Spanienkreuz in Bronze mit Schwerter double maker mark

[Glenn66]

Well after keeping an eye out for a decent Spanish cross for quite some time now (and refusing to be tempted by the more common examples without swords) I finally spotted this example over on the WAF e-stand for what seemed a reasonable price. One of less than 8500 of this type awarded makes for an award only slightly more common than a Knights Cross yet priced less by a huge margin. The double maker mark had caused some head scratching and uncertainty in a discussion thread and I believe this was throwing a few punters off hence it had sat for awhile. After some haggling with the owner I scooped it for a more reasonable price and a few days later here she is.

Now the concern over the double maker mark is a storm in a teacup in my opinion and I'm comfortable with the theory that later war LDO L/16 stamped awards were fitted with earlier stamped '4' pins when they were all that Steinhauer & Lück had on hand. Hardware is typical S&L, the adler wingtips are soldered, the swastikas cutout (not a certain trait of a genuine piece but nice to see anyway) and the adler tails are not the 'droop' type often seen in fakes. I think I did good.

I think the quality of this piece speaks for itself and despite more than a few dings and marks I'm happy overall.

[MAP]

Nice Glenn. On my wish list as well!

[Glenn66]

Thanks, not my greatest shot, but here it is in its new home alongside other 'foreign-earned' awards.

[MAP]

Very, very very nice. that is a great display!

I also have to get the Memel and the Italian one. I have a beat up Spanish blue division.

I have my eye on a Spanish Cross in Bronze with award document but its quite pricy. So hoping the price comes down a bit...

[Glenn66]

How much they asking?

[big ned]

Hi Glenn,

As you may know, S&L were notorious for mixing and matching their hardware on some of their zinc badges, there's loads of variants to accepted set up's and you can find various combinations on the zinc combat badges like PAB's, IAB,s and GAB's for sure. It seems they may have used whatever was available to complete an order. Therefore I don't think it's a big step to see them doing this on at least some of the tombak/buntmetall awards they produced as well.

The pin certainly appears to match the one they used on their EK 1's as well. The PKZ #4 stamp has several different variants, and they appear on many KM awards, Wound Badges and EK's, but rather oddly non of their PAB's, IAB's and GAB's have ever been found with either the PKZ #4 or the LDO #L/16 as far as I know.

I really like your cross, it's certainly got that "been there" look, and for me I have no problem with it being wartime compatible as I know some collectors think they are part of the post war put together pieces that S&L were known to produce.

Regards, Ned.

[Glenn66]

Hi Ned, given the fact that the S&L manager during the war years ( I forget his name) was a notorious tight-arse, I have no problem being comfortable with the likelihood that shortcuts were taken in terms of mixing whatever hardware was available at the time in order to fulfil an order. As far as I know, to this day no-one can tell with authority if S&L either manufactured or outsources their pin production.

[Norm F]

The PKZ #4 stamp has several different variants, and they appear on many KM awards, Wound Badges and EK's, but rather oddly non of their PAB's, IAB's and GAB's have ever been found with either the PKZ #4 or the LDO #L/16 as far as I know.

Hi Guys,

One minor point of correction. The "4" mark is not on many KM awards, and in fact is only found on the odd S&L Destroyer badge that employs a stock "4"-marked EK1 pin. PK numbers were not required on combat badges and their rare appearances were only on shared pin stock, never stamped into the planchet of a badge, unlike wound badges and the higher orders.

All that aside, nice Spanish Cross! I'm no expert on this award but I'm not aware of any existing controversy over these double-marked pieces or over any L/16-marked pieces, marked for private purchase. I think the only concerns were over some (but not all) later crosses without the L/16 mark. Others can correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not aware of any evidence for S&L using their L/16 stamp post-war.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Wagriff]

A fine original bronze Spanish Cross and in great condition! The double mark is no impediment and I would not give it a blink or a thought. So, what's next? Silver? Or....Gold, perhaps?

[Glenn66]

Hell no! The gate has shut, the horse has bolted, the case is closed on further SK acquisitions. Silvers run at $2000+ and golds are off the richter scale!