Hello,
Got this cross from a estate, any info is appreciated never seen one before...
thanks,
Got this cross from a estate, any info is appreciated never seen one before...
thanks,
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Last edited by Luis22; 09-25-2010, 03:34 PM. -
A quote from another member:
Originally posted by John H. View Post
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...alingrad+cross
Not sure if your's is a good one or not. -
This one looks like the variant version in the thread that Olav posted.Comment
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Very scarce and desirable crosses !!
NickComment
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I hope its a good one, because it seems to be in excellent condition! Great find. I need to start checkin out my local estate salesComment
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I surf the entire web looking for info on this cross and there is very little...pictures I have seen are mostly poorly finished types which makes me believe that this particular one may be an original. I got this cross from the estate of very wealthy collector of militaria that included ss daggers, para badges, Close combat badges, helmets, uniforms,,,all original stuff...Last edited by Luis22; 09-27-2010, 07:59 AM.Comment
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Do a search on this forum. There was a lengthy "discussion" that degenerated towards the end @ 2001-2003 between some of the older and "heavier" collectors about these. I remember Bill Stump going into orbit at one point about these.
There are VERY good fakes of this about- but I reckon Gordon Williamson or Heiko or one of the other badge guys can help you. Also, try Robin Lumsden-I think he has a couple of undisputed originals in his collection as I recall one still on the strap.Good luck-if its real then you just got your ultra rare piece!Comment
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These are some pictures of replicas sold on line, craftmanship is terrible!!
Comment
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These crosses come in a aray of variations .... from no color to grey and dark or light blue and even blue and gold plated centres ! As mentioned most are quit 'crudely' made .
DouglasComment
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What a great score! Good jjob! I would love to have one.
KennethComment
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Excellent. Appears to be a very nice original.Comment
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For some unknown reason I often get asked to comment on the S Grad Crosses when they get posted for opinion. I am certainly no expert on these. Most of what I know comes from informed collectors like PD SERGEANT and others. The cross posted for comment is what I like to call a non textbook or variant cross. Here is a picture of what I call the textbook cross in a side by side comparison. The reason I call it textbook is because the originality is unquestioned and can be traced back to the war through veterans etc. This cross is the type shown in the early bender,mollo and davis books.
See next post for my comments on the variant cross. JimComment
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Here is a comparison picture of the non text book cross along side the cross that started this thread. Unlike the textbook cross this style of cross has no pedigree to speak of. Even though its a lot more prevalent in the collectors market its never been featured in any of the early references. So in that respect many advanced collectors question their originality. I'm not one of those critics. I believe that they stand a good chance of being original as do many reputable dealers. I got my set over 15 years ago from Niemann.
When I obtained my set, the state of repros wasn't that great. The best repros used an original item from which a mold was made and then the item was reproduced from it. In all cases the items being replicated were slightly smaller and the details more bunched up. These variants were not made using an original cross as a mold. These crosses were made from the ground up and then the crosses were die struck from a very light weight but durable metal.The crosses I own and several pairs that I have seen have a flaw in the die which may have resulted in them not being issued.
As always these are my personal comments and do not reflect any greater insights or knowledge of this insignia on my part. JIMComment
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Thanks Jim !!Comment
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Great info and pics Jim, many thanks
NickComment
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