Latest EK2 - '16' Alois Rettenmaier.

[streptile]

Furthermore :
something that will be quite a shock to all here . I have studied the presented 16 marked crosses here very closely , before making this announcement !
Yes - Rettenmeyer EK2s are rare and there is a reason , as the shown crosses themselves give proof to this .
As these crosses show - Rettenmeyer bought complete crosses and or cross parts to assemble and mark with a 16 !! Is the 16 mark good - I cannot tell .
Anyway George and Robert both shown crosses-16 marked rings -that do have a clear S&L 2nd frame and 2nd core .
And to add to the mix Adrian's cross has a very worn 1st S&L frame and what looks like - a tilting last 9 type- Juncker core !
Something similar to this is the different obtained pin types Rettenmeyer used on their L/59 EK1s . They used what they could get ..........

Douglas

One more thought: Alois Rettenmeir L59-marked LDO EK1s come with a wide variety of secondary marks: swastikas, crescents, Xs, tildes, and more. I wonder if there is any connection between these marks and the frame/core combinations used in the respective EK1s? I know the theory is that the marks are quality-control inspector stamps, but that is, as far as I know, just a theory at this point.

[Douglas 5]

Hi Trevor :
L59 crosses with their marks is one of the area of interest I have been looking into . Right now I have identified 25 different marks . 60% of them are found on crosses marked L59 and also have the large 'S' on the back .
The marks found are for different purposes , a basic groupng as fallows :
1- internal inspection marks
2- maker parts marks
3- silver contence marks
4- repair marks
5- plating marks
Further more some of these marks also can be found on other makers crosses !

Douglas

[streptile]

Hi Trevor :
L59 crosses with their marks is one of the area of interest I have been looking into . Right now I have identified 25 different marks . 60% of them are found on crosses marked L59 and also have the large 'S' on the back .
The marks found are for different purposes , a basic groupng as fallows :
1- internal inspection marks
2- maker parts marks
3- silver contence marks
4- repair marks
5- plating marks
Further more some of these marks also can be found on other makers crosses !

Douglas

Hi Douglas,

We should probably spin this off into a different thread, but:

Very interesting. Are you planning some kind of presentation of your conclusions? Either here or in print? I'd be very interested.

I guess the idea I proposed above fits into your category 2 (maker parts) -- that Rettenmaier would have marked his S&L frame/Juncker core crosses with an "x" (for example), and his S&L frame/S&L core crosses with a crescent moon (for example), and so on (for there are undoubtedly more suppliers and combinations possible). In this fashion he could've kept track of who supplied which parts to which crosses, and kept tabs on quality as the pieces aged.

Certainly these marks all mean something.

PS. Re category (3) above. Silver contents marks would be numbers, correct (800, 935, etc)?

[Douglas 5]

Presentation on these is planed , and will be on its own thread . One of the many project I have on the go . Very fortunate circumstance to have obtained in Munich a very important L59 direct from the receipient - Hauptmann.
As indicated the included LDO waranty tag does state , the usual clause ... should this product to be found faulty it will be replaced ... etc . Getting parts and pin systems from different makers ... who pics up the tab for repairs etc . An identification methode had to be put in place .

Douglas

[Douglas 5]

Yes the silver marks . There are 2 main types actualy . The grey area as yet . Some marks represent the company who did the silver plating , .. others the grade of silver used .... some marks I have identified and most may only be generaly known as inspection marks , but by whom we will never know .

Douglas