Early EK 2 S&L 4

[Douglas 5]

Dear Members :

Finally have use of a digital camera .
A few pictures of my EK 2 S&L 4 , ...a variation or even an early 'type' .
Thanks to Dietrich Maerz and his RK S&L research post I have gotten some good 'do's and don'ts' about pictures and their use as well from other how have posted pictures. Besides a few interesting facts that seam to fit even here on this EK 2 as far as S&L manufacturing procedures go .
It has been a slow learning process and tried to be careful not post anything wrong information ... ... comments are welcome , I only ask to wait for the last picture is posted # 20 , as not to tear the picture series too far apart , which would make viewing and comparing difficult .
Thanks , Douglas .

[Douglas 5]

Front and back pictures some with and without flash to bring up different features . Direct Vet purchase 1975 .
Mint like Ek 2 with large ring , masive towering swastika and date and thin beading. Measurments to follow .

[Douglas 5]

Full front closeup :
Laquered frame and and frosting or 'pickling' process on this one a bit different . Yes , .. only the bead 'Crowns ' are frosted and not the valleys .They appear dark from the silver having turned black under the laquer , giving it this speacil 'striped' look .

[Douglas 5]

Front flash , shows swastika and date better :
Date : 3 top curl and the bottoms of the 9-loops are lines only no flat bottoms , like most do .

[Douglas 5]

Full back :no flash :
More frosting on beading than front. White spots are are dust only and not in the surface .

[Douglas 5]

Front date closeup with 'slit eye nines' .
Can't immaging any die with such sharp features staying like that for many strikes ???

[Douglas 5]

Front date , flash close up :

[Douglas 5]

Back date; Crisp edging on 3 and 8 , strong tapered ridges , not continusly flat.
Lots of excess paint , beading wider .

[Douglas 5]

Now to the larger ring and Maker Mark " 4 " !
Hard to get any better close ups with the camera , .... the 4 is the FAT one with a destinctive dimple !

[Douglas 5]

A scan was the only way to show the special feature of the 'FAT Dimple 4' .
The best I can get but show it !

[Douglas 5]

To show the difference in size and style of 4's ...this picture , that gives a good comparison view .

[Douglas 5]

Now pictures are nice but of more use with the accompaning measurments , as to compare with others .
Now for the 'oddness' of this cross : pictures to follow :

A)- Front and back frame planchets are of different sizes and thickness !!!!!
B)- Front and back production strikes are 100s if not 1000s apart !!!
Front strike from prestine fresh new die , no flaws , crisp thin bead crowns !
Back strike off of a well used and flawed die , bead crowns wider and slightly flattened out .

With this I see some parallel things as mentioned in Dietich's RK Project .
Where there more dies being used at the same time or do we have the same
possibly > the 'collecting bin ' assembly theory happening here ??
This is this most interesting detail , I think, about this cross .

[Douglas 5]

Frosting and Swastika details ;
Crisp supurb sharp edges from a new die ?? Would not the edges start to round down after a few 100 strikes ???
Good to see the the frosting and laquer line on the bead creast !
From the wavy side edges I am guessing the laquer coating my have been scraped of in segments of 6 or so beads at atime leaving the dips on the edge .
Not sure , my guess .
Not that good but the 2 frame thickness do show a bit here .

[Douglas 5]

Side view of cross front and uneven side frosting and Zebra beading look .
The frame is minutly thicker twords the centre do to solder is thicker.
The one time clear laquer appearse colorfull do to the silver darkening underneith .

[Douglas 5]

Bead comparison on one arm showing the difference in strike , age and flaws from front and back .