Imperial German...what!???

[Petroc]

Evening guys,

Just seen a post on FB from a friend asking what this is, that they found whilst moving house....I don't have much of an idea, maybe you can help?

Edited 29 June , 2023 by Petroc

[mancpal]

What is the item that it’s attached to please. It’s obviously Iron Cross related but an indication of its format might help.

Simon

[Petroc]

Morning, Simon

Unfortunately, the image posted is all I have to go on, though it looks (from the original FB picture) to be mounted on a felt-covered rectangular wooden board. Although I don't know the significance of the emblems, it occurred to me that it might have been mounted for display or for framing as some kind of family tribute? 

 

[AOK4]

It has a certain modern day fake feeling about it, I must say. The combination of an eagle with an Iron Cross is not anything like WWI and it is very crudely made as well. Anyway a full picture of the item would be nice.

Jan

[FROGSMILE]

The general appearance reminds me of a memorial piece for an individual, but I would have expected to see a name as a minimum and sometimes a photograph.  The kind of thing a middle-class family might commission for a fallen son perhaps.  The black background seems like a clue, but as that’s also fashionably Gothic it’s difficult to be sure. 

Edited 30 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Gunner 87]

I wonder if it is a Great War paper weight presented to an Knights Cross recipient. The one I attach is a simpler version made of marble.

Edited 30 June , 2023 by Gunner 87

[Petroc]

Thanks, all

[TullochArd]

...... the component parts (eagle with folded wings, pair of oakleaves and acorns/EK 1813) and overall design of the plaque seem spookily similar to the front cover of this 1986 reference book 'Prussian and German Iron Cross' by V.E. Bowen.   

Edited 30 June , 2023 by TullochArd
(eagle with folded wings, pair of oakleaves and acorns/EK 1813)

[TullochArd]

10 hours ago, AOK4 said:

....... The combination of an eagle with an Iron Cross is not anything like WWI ........

.....but a well known version of the combination of an eagle with an Iron Cross had been around well before WW1 Jan ......

 

 

[AOK4]

1 hour ago, TullochArd said:

.....but a well known version of the combination of an eagle with an Iron Cross had been around well before WW1 Jan ......

 

 

 

The eagle is different. Note also that that eagle usually had a crown (as Prussia was a kingdom).

I still think it is modern.

[AOK4]

BTW, after some searching, I think the eagle looks remarkably like the French Imperial eagle (Napoleon).

[knittinganddeath]

The head of the eagle in the original post is facing the wrong way if it's supposed to be German. I also think the legs look very odd.

[Petroc]

Thank you all for your thoughts and impressions....I'm still thinking it might be a scrambled family item, perhaps using a variety of locally-produced or sourced emblems...?....many years ago I owned a 14-15 trio to a bloke in the Gloucesters, lost on the Somme in 1916, and his family had mounted the medals rather crudely in a hand-made frame, adorned with a whole range of little enamelled flags and patriotic button-badges....I wonder if this is a similar kind of tribute...

Andy

[FROGSMILE]

15 minutes ago, Petroc said:

Thank you all for your thoughts and impressions....I'm still thinking it might be a scrambled family item, perhaps using a variety of locally-produced or sourced emblems...?....many years ago I owned a 14-15 trio to a bloke in the Gloucesters, lost on the Somme in 1916, and his family had mounted the medals rather crudely in a hand-made frame, adorned with a whole range of little enamelled flags and patriotic button-badges....I wonder if this is a similar kind of tribute...

Andy

The eagle does look remarkably similar to the Napoleonic type as suggested above.  In particular the legs.

Edited 30 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[TullochArd]

Reichsadler versions seem to abound.  This tidier example has the folded wings of the OP and is similarly left facing.  The symbolic oak leaves and EK 1914 are present in both images and both images are noticeably minus the crown.  Like AOK4 I get the impression these are modern.

Edited 11 July , 2023 by TullochArd
Like AOK4 I get the impression these are modern.