authentic Field make EK1 or a Biker trinket?

[coastie]

This EK is up on e-bay and the seller describes it as a EK2 converted to an EK1.



I have serious doubts about this, always have, knowing that in the 60's the hard core bikers would wear EK1 style EKs and since the EK2s are more numerous they would convert. I can't believe there was a shortage of EK1's during the Great War that they had to resort to something like this. Any comments Gentlemen? (and Ladies of course)

[Eric Stahlhut]

There's no doubt that period conversions exist--I like to obtain them when possible--but it's always a gamble when trying to decide if the example of the moment is good or not. The thing to look for is period attachments. The biker's of the 60s probably wouldn't have cared less nor had access to such things.

One would really have to get better pics of the one depicted on this thread in order to develop an opinion.

[Luft62]

Just a thought, but if it was a period conversion, wouldn't the pin be mounted vertically the same as the normal practice for award pins?

I just can't see anyone who was actually serving in the army attaching the pin the wrong way. Doesn't the pin go through loops sewn on to the uniform and not through the fabric itself - even if it the converted award was simply a stop-gap until the official item was recieved?

[coastie]

Just a thought, but if it was a period conversion, wouldn't the pin be mounted vertically the same as the normal practice for award pins?

I just can't see anyone who was actually serving in the army attaching the pin the wrong way. Doesn't the pin go through loops sewn on to the uniform and not through the fabric itself - even if it the converted award was simply a stop-gap until the official item was recieved?

Good point, have seen several "conversions" with vertical pins that makes me wonder about the authenticity.

[Tiger 1]

About 25 years ago I owned an 1870 EKI that was originally made with a horizontal pin. Unfortunately I let it get away to a collector much smarter than me at the time. Originals do exist.

With this type of nonstandard pin it's almost impossible to verify when it was modified.

Tony

[Mike Kenny]

About 25 years ago I owned an 1870 EKI that was originally made with a horizontal pin. Unfortunately I let it get away to a collector much smarter than me at the time. Originals do exist.

With this type of nonstandard pin it's almost impossible to verify when it was modified.

Tony

Hi,

I think that last line of Tony's comes close to summing it up, although the attachment system to me does not really look WW1 period or even German (the image isn't that clear though - looks sort either US or, with that big catch, something you'd find on a bad repro to me).

I can only echo that original conversions with horizontal pins definitely exist. There's a very nice 1870 EK2 to EK1 conversion imaged in Bowen's book, Stogieman Rick used to have one in a case and I still have my example - the conversion work is high class. I've seen similar high quality 1914 EK2 to EK1 conversions as well, but I'm sure cheaper looking conversions were carried out for whatever reason.

Regards
Mike K

[EKman]

This is an interesting item, would it be possible to get better pics of the attachment and see how it is put together?

[Eric Stahlhut]

This one is really well done. The pic doesn't do it justice.

[Eric Stahlhut]

one more that is interesting

[George Stimson]

It's not Imperial ( ), but here's a 1939 EK 2 to EK 1 conversion.

[coastie]

These are what I would expect, the fastener going the full lenght of the frame, my example would flop around and get snagged.