Item Description
Original Items: Only One Group Available. Since the dawn of civilization, soldiers have engaged in the practice of acquiring items from opposing forces during times of war. This age-old tradition has been passed down through generations and continues to this day in modern military operations. During World War II, soldiers from allied forces would often swap uniform items such as insignia, patches, boots, and other equipment with soldiers from the opposing forces. Additionally, they would also obtain items worn and used by their enemies and send them back home as souvenirs and as evidence of their victories. This grouping exemplifies this time-honored tradition of military acquisition.
The Most Notable Items In this Lot:
- Imperial German WWI M16 Stahlhelm Helmet with Panel Camouflage Paint: This is a very nice example of a totally original WWI German M16 Helmet, with a very nice "paneled" camouflage paint scheme. This was a very popular type of camouflage used on both sides of WWI. The stamped, sheet steel construction helmet retains about 80% of its original hand painted camouflage paint. This was painted over the original field gray paint, so this is visible in areas where the paint has flaked off.
The helmet still has both the dome headed chinstrap retaining rivets, which hold the interior pickelhaube style chin strap lugs in place with only one chinstrap attachment. None of the liner split pins are present (or liner).
- Original Imperial German WWI Hollow Back Silver Wound Badge - Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber: This is a very nice Imperial German silver wound badge (Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber), constructed out of a stamped steel magnetic base that has been silver washed. The oval badge depicts an embossed profile of an M16 "Stahlhelm" pattern helmet, which is above two crossed broad swords. This then lies on a pebbled field and is surrounded by a laurel leaf and berry wreath which is tied together at the bottom with a bow tie.
The badge is of the "hollow back" type, made of steel. The pin, hinge and catch are all intact and in well-working condition. The silver wash on this example is quite good, with more than 80% of the front intact. Most of these badges over time completely lose the wash and turn gray. The back of the hollow back examples were not heavily silvered, though this still has some visible. The badge measures 1.75 inches high by 1.5 inches wide.
- Imperial German WWI Prussian Iron Cross 2nd Class 1914 with Ribbon - EKII: This is a very good condition example of the Imperial German / Prussian Iron Cross second class, complete with the original black & white ribbon properly threaded through the ring. We checked the ring, and it is unmarked, but that is typical for wartime production. Condition is very good, with a lovely patina on the silver portions of the award, and minimal staining of the ribbon.
The basic design of the WW1 crosses is a central cross patee struck from iron and mounted in a silver frame which has a raised crenulated decorative border. The obverse of the cross bears the date 1914 under the crowned W monogram of Kaiser Wilhelm II. The reverse has the correct crowned FW monogram for Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III, over a sprig of Oak Leaves, with 1813 at the bottom. The top of the cross has a hanger ring to attach to the ribbon. This differs from the first class award, which has an unmarked back with an attachment pin.
Please note the edge seam for authentication, which is not present on reproductions. Iron crosses were commonly constructed from an iron core sandwiched in a surrounding two part silver frame, normally the seam of these two silver parts is visible around the edge of the cross as is seen on this fine example. The silver has a great aged patina, and the painted central has almost all of the paint on both sides, with the expected checking and crazing from age.
- Feldgrau 19th Division Shoulder Strap: The 19th Division (19. Division) was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Hannover. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the X Army Corps (X. Armeekorps). The division was disbanded in 1919, during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
In World War I, the 19th Infantry Division participated in the 1914 Battle of Liège and the subsequent Allied Great Retreat, including the First Battle of the Marne and the First Battle of the Aisne. It was sent to the Eastern Front in 1915 and again in 1916, seeing action in the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive and the Russian Brusilov Offensive. It returned to the Western Front and, after a period in the trenches, saw action in the German 1918 Spring Offensive and the subsequent Allied counteroffensives, including the Hundred Days Offensive. The division was rated a first class division and regarded as one of the best German divisions by Allied intelligence.
- U.S. M1910 Dog Tag Set on Original Neck Cord: The dog tags are in wonderful condition, easily discernible and even retains the original period correct neck cord.
Tag reads as:
HERBERT T BAYNES
U.S.A.
2026381
All items are in wonderful condition and comes more than ready for further research and display.
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
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