A Recent Pick-up: Knights Cross

[Tom Kibler]

Never owned one.  These are a specialty all their own.  On a recent house call, I managed to get this.  It’s known (and debated) as a Sedlatzek KC.  Many believe these were non-TR sanctioned, private purchase crosses used and worn in the field.  Little is known about them, but apparently they are highly sought after.  
 

This one came with a soiled & used neck ribbon.  

[usmedalman]

Very nice. This is something I have not heard of before. Thanks for posting.

[Fortunes Of War]

Hi Tom-

   I'm not anywhere near being an expert on Knight's Crosses, but based upon the way the ribbon looks, I would agree with you and say that the medal is likely a field or wearer's copy.  You often see these with a short piece of ribbon on either side of the medal.  Each end of the ribbon has a heavy stringed loop that allows the field worn medal to easily attached to buttons sewn under the collar.  Since the medal was supposed to be worn in the field, this allowed it to be attached and removed with little effort.  It also allowed the actual awarded medal to be stashed safely away, out of the field.  Of course, I'm sure some of the awardees did wear their actual medals in the field too.  Nice example....

[Gwar]

Not the quality I would like to see in a "Ritterkreuz' it looks like a regular cross that has been tampered with (resoldered ) added on etc;, and besides aren't these supposed to be marked .800 and with a makers mark ?

[Tom Kibler]

The Sedlatzek crosses, or “dipping” ring crosses are controversial.  Sedlatzek had these crosses to sell within days of wars end (to GI’s), indicating he had them before wars end.  However, it was not a sanctioned piece, such as a K&Q, Junker or other with an L/stamp.  
 

Many believe these were made prior to the 1941 cut off dates, when ANYONE could manufacture & sell the KC.  Then after 1941, they were pulled from the shelves & sold as replacements.   
 

There’s just so little known about them.   One thing is agreed upon; being that Sedlatzek had them at wars end, they were probably made during the war, just never an officially issued TR piece.