EKI and EKII with Documents; Opinions please

[Harvey A]

beading against frame. I can't tell if it's separate or not. The paint tends to fill in any crack that might be there.

[Darrell]

Harvey, it's definitely 1 piece construction. Is it magnetic?

[Harvey A]

I've checked and it is non-magnetic, everywhere. I also find that the frame is somewhat wider, from the beading to the edge, on this screw-back than on the other three I got today. Is there an article anywhere on the one-piece EKIs?

Harvey, it's definitely 1 piece construction. Is it magnetic?

[Harvey A]

I measured the screw-back EKI (roughly with a tape measure) and it is 46mm, arm-to-arm across the vault. When measuring with a caliper it measures about 44.52mm from arm to arm (no vault), compared to 43.57mm for the other EKIs.

I sure hope this cross is right because it comes with the documents and the EKII. I doubt the seller would take back just the EKI and let me keep the rest; it's probably all or nothing. What do you guys think of the documents?

Harvey

[Harvey A]

I hope I'm not trying everyone's patience, but I would sure love to hear whether or not the screwback EKI is original or fake as well as an opinion on the documents. I would really like to keep this grouping, but only if it's right.

Thanks in advance,

Harvey

[Peter Wiking]

I hope I'm not trying everyone's patience, but I would sure love to hear whether or not the screwback EKI is original or fake as well as an opinion on the documents. I would really like to keep this grouping, but only if it's right.

Thanks in advance,

Harvey

It is one of these fakes. Comes as screwback or pinback with markings: L/12, 20 or 55. I´m sure there are other markings.

Sorry.
Peter

[Harvey A]

Thanks Peter; mine is unmarked but does look like the one you posted. What about the documents and EKII? Real or fake?

If the seller lets me return the screwback EKI and keep the documents and EKII, however unlikely that may be,what would be a good price for those items?

Harvey

It is one of these fakes. Comes as screwback or pinback with markings: L/12, 20 or 55. I´m sure there are other markings.

Sorry.
Peter

[meriksson]

If i was you i would return them all!. I dont think any off the items is real and genuin. Sorry

Mikael

[Hank C.]

Well, I'll throw in my 1 1/2 cents here (I'm kinda broke).

I don't like the way the documents are "aged". From my short time as a collector, most are damaged by folding, and tearing on the edges. Wrinkles in the middle - particularly the almost identical ones about an inch or so long in the middle left of both docs - seem contrived. Also, looks like somebody put them on a sidewalk or something to put some divots (or something akin to that) in them.

Me no likey - but also no expert. See if others will chime in.

[Simon O.]

I agree with Hank about the wrinkles and damage, it always acts as a red flag for me to look more closely. But i don't think that itself is enough to condemn the docs.
The fact of the matter is the 'story' the docs tell checks out. The right regiments with the right divisions and right commanders. The reason for the change of unit can be explained by the fact that IR 194 was destroyed at Stalingrad. GR 686 is recorded as being destroyed at Sebastopol in April\May '44. I ran a name check through the Volksbund database and in fact a Leutnant Karl Völkel is recorded KIA in May '44 and buried not too far from Odessa in Romania. Now ranks and names aren't always 100% at the volksbund so would it be too much of a coincidence to suppose that the guy was one of the many evacuated from the Crimea only to die soon afterwards, it's in the right theater of operations and at about the right time? BTW there is only 1 Karl Völkel of officer rank listed on the database although it must be pointed out there is another, with no rank mentioned who died at Stalingrad.

There is another point about these docs which i think goes in their favour. It seems as though they were typed with different typewriters, as they should be. Compare the lower case a on the two. It's quite distinctive on the EKI. It would be reasonable to expect a faker to use the same typewriter to make his docs.

In short, the crumpled nature of the docs is the only thing which i don't really like, an eyebrow raiser for sure but not a death sentence, the rest seems fine.

[Harvey A]

I sure appreciate all your comments; thank you. My last request onthis thread; will anyone comment on the EKII itself? Good or Bad?

Harvey

[eindecker2]

In my humble opinion - the EK2 looks OK, cant put a maker on it. I also have a bit of a concern about the documents. The paper in my view looks way to 'fresh' for being 60 years old. I would get a black light and see if the paper 'glows' bright blue under the light. That will defininitely let you know if the paper is even period.

Regards

[Simon O.]

That's a very good point, in this case having the docs in your hand will be the clincher. A photo however can often make them look paler than they are.