Hello and are these real ?

[Peter_B]

Hello all

First off let me say how much Ive enjoyed reading this forum and how impressed with how relaxed and friendly it is There is obviously a wealth of knowledge here.
I did however get that sinking feeling when reading the post your fakes thread and now have doubts about two items in my collection I would at the moment class myself as a collector without the knowledge and possibly with more money than sense - although this doesnt mean Im rich - just stupid !

Anyway if anybody can advise me on these two I would be most grateful.

The first one is a Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross, 1st Class





The next one is a Braunschweig War Merit Cross, First Class

[Frosch]

Hi Peter,

Welcome to the forum. Since I am still in "learning mode" for the Brunswick crosses, I cannot help you much with that one. However, there have been a number of threads on these crosses in the past.

Take a look at http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...nburg+Schwerin for images of a 2nd class cross similar to your Mecklenburg cross and http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...hlight=Ausweis for the front of a 1st class screwback that I have showing a wartime obverse.

I'll show you a couple of wartime 1st class pinbacks that I have later on.

From a relatively uninformed point of view, I would generally be very careful with both of these crosses, especially the Brunswick MVK, which is widely faked. I hope I don't ruin your weekend, but you also ought to take a look at http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...9&page=4&pp=15

All the best,

David

[Peter_B]

Hello David,
Many thanks for the advice. I enjoy having both pieces in my collection, so whatever they turn out to be - I wont mind to much !

[Frosch]

Hi Peter,

By "relatively uninformed", I meant myself. I am fairly confident that the cross on the left in the image below is wartime, the other one probably is, too, but may be from the inter-war period. They are much nicer and less blotchy than the images suggest.

Betters pictures of the pin and catch arrangement on your Brunswick cross might help other more informed members to make a comment.

Cheers,

David

[Frosch]

The obverse sides:

[Doug See]

To answer your question: The Mecklenburg is a relatively recent fake. The pin and hinge is a dead give-away. One the other, we'd need better photos of the back showing the entire assembly. But, if the pin and catch are the same as the Meck, you've been burned. Whre'd you get them? From the UK or from Texas?

[Peter_B]

They both came from a seller on Ebay Germany - oh well live and learn