My Imperial Iron Cross Copies

[streptile]

It's come time for me to move some of the copies I've bought, intentionally or otherwise, over the years, and I thought I'd show them here before I sell them since that thread will disappear when they're all sold.

I bought this 1870 EK2 at a time when I couldn't afford a real one and it stood in my collection for over a decade (in my twenties) as a representative display piece. It's a good copy, made with authentic 1914 EK2 frames and a new core someone cast out of magnetic material. So it's a three-piece magnetic 1870 EK2 -- pretty good display.

[streptile]

Detail on this piece is not up to period standards, although some of the lower-cost Jubilee crosses aren't much better. In a way I'll be sorry to see this one go to another collector since it was my only "1870 EK" for a long time, but I'm hoping another collector will put this in their display and aspire to a real piece.

[streptile]

Here's one I bought unintentionally. I thought for a time it was a Third Reich display piece, but I am not fairly sure it's a postwar copy. However, it's got all the hallmarks of 1930s-40s EK manufacture: S&L type frame in 44mm, shiny paint, three-piece construction and magnetic core.

[streptile]

Detail on this piece is very good although the extra glossy paint makes it hard to photograph.

[streptile]

Here's another one I bought as a "filler" til I found a real one, although I have never found a real loopback 1813 EK1 to replace it! Recently Thies sold one for about $15,000.00.

This piece is made from authentic WWI-era EK1 parts, specifically a KO frame (imo). It's very, very well made and would certainly bring a thousand or two bucks on eBay

It's a lovely display piece but not an authentic 1813 period EK1.

[streptile]

Since the parts are mostly original, it's obviously three-part and magnetic.

[streptile]

Over all I was happy to have this guy live in my collection for years as a representative example of something I felt I would never own.

A few more beauty shots:

[streptile]

That's it for me for now. Please feel free to post your "fillers" or mistakes.

[pzrwest]

I would be very happy owning one of these 1870 filler copies as original ones are way above what I could ever afford

[römischIX]

Here is mine:

I bought it in 2004 as a "Zweitstück" or "Veterans piece".

It´s a three part magnetic one, well made with a nice silvered backplate (you can see my camera in it). It has two little screws made of silver.

Its not vaulted like the "real" 1870 1st class pieces. It has some patina on it. the crown looks like a bit as deumer. The core`s is really thin - may be a
"blechcore".

I have never seen this version again. Are there other pieces like this?

[römischIX]

...

[streptile]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for showing that one. The core on yours is the same as the core on mine shown in post 3. I have seen this core on more than a few pieces that could passably be considered Third Reich era display pieces, but I'm not sure. Here's one that I suspect may be a legitimate WWII-era display piece (below). It has all the correct hallmarks of a wartime S&L piece, and of all makers I'd guess S&L would manufacture something like this. They made Grand Crosses 1813-1939 (for example) for display, and they were sort of the go-to jewelers for that kind of thing. I am sure, also, that at least the reverse of the EK2 core is also used on genuine 1930s period 1914 EK2s. I've seen that specific design on more than one type of 1914 EK2.

These are good fillers, but when you've handled hundreds of period pieces, and you get a sense of what they should feel like, you realize that these are not period originals. Behind glass, or in a display though? They're very good looking.

[römischIX]

looks not bad.

of course this version is not of the 1870 period - but if you don`t have the money
to buy a real 1st class one (3000 EUR)....

[streptile]

In fact, check out the EK2 in this thread, posted only a few minutes ago. It's a good TR-era 1914 EK2, and the core -- back and front -- is identical to the 1870 core shown in post 3 here, with the single exception of the obverse date.

[AlikN]

Here is a couple of my fillers, first is a copy of 1813 Grand cross made post '45 by S&L.