Knights Cross L/12 800

[Sonderkommando]

Gents,
A friend of mine has just purchased this L/12 800 marked Knights Cross and is hoping to get an opinion as to it's authenticity from some of you who have more experience with these. According to Dietrich Maerz's book it appears to be a nice original, in a slightly scarcer "L/12 800" marked variation. The centre is iron and a magnet will stick to it.
It came with a nice piece of neck ribbon set up for wearing, with ties on each end.
From what I can see it appears to be a nice example of a lightly worn KC.

Any and all comments appreciated.

[Sonderkommando]

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[Mobydick]

Hi,

in my opinion this is NOT a original Juncker made Knights Cross.... just a good looking fake.

[beuwulf]

+1

[Alex Bolotnikov]

Very far from original L/12

[streptile]

Very nice looking and sophisticated fake.

[Dietrich Maerz]

According to Dietrich Maerz's book it appears to be a nice original, in a slightly scarcer "L/12 800" marked variation.

First of all, thank you for buying my book!
However, you have to look closer. Eevery detail counts. Have a look at the tips of the lower 6 o'clock arm and compare to the book. You always should do any comparison with the reverse where the tips are (normaly) not reworked.
Yes, as stated already, this is a fake and it was covered in one of my magazine issues. That is the purpose of the magazine - to keep up with thew latest and greates. This is a dnagerous fake indeed.
But we should wait for some definitive and short comment on its status from somebody else.... just to be sure!

Dietrich

[ValhallaMilitaria]

That cross will fool many, in the heat of the moment, in a parking lot somewhere where a decision has to be made quickly to buy or not, I could envision paying a fast 5k for it easily...this one brought me up short, a LOT of great details and once they figure out how to apply the correct makers marks we will truly have a problem on our hands.
Eric

[praubal]

That cross will fool many, in the heat of the moment, in a parking lot somewhere where a decision has to be made quickly to buy or not, I could envision paying a fast 5k for it easily...this one brought me up short, a LOT of great details and once they figure out how to apply the correct makers marks we will truly have a problem on our hands.
Eric

Would you say it's almost time once marks are corrected that buying will just become too hazardous...and indeed reckless.

[Leroy]

It is more than just correcting marks. The frame itself (in several ways) is simply wrong. So is the core. They will have to re-do the frame and re-do the core. The dates are pretty good, but the swastika is too clean and crisp. I believe I saw the first one of these in a Manion's catalog several years ago and showed a photo here. It was certainly a shocker then, but not so much now after taking more time to carefully compare real vs. fake. The purchase of a cross is a serious thing. Perhaps you will miss a good one at a great price because you didn't have time to do your "due diligence", but that is simply a factor you can't ignore.

[hkusp40]

Very nice looking and sophisticated fake.

Indeed, a very good fake. -Ger

[Sonderkommando]

Gentlemen,
Thank you VERY much for your opinions on this cross. This has certainly been an eye-opener for me as well!

Thank god fellow collectors are looking out for each others backs.

The current purchaser of the cross has a one week inspection period, luckily the seller is a decent guy and said he will take it back. (I wonder if the seller knows what it really is? He was told by the person that he purchased it from that it was in a collection for the last 40 years).

Buy the item, not the story!

[ValhallaMilitaria]

Would you say it's almost time once marks are corrected that buying will just become too hazardous...and indeed reckless.

Hmm, yes, it turns into a situation where provenance will enter into the equation in a big way, ie- one must actually be finding it in the attic, closet or basement in the vet's house to trust it. Like I already feel about most SS items but that is another subject altogether.
Eric