Unmarked magnetic Juncker KC that flew in

[Harry]

the very first awarded crosses, or just the very first awarded Junker crosses??

[Dietrich Maerz]

The very first awarded crosses (which happened to be Juncker).

[Detlev Niemann]

Good morning Dietrich,

I disagree to that.

i.e. the Fieldmarshall von Bock, who was amoung the first to receive his Cross had an unmarked, magnetic KC. Very light weight and slightly different in design than the "regular" non magnetic Junckers. Pieter has studied Bock's portrait fotos with his dentists eyes and his KC is distinktive and visible on the fotos. Bock's cross is illustrated in my priceguide, page 481, a.

regards
detlev

[Dietrich Maerz]

Hallo Detlev,

it is not very easy to see slight differences in design on the picture in your price book. But I can say this with confidence: the frame is Juncker and the core also. Now this brings up an interesting thing:

von Bock got his RK on 30th of September 1939 and you say it had a "slightly different design" and magnetic core. Both I cannot see on the picture.

But I studied the Halder cross (awarded 27th of October, i.e. 27 days later) and that cross is Neusilber and un-magnetic.

So, to go along with what you state, the Praesidialkanzlei had two types on stock and Juncker changed the core or frame or both 'slightly' between these two early award series.

The earliest cross with magnetic core I could find (and there are for sure more) was Pellengahr 9th May 1940 and you know who has that....

Before the discussion about the 7 or 8 different core dies starts I admitt with full confidence that I do not see that and that I concentrated most of the time on the frames. I could not see a difference in the frame between the early strikes to the late strikes for Juncker (other than the natural progression of flaws). Neither could or can a lot of other people.

So at this point I can only state this: Bock got alledgedly a magnetic one with a slightly different design (??) and Halder got an un-magnetic one 27 days later - a typical Juncker frame and core.

I based the above statement, i.e. that the first series was Neusilber/unmagnetic, on my personal studies and the logic of the natural progression which happened with other suppliers, EK1 and EK2 also. I just cannot see (from an engineering and logic point of view) that Juncker made the first cores of iron and switched to Zinc 27 days later, thereby changing the design 'slightly' and then they "switched back" to iron another 6 month later.

It might be academical anyway since we are talking very, very few crosses. However, people need to decide on their own whether they have a transitional piece (Neusilber/Iron) and present it proudly as such or whether they also declare the same type a the first one issued. It can only be one of the two and one of the "theory" puts the Halder cross in question (which I will not!).
However, there is always the possibility that Juncker supplied two types and the PKZ just mixed them up. Who knows?

Dietrich


PS: The art of identifying crosses from pictures has led to the strangest results - I know that very well on a personal base! I also would like to learn the art of identifying magnetic-unmagnetic based on a picture (- just a joke )

[ekhunter]

"However, there is always the possibility that Juncker supplied two types and the PKZ just mixed them up. Who knows?"




That is also a very strongy possibility. Do you think the PKZ would care about the ever so slight nuances between these early two types of Junckers at the very beginning of the war? Doubtful!

[Kevin V.]

Thanks Dietrich and Detlev for providing this info.
Maybe Pieter can share us his point of view also?

Thanks
Kevin

[StefanK.]

I am very jealous to be honest

good buy Kevin!

[werner p.]

Nice cross,
but what a "battle" you went through to get it !
Glad all turned out ok
and I'm also very glad that you are more "relaxed" now

pw

[Luc]

Kevin

realy a nice cross... congratulations!!

[Kevin V.]

Thanks guys, I am really happy with this rare unmarked magnetic KC. My next goal is to find an Unmarked zinc core Juncker KC in the same condition.

Thanks
Kevin

[Brian S]

Good info Dietrich, thanks.

[MH184]

That's a very nice looking cross Kevin in excellent condition too !!!

Here's the zinc one you pm'd me about.

[MH184]

Reverse

[MH184]

Ribbon & hook

[Kevin V.]

Ribbon & hook

Excellent piece Marcus!! Thanks for posting it here.