"UNKNOWN MAKER" RKs

[Luftm40]

Hi, from time to time, one hears about the existence of original RKs that don't match the characteristics of the known makers ie Juncker, SL, KQ, Zimmerman etc. Are these real? Does anybody have an original RK in their collection that falls into this category? I would be especially interested in vet acquired examples, or ones with some kind of first hand provenance. How about period photos of such crosses in wear? I'm doing some work on the RK article, and want to deal with this subject and show some pics...thanks! ps-It would make an interesting thread too, so go ahead and post what you have here.

Andy

[prvtdck]

Good morning Andy! And, just to fuel discussion; was there really any "unknown makers"? I can't imagine some jeweler sitting for hours molding, pouring, cutting, filing and finally soldering a finished product! I suspect that he might buy the "findings" from a supplier for a fraction of his labor costs and only then complete the cross, ofcourse adding his "fine touch" to the finish etc.!
I think it reasonable then to expect that a "store bought" RK may have a very fine finish, wonderful soldering and filing but, generally, based on the known frames and cores!
Let's see where we can go with this!
Dave

[prvtdck]

Gordon W.! Any thoughts on this one? It's been a few days and unfortunately, no examples have been offered for review!
Dave

[Gordon Williamson]

There are certainly a few Rk that would fit into the category of "unknown maker". The early type with the 3/4 eye, the type with the "curved" corners next the swastika, and the type where the eye dips slightly into the frame. These are all undeniably authentic to the period as all can be found on original wartime photos, yet we have no real firm evidence as to who made them.

There are also cases of knowing a maker made the RK but no authenticated examples by that maker yet having been unearthed ( e.g. Wächtler & Lange). It could be that the "dipped eye " type or the "curved corners" type belongs to W&L but we have no way of knowing. It could be yet another type we are not yet familiar with.

I very much doubt however, if there were any small-time "cottage industry" makers. Anyone making the RK would be involved in fairly expensive tooling operations and the presses involved would be large industrial presses, not hand presses so the makers would have been large concerns.
Any of these crosses is going to be a pre-1941 piece in any case. After the ban on retail sales, no maker, large scale or not, would have risked making an official award which he was mot authorised to manufacture.

The only exceptions I could see to that would be those RK made on board ship, in Japan etc where the "real deal" was not available.

Gordon