Factory Vaulted 1939 EK1s

[bwanek1]

I would like to open a dialog regarding vaulted EK1s and the methods by which they were originally manufactured. I have seen bits and pieces in other threads, but never a comprehensive discussion.


I have read and listened to a good amount of discussion by some who argue that the only original, factory-produced vaulted EK1s are those with a uniform convex appearance with no evidence of bending. Bent crosses are considered by them to have been done by the owner (or an unscrupulous dealer) after purchase. However, I have a vaulted EK1, which I am certain to have been created by bending at the factory.


The evidence to support my argument is the location of the bends. This can be clearly seen on the reverse where the angle of light reflection changes. On crosses which have been hand-bent, the bends occur at the point where each arm of the cross meets the body (where one would expect to see it by simple physics). The bends meet at those corners, forming a square which connects the points where the arms intersect. On mine, however, the bends occur much further in toward the center of the cross, away from those arm intersection points, creating a significantly smaller square. This could not have been produced by hand-bending. Instead, the cross must have been bent using a form or jig. Granted, this too could have been done after purchase, but why and by whom? Why would someone go to such effort when much the same look could be achieved without it? I conclude that vaulted crosses with signs of bending in this manner are a version of factory-produced originals.


Consider these example comparisons:

[Darrell]

It would be useful to post pictures of the front of the crosses. Quite often "hand" vaulted pieces have the tell-tale signs of the beaded corners lifted off the center of the cross right next to the swastika.


Factory vaulted ones usually show this beading still close to the core and not lifted.

[bwanek1]

It would be useful to post pictures of the front of the crosses. Quite often "hand" vaulted pieces have the tell-tale signs of the beaded corners lifted off the center of the cross right next to the swastika.


Factory vaulted ones usually show this beading still close to the core and not lifted.

That is an excellent point and it is exactly why I believe this cross (on the right) was bent in this manner at the factory using a jig of some sort. I believe this was a manufacturer's attempt to reduce the amount of corner lifting by moving the bend closer inward to be closer to the tips of the beading. By bending the cross further inward toward the center (which cannot be done by hand), it serves to reduce the distance from the location of the bend to the tip of the beaded corners so that the lifting is less pronounced. As you can see from the photo, this process was not fully successful in eliminating the lifting, but it may have reduced it somewhat. <O

[Ralph A]

&quot;Pitch Block&quot;

We used to place aluminum (boat engine) propellers that had been bent out of "pitch" (by hitting underwater obstacles) into "pitch blocks" at the marina to form them back into shape. Simple process. There were two pieces the mirror image of the prop in question; the prop was place into the block, its sister piece was placed atop it, and a strike with a hammer put everything into the proper "pitch".

I believe a jeweler wanting to vault a cross would have the same simple tools at his disposal, and would use them to "vault" both the core and the frame at the same time, eliminating all "bend" marks and the unsightly lifting of the inner frame corners.

In other words, there should be no "bend" marks at all, should there? Unless the jeweler was less than professional...

[bwanek1]

We used to place aluminum (boat engine) propellers that had been bent out of "pitch" (by hitting underwater obstacles) into "pitch blocks" at the marina to form them back into shape. Simple process. There were two pieces the mirror image of the prop in question; the prop was place into the block, its sister piece was placed atop it, and a strike with a hammer put everything into the proper "pitch".

I believe a jeweler wanting to vault a cross would have the same simple tools at his disposal, and would use them to "vault" both the core and the frame at the same time, eliminating all "bend" marks and the unsightly lifting of the inner frame corners.

In other words, there should be no "bend" marks at all, should there? Unless the jeweler was less than professional...

I think you have hit upon the answer indirectly. Rather than being a factory method, for which costly custom tooling would have been created which could produce a truly convex shape without visile bends, this looks like it may have been a jewler/retailer method to create a similar effect at the customer's request. However, it could not have been done by hand-bending, but rather by the use of a mechanical device specific to that purpose. The location of the bends could not have been produced in that location by hand. Also, no individual would have created such a method of bending solely for his own EK. I would classify this type of vaulted EK (one displaying evidence of mechanical bending) as a middle category between hand vaulting and factory vaulting.

[Matt Starr]

This has been bugging me now for some time, why are medals vaulted?? I dont understand the reason for it. Pure aesthetics?
Regards
Matt

[Harry]

Apparently, it stops the award corners snagging on bits of kit, overcoats etc etc...

This has been bugging me now for some time, why are medals vaulted?? I dont understand the reason for it. Pure aesthetics?
Regards
Matt

[Peter Wiking]

This has been bugging me now for some time, why are medals vaulted?? I dont understand the reason for it. Pure aesthetics?
Regards
Matt

Vaulted awards catches light better. Think old sport cars and a womans breast

Cheers.
Peter

[Jim Baker]

I had a 4 marked S&L that I sold I think to Allan. I have no doubt it was vaulted when manufactured. No sign of bends anywhere and the beading was snug with the core. I wish I had kept it now. It was the best I have seen next to a few 1914 crosses that also appeared to have been vaulted when made.

I personally don't care for hand vaulted crosses mainly because of the raised beading issue.

[Colorado]

Both the badges you posted look like they are hand bent. I only have one early vaulted one that came in one of the early smooth skin leather cases and the rim sits pretty much flush on all 4 corners. Here is the best I can do on a close-up.

[bwanek1]

Colorado,

I understand why you, like many, would conclude that both are hand-vaulted based on the presence of visible bends. However, I say to you as an engineer that there is absolutely no possibility, based on the location of the bends, that the cross on the right was vaulted without the use of some sort of machanical device. If we can agree on that one point, I return to the question of whether any individual would have even seen the need to go to such extremes as to create a mechanical device to aid in producing a vaulted cross simply for himself, let alone the impracticality of an individual going to such effort and expense for just one cross. I think simple logic rules that out. Thus, accepting that this cross was bent using a specially designed mechanism (as physics dictates) and since such a method would be unnecessary and impractical for an individual to create and apply to just his own cross, we are left to colclude that this method was either applied by the original manufacturer or, more likely in my opinion, by the original jewler/retailer as an option to the purchaser. By contrast, the one you posted is certainly the product of original factory vaulting.

[Peter Wiking]

I agree with bwanek1. The cross on the right is not vaulted only using the hands. A form or other type of tool has been used.

Cheers.
Peter

[Tiger 1]

Hi guys,

The major reason for the vaulted, domed or curved EKI is to provide more physical dimension and visual appeal to an otherwise flat decoration. Manufacturors offered vaulted EKIs as a private purchase option to the flat award crosses. I remember reading somewhere that it was also somewhat of a fashion statement among some officers during the WWI era.

The reasoning that vaulting may have had a secondary effect of making the cross corners less likely to catch on things is flawed. The turned in corners would cause wear that would be hell on uniforms. A similar problem existed with Imperial German Naval daggers with the sharp edges of the Imperial crown pommel. These edges were routinely smoothed over or removed by naval officers to prevent damage to relatively expensive uniforms. The same can sometimes be seen of the Imperial flight badges with the cross at the top of the crown removed for the same reason. The fashion statement reason seems more likely.

Original vaulted 39 EKIs are early production and rare. There was an official edict banning under a severe penalty any further production of vaulted EKIs in early 1941. How many EKIs were awarded up to that time wasn't very many given the scope of relatively limited military operations up to that time. How many of those that would have been vaulted would be very small. If one makes a habit of studying period pictures, it becomes readily apparent just how rare true vaulted EKIs are. It is very difficult to find photographic proof of these early crosses being worn.

An important fact often overlooked is that factory or manufacturor vaulted crosses will also have the ouside edges of the cross arms also vaulted or curved. True curvred or vaulted crosses were done over a domed form that conformed the whole cross, front and back, to that shape. When shaped over this dome, before the fittings were attached, the backplate, the core and the front frame of the cross shows a distinct vaulting with no creases of any kind. just one smooth curve and a tight fit everywhere .

EKIs that show any type of creasing on the backplate, regardless of the location of this creasing, most likely were done after they left the factory and are not to seasoned EK collectors genuine vaulted examples.

Why was this done then? Again, this could have been a style statement to vault the cross like the one that dad may have had. Or to add that extra visual dimension mentioned previously. Speaking of this, during the second world war many German soldiers routinely removed the paint from the swastika to enhance the visual effect of their award. This is relatively easy to find proof for in period photos.

Obviously I've gone out on a limb with my opinions here but I believe what I presented here is pretty tight, mostly provable and has enough merit to make it feasable.

If any of you guys going to the SOS would like I can bring along an unmarked Juncker EKI screwback that is factory vaulted for show and tell.

Excuse me for being long winded but I love Iron Crosses.

Just some thoughts.

Tony

[Rich G]

I'm going against the grain because I do not believe any of those shown are factory vaulted.

One only hase to look at true factory vaulted pieces to see this. Take for example, any vaulted EK1 1914... the backs are smooth with no creases at all.

Look at '30s made EK1 1914s and the same, no creases or imprints of tooling.

To take it further I have a WW2 made 1914 EK1 (marked L/52) which is also vaulted and again no signs of creasing or the square shape shown in those pics.


Rich

[Darrell]

This is a picture of someone else's EK1 marked L/*. Can't remember what the number was, it is obviously not a Deumer. Pictures are not that great, but the cross was vaulted. It does not show any lines or creases on the reverse indicating that this was a factory vault job. Unfortunatelly I didnt take any pics of the beading to show that that it was a snug fit ... no lifting at all. Very salty piece also.