1914 Repeat Clasp

[tgn]

I know these are highly faked, and I think I know what the verdict will be on this one, but I promised someone I would ask. So, what do you think???

Tom

1:

[tgn]

2:

[George Stimson]

I don't think that there will be any controversy over this one. It's bad no matter who is looking at it.

[Don D.]

I'll play devil's advocate on this one. Certainly not one of the known/suspected fakes. Could it not be a jeweler made piece for a local vet? Of course if we see them flood the market in the next month or so I will take all this back and say fake.

[gregM]

It dosn't match the one we all hope is real NOR does it match the
cheap Juncker/Godet marked ebay spanges.-Kind of makes you wonder .

[Don D.]

Which is why this hobby is so fun.

[tegunn]

This maker for this clasp is referenced in Iron Cross Iron Times. The book's not in front of me but I do remember this hallmark..
Keep it if you already have it!

[PaulChep]

Yes a fake. If you are collecting EKs you really need The Iron Times reference book by Stephen Previtera and Winidore Press. It has recently been re-printed.

[tgn]

Another 1914 Clasp for you fellows to review...Tom

front:

[tgn]

It is actually marked on the back of the front plate, but the loop bar conceals it and makes it difficult to even see, let alone read...Tom

back:

[joelhall]

asi would have imagined if this were a fake someone would have come across one of these before. they were made in a wide version and being relatively seldom awarded, were not highly standardised or produced en masse.

also the wear seems to be consistant with an original, and doesnt look like the aging matches that een by chemicals or burning.

having said:

firstly, given that only older awardees woul have been given these, such as high ranking officers, its safe as a working assumption that they would have taken good care of their medals. to see one of these on its own is always suspicious to me.

secondly ive looked at the close up of the stamping of the m and crown in the rion time, and the orb on the top of the crown doesnt seem to match up. i would imagine one makers stamp WOULD be consistant througout.

fact is i really dont know whether this is original or not, but id always err on caution when the bar is sans medal.

[joelhall]

also given geman workmanship id imagine the iron cross would be exactly central which doesnt appear to be the case here. i doubt any jeweller would turn out something like that for an official award, especially one such as this.

[gregM]

The last spange posted is one that many of us ( me included ) hope is good however we can nither proove nor disproove it. If you do a search on this item, you will see that these have been discussed in great detail over the last few years. The detail is great on these little items. Better
than what we would expect in a fake however with only about 1000 of
them ever issued---there seem to be WAY to many of them tuning up
in places like ebay.

Untill we see one of these on a medal bar with direct provinence to
a vet, we will probably never know for sure.

[gaetan soucy]

1914 spange

I too have just acquired a 1914 spange that is similar to the one pictured on #9 above except that my spange does have prongs on reverse instead of the loop bar. My spange is MM "Joh. Wagner & Sohn 800 Berlin. W" with half moon and crown. Quality is very high and the spange came with a piece of original ribbon and a certificate of authenticity from a reputable dealer. Piece does look authentic with deep old patina. Maybe only 1000 or 2000 of these items were issued but more were actually ordered and manufactured by the makers of WWI era? Maybe the unissued pieces remained unsold for years and finally found their way on the market recently? That's only guestimation but that wouldn't be the first time bureaucrats order more stuff that is actually needed...

[Tiger 1]

According to the info published by the Deutsches Ordensmuseum Ludenscheid the total number of Wiederholungsspanges awarded thru October 11th, 1917 was only 859. One could reasonably conclude that those old soldiers that were eligable recieved their award early on in WWI. I doubt that there would have been any significant number awarded in the last year of that conflict.

Tony