Interesting 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class

[butschekantiques]

Hello everyone,

This is a very interesting one! ;-) Enjoy!

Many thanks!
Klaus
www.butschek-antiques.com

[Montgomery Burns]

hmm strange set up
not very solid quality wise ..and a bit un.. logic .

would not be my thing to be honest .
I have to many doubts about this one .



but you never know ,,, lets here what other have to say .



regards kay

[Brian R]

I wouldn't want it. I don't feel good about those soldering marks.

[streptile]

At one point this cross had a full backplate. For some reason most of it was cut away and removed, and the core spot-soldered at the sides to secure it. I suppose it could have been an effort to lighten the cross, but how much could that really have accomplished? Maybe the original owner needed to sell the silver. In any case I think this cross is fine, just modified.

[Brian R]

Yes, I absolutely agree that it's a period cross. The problem is that cut-away/soldering job is just too odd. It certainly looks like it could have been done anythime, including next week. It's an interesting cross but I think the weird back kills its value given that it really doesn't seem period.

[Montgomery Burns]

bizarre thought

I just could not stop thinking fore an explanation and

A bizarre thought and reason came up,,, for such a strange altering of that cross ,,
.

I do not know ,,but its so stupid ,,to even think ..

maybe that part of the cross was taken out to make such a thing as on the next picture ..

to remember and honor a lost loved one .

[Montgomery Burns]

maybe I am crazy

[Montgomery Burns]

maybe mr Butchek should measure the leftover backplate for its thickness..

my crosses thickness is 1.0 mm

Maybe some member can help to find the guy Georg Knaub and see if he died at the 25 April 1915 and having earned the iron cross first class .


regards kay

[butschekantiques]

Thanks everyone!

If I only measure the thickness of the outer frame it is 0,7mm or 1,26 where the hinge is placed. So that is with this small piece of back-plate.

Hope this helps.

[gregM]

Interesting cross, I like it but I can't think of any good reason
why someone would need to do this.

[Mike Kenny]

I'd guess the entire backplate was removed (I don't see any cut marks on the core of frame to suggest plates were part of the original backing plate) the and these jeweller-made plates with hardware were installed. Who knows why the original backplate was removed - damage, an alternate (or initially botched) screwback to pinback conversion, etc. The core and frame look original and the plates/hardware look period, so to me it's just a strange variation but probably a lower value one due to the missing backplate. Nice case though!

Regards
Mike