Original Item: Only One Available. This is a wonderful circular serving tray, made from German heavy silver plate and produced by Wellner for the NSDAP Reich Chancellery. It measures 14 1/2 inches in overall width, and the "bowl" of the tray is 10 3/4 across. The chancellery hosted numerous party and other events, so they needed a substantial amount of silverware to ensure clean items were always available.

The tray is accentuated with a raised rounded band edge on the top rim and a Reich Chancellery (Reichskanzlei) motif roll stamped to one end of the tray surface in the form of a finely detailed closed-winged Reichsadler Eagle clutching a wreathed "static" swas (hook cross) in its talons, surrounded by the letters R and K. The top underside of the tray is stamped with the maker mark of WELLNER over a circular 60 stamp, which probably indicates the mold used. On the underside edge opposite this it is marked with serial number 156540.

These Reich Chancellery tableware items are becoming very hard to find, and this is only the second example that we have had. The tray weighs approximately 1.72 kilograms (3.8 lbs), and the condition is very good, showing some scratches and minor wear on the obverse, with minimal tarnish. The reverse shows light tarnish around the edge, and the bottom "bowl" portion is not plated, showing the "German Silver" base material. These were often used with warmers, which would quickly discolor silver plating.

Ready to add to your collection!

The Reich Chancellery (Reichskanzlei) was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany (then called Reichskanzler) in the period of the German Reich from 1878 to 1945. The Chancellery's seat, selected and prepared since 1875, was the former city palace of Prince Antoni Radziwiłł (1775–1833) on Wilhelmstraße in Berlin. Both the palace and a new Reich Chancellery building (completed in early 1939) were seriously damaged during World War II and subsequently demolished.

After the NSDAP takeover in 1933, the "Old" Reich Chancellery building was remodeled into a domicile for Der Führer, with some additions including a reception hall / ballroom, as well as an underground bunker. In late January 1938, Adolf H officially assigned his favourite architect, Albert Speer, to build the New Reich Chancellery around the corner on Voßstraße, a western branch-off of Wilhelmstraße, requesting that the building be completed within a year. Adolf commented that Bismarck's Old Chancellery was "fit for a soap company" and not suitable as headquarters of a Greater German Reich. It nevertheless remained his official residence, where he lived in the so-called Führerwohnung ("Leader apartment"). The Old and New Chancellery shared a large garden area, with the underground Führerbunker, where Adolf H ultimately committed suicide at the end of April 1945.