Opinions needed on EKII

[peterwyndavies]

I have recently obtained this EKII and would like opinions on it as to whether it is genuine or not.
Thanks,
Peter.

[peterwyndavies]

A view of the reverse.

[peterwyndavies]

A close up of the mark on the ring.

[peterwyndavies]

Yet another view.

[Adrian]

Hi Peter,
It looks like the example I picture below. I've put it up for discussion on the forum before and it didn't get much of a positive response. See what you think.
Curious that the makers mark has been stamped on the ring join on both examples. Your example looks like '84'.

[Adrian]

Reverse.....

[Adrian]

Makers mark.....

[peterwyndavies]

Hi Adrian,
Thanks for your reply. They certainly do look very similar, except that mine is marked 84 and yours looks like a 5. On close examination of mine however there are traces of solder at the ring joint, which is probably not a good thing, there is no sign of any solder on yours.
Peter

[Adrian]

Hi Adrian,
Thanks for your reply. They certainly do look very similar, except that mine is marked 84 and yours looks like a 5. On close examination of mine however there are traces of solder at the ring joint, which is probably not a good thing, there is no sign of any solder on yours.
Peter

Hello Peter,
Not necessarily a bad thing, the rings were soldered and mine does have solder, the makers mark seems to have opened the ring slightly but it is still joined. The only maker I know of to stamp their mark on the join in the ring everytime is maker '66' - Freidrich Keller, Oberstein. These crosses are not from this maker.
I really don't know what to say about them to be honest, if they're fake they're very good and we don't see many of them. I think it is the same type as Jim posted here:
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/FORU...highlight=Ekii

[peterwyndavies]

Thanks Adrian,
I have compared the EKII in your link with mine and the ring on mine is definately smaller. Also I have enlarged and rotated the photograph of the maker's mark and am pretty sure that it is 84. Presumably this can be attributed to a maker and it may be possible to say whether this cross bears the characteristics of those made by this maker?
Since I am novice at this I may be oversimplyfying matters so please forgive my ignorance if this is the case.
Thanks,
Peter.

[peterwyndavies]

Hi again Adrian,
I just looked at the list of EKII makers pinned to this thread and I observed that 84 was Carl Poellath of Schrobenhausen. I must say I had not heard of him before.
Thanks,
Peter.

[Adrian]

Hi Peter,
I've just had a search and came up with this thread. I'd forgotten about these fakes. Take a look and see what you think.....
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/FORU...3&highlight=84

[Robert P.]

Peter,

These crosses come with two distinctly different cores. The link that Adrian posted above shows the 'other' core. But, the frames are the same.

Here is a close up of the inner beading of these fake crosses...

[peterwyndavies]

Thanks Adrian and Robert. I will compare these images carefully with mine and let you know what I think .
Thanks,
Peter.

[peterwyndavies]

Hi Adrian and Robert. I have had a look and taken some other pictures of this medal and will post them for you to look at. It doesn't seem to have the bead faults described in the linked threads, but will post a few more pictures to see what you think.
Thanks,
Peter.