Cased EK1
Cased EK1
Cased Eisernes Kreuz 1 Klasse (Iron Cross 1st Class, 1939)
The medal was awarded to individuals when they performed three to four further acts of courage from the one that earned him the 2nd Class. The Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe had similar criteria and in addition the award was regularly awarded to U-boat Commanders upon sinking 50,000 tons and to Luftwaffe pilots when they achieved six or seven confirmed kills. These were only guidelines and a single act of great importance or a long steady career could also earn the individual the Cross. As of March 1941, manufacture of German awards was regulated by the LDO (Administration of German Orders Manufacturers). The LDO acted as a quality control agent and the manufactures were to use an assigned LDO (“L/”) code on their products destined for retail sales.
A superb example of the pin-back first class Iron Cross. Die Struck, three piece, iron and alloy construction Pattée style cross with a single piece iron core and a two piece alloy frame. The obverse of the award features an embossed, central, canted swastika with the re-institution date “1939” to the bottom arm. The swastika is in nice high relief while the date is somewhat lower. The magnetic centre retains all of its semi-gloss black eggshell finish and is in excellent condition. The nickel/silver plated alloy frame is still very clean and bright and the white frosted finish to the inner ribbed frame edging is still intact. The plain reverse is a frosted, matte silver with a lot of very fine, superficial scratches. It is also in nice condition with some patina around the outer edges. The award has a flat, tapered pin with a flared waist that then tapers down to a point at the bottom end – with a slight dip at the catch that gives the pin a hint of a rat-tail. The center point of the pin is stamped in incuse relief with the manufactures LDO code within a rectangular border “L15” for the Pforzheim based manufacturer Otto Schickle.
The black leatherette covered case has lightly beveled top edges and an arched lid with a silver outline of an Iron Cross on it. The catch sticks a tad when the pressure pin release is pressed in, but with a slight pull, the lid opens easily (hinge works smoothly). The bottom of the case is faced with slightly yellow-tinted flocking. Faint indentations caused by pressure from the edges of the cross arms are visible in the satin of the lid. The interior bottom of the box is marked 2420 (followed by a reversed N) plus the D&B in the oval. A great acquisition for any collection and highly desirable!
Pictures from therupturedduck
The medal was awarded to individuals when they performed three to four further acts of courage from the one that earned him the 2nd Class. The Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe had similar criteria and in addition the award was regularly awarded to U-boat Commanders upon sinking 50,000 tons and to Luftwaffe pilots when they achieved six or seven confirmed kills. These were only guidelines and a single act of great importance or a long steady career could also earn the individual the Cross. As of March 1941, manufacture of German awards was regulated by the LDO (Administration of German Orders Manufacturers). The LDO acted as a quality control agent and the manufactures were to use an assigned LDO (“L/”) code on their products destined for retail sales.
A superb example of the pin-back first class Iron Cross. Die Struck, three piece, iron and alloy construction Pattée style cross with a single piece iron core and a two piece alloy frame. The obverse of the award features an embossed, central, canted swastika with the re-institution date “1939” to the bottom arm. The swastika is in nice high relief while the date is somewhat lower. The magnetic centre retains all of its semi-gloss black eggshell finish and is in excellent condition. The nickel/silver plated alloy frame is still very clean and bright and the white frosted finish to the inner ribbed frame edging is still intact. The plain reverse is a frosted, matte silver with a lot of very fine, superficial scratches. It is also in nice condition with some patina around the outer edges. The award has a flat, tapered pin with a flared waist that then tapers down to a point at the bottom end – with a slight dip at the catch that gives the pin a hint of a rat-tail. The center point of the pin is stamped in incuse relief with the manufactures LDO code within a rectangular border “L15” for the Pforzheim based manufacturer Otto Schickle.
The black leatherette covered case has lightly beveled top edges and an arched lid with a silver outline of an Iron Cross on it. The catch sticks a tad when the pressure pin release is pressed in, but with a slight pull, the lid opens easily (hinge works smoothly). The bottom of the case is faced with slightly yellow-tinted flocking. Faint indentations caused by pressure from the edges of the cross arms are visible in the satin of the lid. The interior bottom of the box is marked 2420 (followed by a reversed N) plus the D&B in the oval. A great acquisition for any collection and highly desirable!
Pictures from therupturedduck
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Last edited by dasboot on 15 May 2004, 07:20, edited 1 time in total.
A good book forthe EK1 is The Iron Cross of 1939 by Gordon Williamson. However a lot of knowledge can be found on the internet and here on the forum
Here is photo's of another L15 with an Orth frame and the pimple in question. Sorry about the funny angle on the photo.
Here is photo's of another L15 with an Orth frame and the pimple in question. Sorry about the funny angle on the photo.
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Nick. Thanks for the insight.
Are you sure about L15 being the maker mark for Otto Schickle and not
for the maker Friedrich Orth, Wien – Vienna).
If so, where would otto Schickle be located in the same format as above.
ex. Otto Schickle, ???? - ?????)
Thanks again.
I will look into buying that book soon.
And yes, the description is dealer supplied. The History I got from another internet source.
Are you sure about L15 being the maker mark for Otto Schickle and not
for the maker Friedrich Orth, Wien – Vienna).
If so, where would otto Schickle be located in the same format as above.
ex. Otto Schickle, ???? - ?????)
Thanks again.
I will look into buying that book soon.
And yes, the description is dealer supplied. The History I got from another internet source.
L15 is for Otto Schickle, Pforzheim.
It is believed that parts were often supplied by one manufacturer to another. I think off the top of my head Zimmerman and Godet shared parts on their EK1's (someone correct me if I am wrong).
As I said before Schickle used frame parts from Orth and Souval as L15 EK1's are often seen with identical frames as made by both manufacturers.
The easy way to spot an Orth frame is by the pimple on the 12' O'clock position.
It is believed that parts were often supplied by one manufacturer to another. I think off the top of my head Zimmerman and Godet shared parts on their EK1's (someone correct me if I am wrong).
As I said before Schickle used frame parts from Orth and Souval as L15 EK1's are often seen with identical frames as made by both manufacturers.
The easy way to spot an Orth frame is by the pimple on the 12' O'clock position.
- Bryan Poon
- Member
- Posts: 1164
- Joined: 12 May 2002, 16:38
- Location: Hong Kong SAR
- Bryan Poon
- Member
- Posts: 1164
- Joined: 12 May 2002, 16:38
- Location: Hong Kong SAR
I'm having a hard time understanding this LDO system. The below link says that L15 is for another firm.
http://wehrmacht-awards.com/campaign_aw ... rmedal.htm
So, can it be possible that L/15 made EK1's and another firm made a different medal under the same LDO # (for example, the russian front medal)
Did the LDO # always refer to the same one manufacturer?
Thanks
http://wehrmacht-awards.com/campaign_aw ... rmedal.htm
So, can it be possible that L/15 made EK1's and another firm made a different medal under the same LDO # (for example, the russian front medal)
Did the LDO # always refer to the same one manufacturer?
Thanks
To put is quite simply firms that were licensed to manufacture state awards were given a Lieferant Number by the Präsidialkanzlei des Führers. This number was numerical and from 1941 should have been applied to all awards. This rule was however not always adhered to. Some firms but not ALL firms were also licensed to sell official replacement awards. These had to be again marked with a Leistungsgemeinschaft Duetscher Ordenshersteller or LDO number. This number was different to the Präsidialkanzlei number. Therefore firms could have two numbers with which to mark their awards. For official awards issued it was the Präsidialkanzlei which would be a plain numerical number for the official replacement pieces sold in retail shops available for purchase by official award winners it was the LDO number which was preceded by a L or more commonly L/. The numbers were not the same i.e. Junkers was 2 and there LDO was L/12.
Nick
Nick