EK2 1870 maker's mark

[stefan_swe]

Hi,

can anyone tell me about the maker's marks of the EK2 1870?
I've almost only seen the EK2 without mark, is that the most common?


Cheers, Stefan

[Tim Tezer]

Stefan,

Yes, most EKII 1870s were unmarked. If you find one with a makers mark, you can be sure that it is at best a private purchase piece from the 1890's or 20th Century. It might also be a sign that the piece is a fake, so it should be examined very closely. To tell the truth, it should be examined very closely, anyway. Original 1870s have crisp details on the core with high relief. They generally have a matte black finish, not glossy at all, and often they have discoloration of the iron under the finish. Disregard bright red brand new surface rust - that means nothing. The frames usually don't fit together as neatly as the 1914 pieces, but they should have very fine beading. The best way to tell the real from the fake is to handle a lot of them, go to shows, talk to people. It's especially useful to talk to knowledgeable collectors and dealers with a good reputation. There is no substitute for personal contact with these people, so any opportunity you have to go to a show or gathering of the collecting clan should be jumped at.

Tim

[stefan_swe]

Tim,

thank you very much for your information.
Do you have Previtera's book about Iron Crosses? If you do, is it worth getting?


Cheers, Stefan

[Brian S]

It's a great book with lots of wonderful history. I like it.

[Tim Tezer]

Tim,

thank you very much for your information.
Do you have Previtera's book about Iron Crosses? If you do, is it worth getting?


Cheers, Stefan

Yes, I can recommend any book by Steve Previtera. He is a very conscientious author, and strives to provide the highest quality and accuracy in his books. Of course, there are items that end up in his books that are later called into question, usually because someone else has misrepresented them. Wisely, Steve provides corrections and updates to his books on the web site for the publisher.

If you want to get serious about Imperial Iron Crosses, though, hunt down a copy of Freidhelm Heyde's "Das Eiserne Kreuz". This is a catalog of probably the best Iron Cross collection ever (but all Imperial - no 3rd Reich). There is, quite simply, no better photographic record of original EKs in print anywhere. If you study those photos very very closely, you will begin to see the subtle differences in style and execution that differentiate the early pieces from later ones. You will begin to recognize details that are difficult to describe or explain to anyone. You just have to see them.

Tim

[stefan_swe]

Yes, I can recommend any book by Steve Previtera. He is a very conscientious author, and strives to provide the highest quality and accuracy in his books. Of course, there are items that end up in his books that are later called into question, usually because someone else has misrepresented them. Wisely, Steve provides corrections and updates to his books on the web site for the publisher.

If you want to get serious about Imperial Iron Crosses, though, hunt down a copy of Freidhelm Heyde's "Das Eiserne Kreuz". This is a catalog of probably the best Iron Cross collection ever (but all Imperial - no 3rd Reich). There is, quite simply, no better photographic record of original EKs in print anywhere. If you study those photos very very closely, you will begin to see the subtle differences in style and execution that differentiate the early pieces from later ones. You will begin to recognize details that are difficult to describe or explain to anyone. You just have to see them.

Tim

Hi again,

I'll get Previtera's book this week or next. Last week I got two other nice EK books - Heyde's book as Tim suggested and also "Das Eiserne Kreuz 1813-1957".

I found Heyde's book here:
http://www.militaria-biblio.de/index01.html

The other one I got from an ebay auction. The ISBN is 3-925480-07-2.
I found it here when I searched for it:
http://www.landini-baumbach.de/test/...start=11&grp=4
http://208.55.253.36/main/sale.htm

Now I have lots of time to freshen up on my German


Regards, Stefan