1st model EKII Spange

[Rich G]

Hi

This arrived on my doorstep today and I'd like your opinions as I'm not at all experienced with the spange.

It matches one shown in the Iron Time and I think it's ok but I'd rather have the opinions of people who know more about these.

One of the prongs is missing. They are all separately attached and, as can be seen, quite long and squared off.

Rich

[George Stimson]

A big help -- I don't know

It is different from my two (which are different from each other), but that by no means makes it bad.
I wonder how many different makers of these early, scalloped Spangen there were?

George

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Rich,

I also have none in my file (good or bad) that match this one.

Don´t know if you noticed already or if it really matters: the spange was not always on this ribbon, since the broken off prong did not leave a hole in the ribbon.

Cheers, Frank

[Greg S]

The spanges are definately not my area and I am new to collecting them, receiving my first one today. I have seen quite a few with missing prongs. Before I start messing with mine are the prongs prone to breaking off? Does it take much to break one.

[George Stimson]

Personally, I would never try to bend a prong on a Spange. (If they're not already on a ribbon, they're staying off!)

George

[Sonderkommando]

Hi Richard,
No problems with the Spange you have shown. It is a superb example of an early Spange with the slightly concave ends to the date box and matches the one I have in my collection. I haven't had mine off the piece of ribbon it came with as the prongs do tend to break off fairly easily and as such, don't know if there is a makers mark. ( I wouldn't think there is as these are early Spanges) A very nice, original early example!

Cheers,
Brett

P.S. The prongs on mine have squared ends and are made of brass.

[Tim B.]

Rich,

Can you post some close-ups of the banner's edges? Maybe it's my eyes or the angle in the PICS, but the scalloped edges almost appear too weak IMO, almost as if someone lightly applied a file to them.

We saw this earlier this year on another spange (B.H. Mayer EK1?), but that one was much more evident where they filed the edges to make it appear scalloped.

It's a small measurement, but does the width of the outside lip of the banner measure the same all the way around?
Tim

[Rich G]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I remember the thread about that altered spange. I will take some better pictures tonight especially of the date box. It could well be the photo. There seems more curvature on the right than on the left but I don't have it here now but when I was checking it over the curve was definitely on both sides. A better photograph in natural light will be beneficial.

Hang in there; I'll be back later with the pics.

Where's Gordon W. when you need him!

@Frank, yes I noticed the ribbon was not original to the spange but I think is an original ribbon though - any opinions on that? (Times like this I wish I had a black light!) My speculation is the prongs on these probably get broken off when it is removed from a grubby ribbon to be placed on a cleaner one- but really who knows!?

@ Brett, yes the pronds on this also appear to be brass underneath the sliver finishing.



Rich

[Rich G]

I've taken a close-up of the datebox and examined it more carefully and here are my findings:

*)No evidence of filing to make the straight edge curved.
*)The border is consistenly even all the way round
*)There is cuvrature there however it is slight but there and I compared this to my EK1 spange, which is not curved, and the edges on that one are straight as a die, so I'd say the curve is real.
*) Checked the thickness (1.7 mm), same as my EK1 Spange

Here's the pic of the box with the ruler along side to show curve

[Rich G]

left side...

[Rich G]

as compared to a straight edged EK1 spange...

[Rich G]

and finally the back, without ribbon...


What say you? More thoughts on this one please.

Rich

[George Stimson]

For comparison....

On my two scalloped Spangen one (on the left) has a much more pronounced curve to the date bar than the other (right).



George

[Gordon Williamson]

Mine have more distinctive curvature to the edges of the box, but I really don't have any problem with Rich's piece. You can see from those posted by George that the degree of curvature varied.

I'd be happy to own the piece posted by Rich. So far all I have seen is crude attempts to convert original 2nd pattern by filing. I certainly haven't seen a convincing fake of a first pattern (yet!), so my money would be on this one being OK.The general quality is excellent

[Rich G]

Phew! Thanks to all... I must admit I was getting a little worried but I'm happier now so this one is a keeper.

If anyone is interested it was bought from a relatively new website www.dasreich.co.uk owned by one of the members here. Good experience all round.


Regards

Rich