Wehrmacht Long Service medal 4 years with mm L/58 review

[Peter J.]

Antonio, I realize Souval is a controvercial topic and that opinions about their originality change back and forth over time. Correct, this mark is found on undisputable post-war pieces, but are you saying with certainty this mark wasn't used on their pre-45 production?

cheers
Peter

[Antonio Scapini]

Evidences led us this was only a post war mark.
Wartime Souval marked pieces have a different mark (see for example the L58 EK1).
So, if you ask me, my answer is "yes", this type of mark is postwar only.

[Peter J.]

Antonio, I gather from your response the answer is a big NO. Apparently we have different perception of how the conept "evidence" should be defined. Yes, the L58 mark is found on the screw of the EK1, but that's an integrated part of the die and can't be compared with a mark originated from a punch.

Due to ignorance I'll take this opportunity to inquire about that L58 mark. Why was it perceived as wartime produced, other than the presence in contemporay advertisment?

Once again, are there any concrete "evidence" the punched L/58 was not used during the war?

cheers
Peter

[Antonio Scapini]

Yes Peter, the L/58 used during the wartime was different, and I'm not referring to the L58 on the screwback EK1, but at the real mark.

Have a look here:
http://www.ek1-dna.de/l-58-rudolf-souval,-wien.html

The L/58 made in the way I showed is only visible on post war pieces (or at least wartime leftovers marked after the war).

[Peter J.]

Excellent, now we're moving forward That leave us with the million$ question: if the "old punch" was found (according to Mr Umlauf), wouldn't that show the same maker mark as the alleged pre-45 produced punch?

I don't know if the incused maker mark was ever used pre-45, but it makes sense on a ribbon ring, as that rounded surface of the ring wouldn't be very clear with a flat punsch like the pre-45 type. However, any piece with the incused mark on a large surface (i.g. Hilfsreuzer), I also consider post war.

cheers
Peter