Knight Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Steinhauer & Lück

[Robert T.]

Here is this cross (and the other 2) when they first were shown here in a thread some time ago.

And again here:
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/FORU...d.php?t=403173


Robert

[Leroy]

The other thread just referenced by Robert concerned primarily the cross with Oaks (which I think is a hybrid cross) NOT the cross in this thread with Oaks and Swords. They are (all 3 crosses) from the same "board". There are, I believe, 2 "A"'s and 1 "hybrid" (obverse "B", reverse "A"). All should be looked at closely.

I note this to avoid any confusion.

[Darrell]

..... All should be looked at closely.

I agree. All in favor of Gentry purchasing this for the good of the collecting community say "I" !!!

[Leroy]

Hi, Darrell!
I personally think all these prices are crazy! But if you want to GIVE me the money, I will be happy to spend it!
Best,
Leroy

[Darrell]

Hi, Darrell!
I personally think all these prices are crazy! But if you want to GIVE me the money, I will be happy to spend it!
Best,
Leroy

I knew there would be a catch.

[Leroy]

In all seriousness (and I have said this before on this Forum), I don't think ANY cross without direct provenance to the actual recipient, with the possible exceptions of the 3/4 ring, the early zinc Juncker, and the Godet, is worth more than $6K.

Now (hopefully) we can get back to this thread!

[Bob Hritz]

I know I would love to have the Oak Leaves and Swords of this style for a study piece. However, this set, with lead solder, gives me the impression that it is a VERY post-war assembled piece.

The sad part is that having such a set is not a good purchase as one must be a pragmatist and understand that the desireability is almost nil when the time comes to dispose of such unusual and non government awarded pieces.

Bob Hritz

[Leroy]

I agree fully with Bob that this set of O&S is neither very attractive nor an award set and that its value is nothing like what a nice award set would be worth. I also agree that it gives the "impression" that it is a "VERY post-war assembled piece".

These O&S are noted on the "emedals" site NOT to be real silver, but "silvered only". As Bob will recall, boards like this (which were NEVER "salesman" boards) were assembled by mounting the leftover stock of Ludenscheid companies, both finished AND unfinished. This set of O&S certainly does not appear to me to be a "finished" (whether wartime or postwar) set of any sort. It is either unfinished (and awaiting its final silver plating) OR, possibly, CRUDELY soldered by someone who just wanted something to put on a board to barter or sell. The crosses, on the other hand, are finished and frosted. I think what we are seeing with these O&S and attached cross is a "snapshot in time" of a combination of what was in existence at the end of the war, or what could be slapped together with the most minimum of effort. In other words, if you were going to finish and frost crosses for these boards, why not finish and frost the O&S, too?

I hope someone has an "in" with Barry Turk and can get more, and better, photographs of all these pieces.

[Robin Lumsden]

Well, finished or unfinished, the long swords variety was worn pre-'45..................

I don't particularly like them either, but von Manteuffel apparently did.

[Leroy]

I don't particularly like them either, but von Manteuffel apparently did.

He certainly did, and examples of this type have been found by collectors attached to S&L crosses before. It's my personal belief that this "style" is one of two, or possibly three, styles manufactured by S&L during the war. Because the "window" for commercial sale between the institution of the "swords" and the ban on private sale was so short, it is my feeling that these types were made for exhibit or display. Certainly von Manteuffel could have gotten anything he wanted, irregardless of any ban.

[Sal Williams]

Doesn't the oese look troubling?

[Robin Lumsden]

He certainly did, and examples of this type have been found by collectors attached to S&L crosses before. It's my personal belief that this "style" is one of two, or possibly three, styles manufactured by S&L during the war. Because the "window" for commercial sale between the institution of the "swords" and the ban on private sale was so short, it is my feeling that these types were made for exhibit or display. Certainly von Manteuffel could have gotten anything he wanted, irregardless of any ban.

I agree with much of that.

Maybe this type of swords was not 'authorised for delivery to the Chancellery'......................but it ended up being worn in the field by at least one very senior officer.

So it can't be condemned out of hand, I don't think.

[Robin Lumsden]

Doesn't the oese look troubling?

The whole thing looks troublesome!

[Leroy]

Another shot (from DaveB, a member here and at GMIC)(hope he doesn't mind). Two different S&L styles.

[Robin Lumsden]

Another shot (from DaveB, a member here and at GMIC)(hope he doesn't mind). Two different S&L styles.

I don't like the '57' type...............too many of them around.

But the long swords are different.