PrussianGarde Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Bought this cross for pretty cheap at an auction. The medal bar contraption seems very unusual. It is marked KO and is in beautiful condition. Can anyone tell me about this contraption? Does it look to be field made as I thought? What’s the value for it? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Dear PrussianGarde, It is a lesser-used variant of the way the Imperial German medals were mounted. I show various examples... Your EKII looks perfectly genuine. Worth...? Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrussianGarde Posted 5 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Thanks, I’ve just never seen that contraption on the back of the medal, it looks like it was done by hand. I bought it for less then $50 in an auction so I’m happy about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Dear PrussianGarde, Glad to oblige. $50 is peanuts in the medal-collecting Game. Well done! Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrussianGarde Posted 5 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Thanks. Just one more question. Based on the back of the bar, is it field made? It just looks so rugged, not professionally done, and definitely hand stitched. Once again thanks Kim! Jackson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Dear Jackson, I should have elaborated on that, and you are quite right to raise your original question. Ask as much as you like! No. Definitely not field made. These items were produced in huge numbers, probably from numerous Cottage Industries, to well-known Medallists like C. W. Juncker, Berlin. The latter also produced the medals, and other insignia, like Pilot's or Observer's badges of high quality. The EKII was awarded 1914-1918 no less than 5,527,696 times - theoretically for one act of bravery. Yet it remained a coveted award, despite the numbers. (The EKI was more difficult to earn for Other Ranks - nichtoffiziere - although common for Officers: roughly a quarter of a million being awarded...) The type of mounting you have is less prevalent. More common is the (Prussian?) mounting, of which I attach other examples.. Okay? Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrussianGarde Posted 5 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Ok, thanks, just making sure. I never thought that the back of a medal bar could be so rugged and weirdly stitched together without being made by someone with not much experience in medal (bar) making Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Dear Jackson, They were all stitched together like that, actually. However - possibly also in your case - a felt backing (yours, now lost) was sewn on the rev. to cover the rough-looking stitching. Again, I attach some examples: you can see the variations (including an unusual non-recipient of the EKII!), and in one other case the maker's tag. Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrussianGarde Posted 5 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2020 That makes a lot of sense. Thank you so much! I appreciate the help! Jackson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 The trapezoid bar is typical for the early war period (1914-15). Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrussianGarde Posted 5 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2020 (edited) Nice, that explains why EK2 is a little higher quality then my late war piece. Edited 5 July , 2020 by PrussianGarde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Kim, your Imperial German awards are very nice, I have always liked these Imperial awards but never collected them. Best wishes! Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Dear Bryan, The problem, collector-wise, is that these often-seen EKII groups are now unfortunately anonymous, with few exceptions. All those shown were examples offered by various dealers over the years - except three. These three (in my collection), being the EKII group of five shown again here, plus an EKII group of three with maker's tag on the back - and the EKII, Zähringer Löwen group to my wife's maternal grandfather, Ltn d. Res. Rudolf Schneider (also shown, with wartime photo as Bty. Cdr.). Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Yes Kim, very unfortunate the Imperial German States medals were un named, but some of the group mountings are really nicely done, you have in yr collection some superb examples of the variuos Orders & Decorations awarded by the variuous states! PLEASE start a separate Topic on these Imperial German awards, perhaps others might contribute as well. Best....Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
depaor01 Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 56 minutes ago, RNCVR said: Yes Kim, very unfortunate the Imperial German States medals were un named, but some of the group mountings are really nicely done, you have in yr collection some superb examples of the variuos Orders & Decorations awarded by the variuous states! PLEASE start a separate Topic on these Imperial German awards, perhaps others might contribute as well. Best....Bryan Already done here: Careful. Seriously droolworthy decorations here. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrussianGarde Posted 5 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2020 (edited) Very nice medal bars! Kim, It’s amazing that you have a named grouping to your wife’s grandfather. I only have 2 groupings but I look to get some more in the future, I’ll post them on a new topic soon. Jackson Edited 5 July , 2020 by PrussianGarde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 Dear Dave, Thanks for rejuvinating the old posts! Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
depaor01 Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 22 minutes ago, Kimberley John Lindsay said: Dear Dave, Thanks for rejuvinating the old posts! Kindest regards, Kim. Definitely worthy of excavation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 (edited) 19 hours ago, PrussianGarde said: Ok, thanks, just making sure. I never thought that the back of a medal bar could be so rugged and weirdly stitched together without being made by someone with not much experience in medal (bar) making Its good, my son in law collected these for some time & he looked at yr EK, the rough sewing on the revere is normal, & as mentioned above it has lost its sewn on backing sometime in the past. Thanks, Bryan Edited 5 July , 2020 by RNCVR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrussianGarde Posted 5 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2020 (edited) 14 minutes ago, RNCVR said: Its good, my on in law collected these for some time & he looked at yr EK, the rough sewing on the revere is normal, & as mentioned above it has lost its sewn on backing sometime in the past. Thnks, Bryan Thanks for the help! I appreciate it! Jackson Edited 5 July , 2020 by PrussianGarde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 5 July , 2020 Share Posted 5 July , 2020 7 hours ago, Kimberley John Lindsay said: Dear Dave, Thanks for rejuvinating the old posts! Kindest regards, Kim. Also thanks from a Navy guy, but I have always liked viewing the Imperial German States medals. Was unaware a topic under way on these awards. Thanks, Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 27 March , 2022 Share Posted 27 March , 2022 Dear All, When looking around in my Den for something else, I came across Ltn. d. Res. Rudolf Schneider's ornately mounted ribbon-bar; a piece of schrapnel ball obviously removed from his chest in 1918; his privately-engraved ID disk; and a metail tin with EKII decor... Hopefully all of interest to the Great War Forum community. Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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