Sold Gallery

GERMAN WWII FIELD MARSHALL ERWIN ROMMEL'S CAR PENNANT.

Probably one of the most if not the most historical item we have ever owned being Field Marshall Erwin Rommel?s car pennant. This beautifully embroidered car pennant measuring 31 x 31cms, magnificently embroidered in gold and silver onto a field grey green backing cloth. The Field Marshall?s batons being embroidered in Gold and Silver on red velvet batons with gold tress edging, this is a double sided pennant and is still enclosed in its original chromium plated frame, its vehicle fitting pole and still has its Perspex cover both sides of the pennant. It would appear that every German Field Marshall on promotion was given two Field Marshall?s pennants for the use on two separate vehicles, when they were supplied they were all supplied with protective black field covers. It further appears that there were two patterns of the Field Marshall?s car pennant, the first pattern having a slightly larger eagle and swastika than this example and photographic evidence suggests that Field Marshall Rommel was the only Field Marshall to have the second pattern with the slightly smaller eagle. In 2001 Manfred Rommel, then Mayor of Stuttgart, presented to the City of Stuttgart one of his father?s car pennants with its original field cover along with many other of his artefacts, which included his Field Marshall?s baton, his interim baton and all of his medals and awards from both wars, prior to this in approximately 1950 or 51. This pennant which was used more frequently at the front was gifted to the former British Army Brigadier Desmond Young MC, in 1949 Brigadier Desmond Young being a soldier from both wars decided to write the very first biography of Field Marshall Rommel entitled Rommel,Within the production period of the book Young became extremely friendly with Rommel?s wife/widow and was made aware of the financial difficulties that the Rommel family were in, Desmond Young gifted any royalties from book sales of his subsequent book Rommel to Frau Rommel from sales of the book in Germany and in recognition of this Frau Rommel gifted Desmond Young the second car pennant. This pennant was subsequently used in the making of the film The Desert Fox, which was the 20th Century Fox production born out of Young?s book Rommel. After the death of Desmond Young the pennant was handed down to his daughter by decent and then onto his granddaughter, who recently offered this rare artefact of WWII for sale by public auction and Regimentals were the successful buyers.

GERMAN/TURKISH WWI GROUPING.

A magnificent grouping of a German officer advisor to the Turkish forces in WWI. The group comprises of the Turkish produced officers hat with astrakhan sides, lace to the red top, Turkish star and crescent maker?s logo to the interior plus Turkish script to the inner upper crown. A, what appears to be, German produced unlined tropical weight tunic in the Turkish cut, five button standard front, copper brown piping to the collar and front flap of the tunic plus copper brown piped to the false turned back cuffs with two domed buttons to each cuff. German style shoulder boards, gold lace with red intertwined fleck with green underlay, one rank pip attached. A set of German made binoculars with Turkish acceptance stamps to the outer lid, the binoculars are Goerz of Berlin, the long shoulder strap for suspension of the binoculars are present, however the stitching has broken away from a securing loop, the name ?Heroldsberg? is hand applied to the inner side of the suspension strap. A presumably Turkish produced bread bag on the German style. Small calibre automatic pistol holster in pigskin with another owner?s name to the interior, maker marked and dated ?1917?. Standard issue enlisted ranks German waist belt with Turkish enlisted mans buckle attached. Turkish produced bayonet frog and a map case with internal compass, possibly German produced. A very rare grouping.

WWI BRITISH WELSH KNIFE.

Without doubt the rarest of any fighting knife, sword or bayonet of WWI being the famous Welsh knife. The knife with its 50cm leaf shaped blade with broad central ridge, a circular hand guard, which is ridged. The knife was designed in 1916 by the sculptor and armourer Felix Joubert and patented by him as a new or improved trench knife. It is presumed it based on an ancient Welsh weapon. An unknown but very limited number of Welsh knives were manufactured by the Wilkinson Sword Company at the request of Lord Howard De Walden. De Walden had the knife issued to the 9th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers with whom he was serving as a Major. The blade?s body inscription ?Dros Urddas Cymru? (For the honour of Wales). Our example is in excellent condition, the blade having some sharpening edges but still retaining its leaf shaped form. Below the Welsh inscription is the initials of the designer and on the reverse side the name ?Joubert? is stamped into the flat section of the upper part of the blade. All of the string wrapping to the hilt is complete with its original thicker string wrist strap. The knife is fitted into its totally original scabbard, constructed of leather and herringbone twill binding cloth. The example shown on the Imperial War Museum?s website illustrating its own example, does not have the bottom leather chape.

PRUSSIAN GUARD REGIMENT DER FUSS OFFICERS PICKELHAUBE.

Possibly the rarest of all the variations of officers pickelhaubes of the Imperial German Army being an officer of the 1st Guard Regiment of Foot the premier regiment of the Imperial German Army. This magnificent skull, all leather, totally non-crazed or congealed finish, large size. All of the fittings, which include the back strap, fluted spike, circular spike base, large front Guard plate, chinscales and front peak trim all with original silver frosting. The interior leather liner with hardly any wear use, complete with its inner silk lining and complete with its travelling box, which is marked ?1G?.

GERMAN WWI BAVARIAN PICKELHAUBE WITH COVER.

A superb condition size ?56? stamped trooper?s helmet for a Bavarian infantry regiment. Excellent condition skull, standard congealing to the front and back peaks, all of the fittings, which include the back strap, non removable spike and spike base, front plate with cut out crown indicating possibly NCO, leather strap with all its correct brass fittings, front trim and strap attachment posts all matching in exactly the same colour and consistency. Two slight kinks to the interior of the front peak trim, the helmet is fitted with correct national and state cockades. To the interior the skull retains much original colour, it is size stamped ?56? Bavarian Army Group marked ?B.A.II.? maker marked, which is indistinct but clearly dated ?1914?, the leather liner is absolutely complete and supple with the remains of its leather drawstring. To the interior rear peak is impressed on the leather the original owner?s name. The helmet is with its enlisted ranks fitted cover, which has got matching congealing marks where the leather covering the front and back peaks has flooded through the cover and has in Bavarian blue the number ?6? painted to the front. To the find any helmet with its cover is very rare.

GERMAN WWI PRUSSIAN OICKELHAUBE WITH COVER

A superb classic battlefield pick-up Prussian enlisted ranks all leather pickelhaube with its cover. Standard leather skull with all brass fittings, which include the back strap, non removable spike Prussian front plate, brass front edge trim with all matching strap fittings and strap and brass attachment points. The skull itself it would appear to have been struck at the side probably from a glancing shrapnel blow which has distorted the right hand side of the helmet as the helmet is viewed and caused two cuts to the leather skull, one each side of the Prussian State cockade. It has also torn away the thread holding the back peak to the main body of the helmet and also caused the front peak trim to split. The helmet still has its leather strap attached in the position it would have been worn in as a chinstrap and not just for decoration. To the interior the leather liner is all complete apart from some minor holes, which could either be rodent or just rot. Rubber ink stamped ?2.CII? to the inner rear peak, the upper inner crown there are profuse markings, which are all obscured including a date of ?1897? plus the remains of an old name label. The cover, which is a standard other ranks cover has the remains of ?R55? applied to the front. To the inside it is stamped size ?56? in ink, another large rectangular regimental stamp, which unfortunately the numbers are obscured with ?J.R.55? clear below the rectangular stamp, the cover has not been damaged by the blow the helmet receivedThe condition of this helmet is a classic battlefield pick-up and has come from a superb collection.

GERMAN WWI BODY ARMOUR

Over many years we have had a huge amount of body armours of all the different models, this is without doubt the most complete and finest condition body armour we have ever owned. A large size body armour complete with all its original field grey green paint finish with the abrasions, which can be seen from our web images. It is the model that is held to the wearer by a waist strap, we have never had one with the waist strap in-situ. To the interior the main chest section is rubber ink stamped size ?1?. To the first of the lower plates it is rubber ink stamped ?AK?. All of the horsehair pads are in place and stitched with original stitching to the canvas straps with a clear ?Hanau? maker?s mark to both of the canvas straps. The waist strap is a fabulous ersatz paper cloth constructed strap having a leather reinforced end and a width of ?2.5cms? which folds through the pre cast slot in the left hand side of the body armour with two zinc coloured adjuster buckles. The opposite end is a turn key, it is fitted to the paper cloth strap and reinforced by leather, to fit it is inserted into the smaller slot on the right hand side of the body armour and then it is turned to secure it to the wearer. Prospective overseas outside of UK purchasers should be reminded of the heavy postage cost through the weight of the item. We have no hesitation in the price we are asking for the unbelievably fantastic condition historical artefact of WWI.

GERMAN THIRD REICH SS M40 SINGLE DECAL COMBAT HELMET.

A superb untouched model M40 SS single decal combat helmet, found in a sack of potatoes in Klagenfurt, Austria some years ago by a local collector, it has never been into any other collecting circles. Shell size marked ?Q64?, the exterior shell retaining at least 80% of its original paint finish with losses being shown on our web site images. The single SS decal is good and clear with abrasions as can be seen. The helmet is complete with its original chinstrap, which is maker marked and dated ?1940?, the name and date on the strap can only be seen when held in a certain shade of light. The interior liner again totally original to the helmet showing evidence of toning to the original cream leather and standard service usage, also its original drawstring. Faint traces of an owner?s name in white paint to the inner rear skirt, which appears to be ?Rutka?. A superb example of an M40 single decal SS combat helmet.

BRITISH WWI TANKERS HELMET

SS BLURRED EDGE PARKA.

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