Gordon Williamson]

I know of a couple of this type in fairly advance EK collections in the UK, and I have one sitting in front of me on my desk as I type this post. This one is on a court mounted fitting and has the standard "25" Oakleaves fitting.
I'll scan the piece and post an image later this evening.
No doubt in my own mind that it is "real".

Gordon

[Rick Research]

I personally know zip about 1870 EKs, but I've asked my Imperial collecting experts: This strange type shows up in 19th century mounted medal bars whose holders were from the Brunswick area, and so this type may be a local maker from that area's variation. They've never been able to ID a maker, since the crosses are not marked. Rick

[Gordon Williamson]

Finally got around to scanning this piece. Have to say, having it in hand, I have no doubt that it is "real".

Gordon