1870 EK1 info needed

[Brien]

Hi guys,

Need some info from those that are more knowedgable than I.

What exactly do I have here? It's three piece, magnetic and is marked 21 and 800. Can anyone shed some light on this puppy? Any guess as to value?

Brien

[Brien]

R

Reverse side

[Don D.]

Its a fake. The frame looks distinctly Latvian.

[Steve Campbell]

I don't know about this being a period piece. Not sure what the 21 refers to. Maybe one of these examples made well after the war as a copy or dealers example. Does the crown look like it has enough detail and quality to be an 1870, the series that is know to be probably the nicest of them all?

[Steve Campbell]

I don't know about this being a period piece. Not sure what the 21 refers to. Maybe one of these examples made well after the war as a copy or dealers example. Does the crown look like it has enough detail and quality to be an 1870, the series that is know to be probably the nicest of them all?

I did up this reply before Don posted his. I will defer to his knowledge as opposed to my speculation.

[Don D.]

Steve, all opinions are welcome and heplful in decerning the truth of things.

[Don D.]

21 would be the TR Prasidialkanzlei Leiferant number for Godet. The frame is not a Godet, the pin is not a Godet. The core...... The 800 mark is for silver which I doubt the frame contains. Look at the pinned Latvian fake thread and you will find the beading on the frame to be very familar.

[Brien]

Thanks everyone. I paid $200.00 for it. I guess it'll make a gret space filler. I was hoping it might actually be a post WWI-45 piece. Ah well it looks very nice and I don't have the several thousand to spend on a real one.

[Steve Campbell]

I knew 21 was Godet's TR era number, just don't know why a faker would put it on there. They would have been better leaving it unmarked.

[gregM]

it's not a perfect match to the Latvian fakes we are used to seeing
but the similarities are there. I would bet that this cross comes from
that same part of the world. Perhaps they have retooled the design.

[Don D.]

I new 21 was Godet's TR era number, just don't know why a faker would put it on there. They would have been better leaving it unmarked.

There was a time when people believed real awards were marked, or that marked awards were more valuable.

[Steve Campbell]

There was a time when people believed real awards were marked, or that marked awards were more valuable.

But a TR era mark? Doesn't really add to the value. As for marked awards being more valuable, isn't this actually the case. Compare a marked Iron Cross to a marked one in what it will bring in a sale. There are people who just don't want unmarked awards. I feel maker's marks are what drives alot of the collecting. What else would explain multiple examples of what is essentially the same award in a collection. Of course I'm as guilty as anyone of this practice.

[Tiger 1]

The marks make no real difference in this case as the piece is not genuine.


Tony

[Don D.]

But a TR era mark? Doesn't really add to the value. As for marked awards being more valuable, isn't this actually the case. Compare a marked Iron Cross to a marked one in what it will bring in a sale. There are people who just don't want unmarked awards. I feel maker's marks are what drives alot of the collecting. What else would explain multiple examples of what is essentially the same award in a collection. Of course I'm as guilty as anyone of this practice.

Type collecting is a recent thing. In the bad old days most people wanted one of everything. As to the mark making sense, just look at ebay for fakes with funny markings. I've seen EK1s with SS and RZM markings. Makes absolutely no sense at all.