1914 Iron Cross 1st Class - cased

[Digger1915]

I’ve been wanting to ad an EK1 to my collection for some time now, and recently picked up this nice privately purchased piece. A vaulted 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class Cased – 800 CD and manufactured by Carl Dillenius of Pforzheim. This example is in nice condition but is showing some wear to the black finish. The case is in nice condition as is the blue velvet and satin lining to the interior of the case and its snaps closed very nicely. The shape of the cross is visible imprinted into the saturn.

 

[Bobted]

Very nice EK1 and case, I am rather partial to WW1 EK1's myself. Rob

 

[Digger1915]

Very nice EK1 and case, I am rather partial to WW1 EK1's myself. Rob

Thank you Bob! Perhaps not a super minty example but I guess I can only go up from here

 

[Bobted]

You can make it mint by polishing it! But I don't recommend doing that, The dirt is part of its history. Rob

 

[John Josef]

Congratulations

but be careful they can become like potato chips at a cookout even with the best intensions one will never be enough.

 

[Bobted]

I have a dozen or so possibly more! Not in the case though. I prefer them to the WW2 versions as you can have them lying around and no unsuspecting guest will have a fit if they see them, they are of better quality and there are so many styles shapes sizes pins screwbacks hooks etc.

 

[Bobted]

These are next to the computer bought them recently. Rob

 

[Digger1915]

You can make it mint by polishing it! But I don't recommend doing that, The dirt is part of its history. Rob

Totally agree with you. No way I would ever touch it. Part why I love Imperial Militaria (and WW1) is because of the patina. All of my items stay exactly as I found them and live in a dehumidified collection room.

 

[Rkinkade]

I too like iron crosses. There are many variations of construction, so once you get hooked on collecting them, you want to find them all. Examples are flat, vaulted, pin back (variants of the pins too), pillow back, screw back (single, double), sew on loop back, maker marked, silver content marked, engraved, etc. A collecting field of options!

Ron

 

[Bobted]

And of course, one of them belonged to someone very bad. I am sure he had several and they are in collection's but they will never let go of their naughty little secret. Rob

 

[Digger1915]

I too like iron crosses. There are many variations of construction, so once you get hooked on collecting them, you want to find them all. Examples are flat, vaulted, pin back (variants of the pins too), pillow back, screw back (single, double), sew on loop back, maker marked, silver content marked, engraved, etc. A collecting field of options!

Ron

Thanks for the comment Ron! I am getting more interested in them. I love the weight of them in you’re hand. Just prefect. Also much cheaper and easier to store and display than helmets which is my main focus. I do really like the appearance of the vaulted crosses too! I only need a gold wound badge and then I will have competed my Imperial wound badge collection, so yes, there’s definitely something to be said the satisfaction in completing a collection.

 

[Rkinkade]

A neat variant I didn’t mention are the “prinzen” smaller scale crosses. Very expensive and seldom seen. Can someone here on the forum explain what these are exactly and how and by whom they were worn? They must have been privately purchased.

Ron