Germany, Imperial. An Ek 1914 I Class With Award Documents

(Erster Weltkrieg Abzeichen und Papier). A group of First War period awards and documents, including a 1914 Iron Cross First Class awarded to Wilhelm Paffrath, constructed of silvered brass with a blackened magnetic iron core, consisting of a Cross Pattée with ribbed borders, the obverse with a raised central initial “W”, with the six o’clock arm bearing a reinstitution date of “1914” and the twelve o’clock arm with a royal crown, the reverse with a barrel hinge and narrow vertical pinback meeting a round wire catch, unmarked, measuring 42.34 mm (w) x 42.41 mm (h), weighing 14.5 grams, minor loss of tarnishing and loss of finish evident, accompanied by its period original certificate of issue, awarded to Reserve Sergeant Paffrath of Fußartillerie-Battalion 39 (3. Batterie), dated 20 June 1918, measuring 215 mm (w) x 168 mm (h), also accompanied by a newspaper announcement of the death of relative Wilhelm Paffrath, dated 20 September 1914, measuring 85 mm (w) x 64 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition.

A pair of certificates of issue for a 1914 Iron Cross Second Class and a Wound Badge in Black, awarded to Friedrich August Brandholt, the former dated 4 April 1917, measuring 210 mm (w) x 165 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition; the former dated 25 August 1918, measuring 211 mm (w) x 166 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition.