Historical Collection

Original 1942 Kriegsmarine promotion patent issued to Korvettenkapitän Johannes Schur, promoting him to Fregattenkapitän effective 1 April 1942. The document is dated Führerhauptquartier, 15 April 1942, bears a facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler and an original handwritten signature of Großadmiral Erich Raeder. Accompanied by its official presentation folder and an original August 1942 forwarding letter from the Küstenschutzflottille Ostland.

Original German wartime letter dated 5 February 1941 from Dr. Ing. Otto Reuleaux of Vereinigte Leichtmetall-Werke, Hannover-Linden, to Obermeister J. Vaassen at the Leichtmetall-Büro Paris. The letter concerns the award and dispatch of a Kriegsverdienstkreuz, refers to a Luftwaffe presentation by Major von Unger and remarkably mentions a separate award certificate “signed by the Führer.” Hand-signed in ink by Reuleaux.

Single collar skull in the Prussian “Danziger” Totenkopf pattern associated with German Panzer uniforms. Stamped alloy with aged silver-toned finish, open eye sockets, pierced nose, detailed teeth and complete rear prongs. No maker mark. The €2 coin in one photograph is for scale only and is not included.

Original WWII German War Merit Cross 2nd Class Without Swords, dated 1939. Period German decoration featuring the central swastika on the obverse and 1939 date on the reverse. Well-preserved textured surfaces with visible age, patina and wear, offered exactly as photographed.

NSDAP political armband (Armbinde) of multi-piece textile construction: red band with a separately applied white roundel and black central emblem. Stitching visible on the reverse. Period wear, creasing and tonal variation to the red cloth.

WWII German Iron Cross 2nd Class 1939 complete with period ribbon and Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse 1939 paper packet. Classic three-piece style decoration with black central core, silver-coloured frame, 1939 obverse and 1813 reverse. A highly collectible WWII German military award set.

WWII German Sudetenland Medal 1938, officially known as the Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938. Bronze-finished German commemorative medal featuring the characteristic two-figure design, national eagle and dated reverse. Historical WWII collector piece with attractive age patina.

WWII German War Merit Cross 2nd Class Without Swords with original-style suspension ribbon, central swastika and 1939 reverse. A characteristic German WWII decoration known as the Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse ohne Schwerter, preserved with visible age, patina and wear.

Varied lot of period German insignia: RLB and DAF stickpins, ribbon bars with miniature devices, button-mounted ribbons, a veterans’ or association badge, a miniature combination stickpin and a WHW “Das Deutsche Lied” miniature song booklet. A cross-section of the small badges worn in German civilian and veteran life in the 1930s and 1940s.

Original WWII German 25 Year Faithful Service Medal (Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen für 25 Jahre) in silver, complete with blue ribbon, suspension pin and red presentation case. The interior of the case retains its C.F. Zimmermann, Pforzheim maker label, making this a particularly attractive complete set for collectors of German WWII decorations.

German 25 Year Faithful Service Cross (Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen für 25 Jahre) with dark blue ribbon and red presentation case marked “25”, the interior labelled C.F. Zimmermann, Pforzheim. A complete set of this civil long-service decoration.

Wound Badge in Black (Verwundetenabzeichen) with a matching miniature stickpin and a period paper packet printed “Verwundeten-Abzeichen Schwarz”. Full-size badge, miniature and packet together, with honest age and wear.