Iron Cross Schinkel...

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Mike,

The secret is in the cross arms. If you watch the outer lines of the arms from the point where they all start off (middle of the cross) until their top ends, you can see that the curves on these Schinkels are less dramatic than on the regular 1939 crosses. The cross arms remain "straight" for a couple of Millimeters before the curve sets in. Schinkel crosses resemble in that way more an Imperial EK cross form.

Sometimes this is more, sometimes less evident. But it can be observed very well on those fakes I posted e.g.
It takes a Third Reich collector a while until one gets an "automatic" eye for that.

Cheers, Frank H.

[JensF.]

Yesterday I visited with a friend someone, who can get high-end fakes from Hungary. He got a Schinkel-Form EKII 1939, made from three pieces, stamped iron core with makers mark "20" in the ring. A very very good fake!!! Only the frame was not completely consistent. The polished part of the frame on two parts of the crossarms were wider. He got IAB and some Navy badges too. All very good with fine pinbacks and all stamped from zinc! Some with maker marks, but the letters on all maker marks were a little bit outlined! I wish I could get pics of these......

The bad boys are getting better!!!!!!

[George Stimson]

And....

Schinkel-form EKs are not the same size as regular EKs. Below, a 1914 EK 2, a Schinkel-form, and a K & Q EK 2.



George