Souval Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse wartime?

[Bonecollector]

Hi. I'm thinking that this is Souval wartime manufacture, am I correct please? Many thanks

[Adrian]

The old Souval conundrum.

I'll disregard the case as I know nothing about them.

As for the cross, it has the frame characteristics you want to see, the swastika is on a pedestal, the date looks right.
It seems like a a good wartime made EK.

However, I've read, I don't know if it's true, that the square wire catch is post war and round wire catches are wartime produced.

So you have a cross that conforms to what is expected to be seen on a wartime EK1 but there is a school of thought that the catch isn't.

It's up to the individual to decide but I would accept it as pre 1945.
Others may not.

[Bonecollector]

Thanks Adrian that's useful information. Pity that he did this as it's really messed things up.

[Adrian]

Well, he only did it to give folk something to discuss on internet forums in eighty years time.
He was a visionary.

[Bonecollector]

Well at least he achieved that.

[Bonecollector]

So the cross is probably post war but is the box ok? Thank you

[Adrian]

No, I think the cross is made before May 1945.

It's up to you to you to decide if you agree or not.

Some collectors may agree with me, others will say post war, others will say wartime parts assembled post war.

It's just so hard to tell but my best guess from what I've learned is that it's a wartime piece.

[Bonecollector]

Thank you Adrian. I bought it a long time ago before I'd even heard of Souval. Maybe someone will find out for sure in the future?

[Bonecollector]

If anyone can advise on the box that would be really appreciated. Many thanks

[rbminis]

The Use of German Terminology.
Ralph.