{"title":"Figurines, Statues \u0026 Home Decor","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-contrast=\"auto\" lang=\"EN-US\" class=\"TextRun SCXW206891003 BCX0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW206891003 BCX0\"\u003ePorcelain figurines, busts, and other decorative items celebrating German military and royal history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"germany-statute-of-artillery-officer","title":"Germany Statute of Artillery Officer","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is a highly detailed gilt toned statue of n an artillery officer with his right hand raised in salute. He is wearing a Kugelhelm. His tunic even shows the wrinkles in it. He holds a sword in his left hand. He stands on a most interesting base. It has alternating rows of a leaf like design. The stature by itself measures 8.5” tall. The base measures 2.5” wide and weighs 2.9 lbs.  The base has a felt covering to protect the desk that it was placed on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe see no signs of the sculptor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA very nice statue in excellent condition.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43714066579695,"sku":"26-02023","price":450.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/products\/26-02023_8.jpg?v=1673477266"},{"product_id":"vintage-solid-brass-miniature-cannon-10-inches","title":"Vintage Solid Brass Miniature Cannon - 10 Inches","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis exquisite vintage brass miniature cannon is a stunning example of craftsmanship, ideal for collectors and enthusiasts alike. Measuring approximately 10 inches in length, this piece replicates historical artillery with remarkable detail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cannon barrel features intricate design elements, including reinforced bands and a smooth bore, giving it an authentic appearance. It rests on a brass carriage with spoked wheels, carefully crafted to move smoothly. The adjustable elevation mechanism adds a realistic touch, allowing the barrel to tilt upward or downward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiniature cannons like this were often used as decorative pieces or demonstration models, inspired by historic military artillery. They symbolized power and innovation in warfare during the 18th and 19th centuries. This piece could serve as a visual centerpiece in a collection of military antiques or as a conversation starter on any desk or mantle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e: The cannon is in very good vintage condition. The brass exhibits a natural patina consistent with age, enhancing its charm and authenticity. Minimal surface wear is present, but it does not detract from the overall appearance or functionality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisplay Suggestions\u003c\/strong\u003e: This brass cannon would look superb displayed on a bookshelf, office desk, or alongside other military or maritime antiques. Pair it with vintage maps, documents, or medals to create a cohesive historical theme.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCollectors and history enthusiasts will appreciate the meticulous design and the nod to historical artillery. A perfect gift for anyone passionate about military history, craftsmanship, or antique decor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLength: 10 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterial: Solid Brass\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOwn a piece of historical artistry with this finely crafted brass miniature cannon, an item that embodies both history and elegance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46177755234543,"sku":"18-12","price":195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-12_1.jpg?v=1736634089"},{"product_id":"otto-weddigen-commemorative-bronze-statue","title":"Otto Weddigen Commemorative Bronze Statue","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is an exceptional bronze statue of Otto Weddigen, a renowned German U-boat commander during World War I, whose daring exploits with U-9 cemented his place in naval history. The statue stands proudly atop a solid marble base, with “OTTO WEDDIGEN” prominently engraved on the front of the pedestal, emphasizing its commemorative nature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe statue depicts Weddigen in full naval officer's attire, complete with a double-breasted coat and cap. He holds a pair of binoculars in one hand, symbolizing his role as a vigilant and strategic leader during submarine operations. The pose reflects confidence and authority, capturing the essence of Weddigen’s character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe statue is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, from the folds of his uniform to the subtle expression on his face. It measures approximately \u003cstrong\u003e14 inches\u003c\/strong\u003e tall (statue and base combined), making it an ideal size for display on a desk, bookshelf, or collector's case.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bronze has developed a rich patina over time, adding character and authenticity to this historical piece. The marble base features a polished surface with light veining, complementing the overall elegance of the statue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOtto Weddigen gained fame for sinking three British cruisers (HMS Aboukir, HMS Cressy, and HMS Hogue) in a single engagement on September 22, 1914, during the early days of World War I. This remarkable feat elevated him to the status of a national hero in Germany. This statue serves as a tribute to his legacy and the impact of submarine warfare during the Great War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e The statue is in excellent condition, with no visible chips or cracks in the bronze. The marble base is intact, though it shows minor wear consistent with age. The engraving on the pedestal remains sharp and legible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis piece originates from a private collection and is believed to have been produced during the interwar period as part of a limited series of commemorative items. It reflects the admiration for naval heroes in Germany during the early 20th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisplay Suggestions\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePerfect for military history enthusiasts and collectors of naval memorabilia.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDisplay it alongside other World War I artifacts for a cohesive historical showcase.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIdeal for use as a centerpiece in a library, study, or office.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Otto Weddigen statue offers a unique opportunity to own a piece of history, honoring one of the most notable figures of early submarine warfare. Don’t miss the chance to add this rare collectible to your collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46186316562671,"sku":"18-29","price":1195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/IMG_3400.jpg?v=1736991812"},{"product_id":"wwi-ottoman-german-aviation-commemorative-award-flieger-abteilung-300-pasha","title":"WWI Ottoman-German Aviation Commemorative Award – Flieger-Abteilung 300 \"Pasha\"","description":"\u003cp data-end=\"558\" data-start=\"186\"\u003eThis \u003cstrong data-end=\"219\" data-start=\"191\"\u003ehand-carved wooden eagle\u003c\/strong\u003e trophy was presented to \u003cstrong data-end=\"277\" data-start=\"244\"\u003eFlieger Leutnant Jacob Müller\u003c\/strong\u003e for his first successful mission with \u003cstrong data-end=\"349\" data-start=\"316\"\u003eFlieger-Abteilung 300 \"Pasha\"\u003c\/strong\u003e, the German air detachment operating in Palestine during \u003cstrong data-end=\"422\" data-start=\"407\"\u003eWorld War I\u003c\/strong\u003e. The \u003cstrong data-end=\"480\" data-start=\"428\"\u003eengraved plaque and attached Ottoman pilot badge\u003c\/strong\u003e indicate its strong connection to the \u003cstrong data-end=\"555\" data-start=\"519\"\u003eOttoman-German military alliance\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-end=\"1103\" data-start=\"560\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"614\" data-start=\"560\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong data-end=\"575\" data-start=\"562\"\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Carved wood with a dark stain finish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"895\" data-start=\"648\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong data-end=\"678\" data-start=\"650\"\u003eBase Plaque Inscription:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"681\" data-start=\"678\"\u003e\u003cem data-end=\"776\" data-start=\"683\"\u003e“Dem Flg. Lt. Jacob Müller zum 1. erfolgreichen Abseite Die Flg. Abt. 300 Pascha-Palästina”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"779\" data-start=\"776\"\u003e\u003cem data-end=\"893\" data-start=\"781\"\u003e(To Flight Lieutenant Jacob Müller, for his first successful mission, Flieger-Abteilung 300 \"Pasha\" Palestine)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"987\" data-start=\"896\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong data-end=\"920\" data-start=\"898\"\u003eAttached Insignia:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ottoman \u003cstrong data-end=\"953\" data-start=\"929\"\u003eGallipoli Star-style\u003c\/strong\u003e winged crescent and star emblem\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"1103\" data-start=\"988\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong data-end=\"1001\" data-start=\"990\"\u003eDesign:\u003c\/strong\u003e Roughly hewn \u003cstrong data-end=\"1031\" data-start=\"1015\"\u003eeagle figure\u003c\/strong\u003e, symbolizing aerial dominance and the \u003cstrong data-end=\"1101\" data-start=\"1070\"\u003eImperial German Air Service\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-end=\"1135\" data-start=\"1105\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"1133\" data-start=\"1109\"\u003eHistorical Relevance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1592\" data-start=\"1136\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"1169\" data-start=\"1136\"\u003eFlieger-Abteilung 300 \"Pasha\"\u003c\/strong\u003e was a specialized German air unit \u003cstrong data-end=\"1252\" data-start=\"1204\"\u003edeployed to the Middle Eastern front in 1916\u003c\/strong\u003e to assist the Ottoman forces against the \u003cstrong data-end=\"1321\" data-start=\"1294\"\u003eBritish and Arab Revolt\u003c\/strong\u003e. It was part of \u003cstrong data-end=\"1404\" data-start=\"1338\"\u003eGeneral Erich von Falkenhayn’s Ottoman-German military mission\u003c\/strong\u003e, providing aerial reconnaissance and ground attack support. This award was likely given in \u003cstrong data-end=\"1509\" data-start=\"1496\"\u003e1917–1918\u003c\/strong\u003e, when the unit was most active over \u003cstrong data-end=\"1589\" data-start=\"1546\"\u003ePalestine, Sinai, and the Hejaz Railway\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1870\" data-start=\"1594\"\u003eJacob Müller was likely one of the \u003cstrong data-end=\"1646\" data-start=\"1629\"\u003eGerman pilots\u003c\/strong\u003e assigned to the region, flying \u003cstrong data-end=\"1726\" data-start=\"1678\"\u003eAlbatros and Rumpler reconnaissance aircraft\u003c\/strong\u003e against British and Australian forces. Awards like this were privately commissioned within the unit as \u003cstrong data-end=\"1867\" data-start=\"1830\"\u003epersonalized recognition trophies\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-end=\"1906\" data-start=\"1872\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"1904\" data-start=\"1876\"\u003eCondition \u0026amp; Authenticity\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul data-end=\"2239\" data-start=\"1907\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"1994\" data-start=\"1907\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong data-end=\"1923\" data-start=\"1909\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Excellent structural integrity, with expected age cracks in the wood\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2081\" data-start=\"1995\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong data-end=\"2008\" data-start=\"1997\"\u003ePatina:\u003c\/strong\u003e Darkened wood with natural wear, giving it a period-correct appearance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2155\" data-start=\"2082\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong data-end=\"2097\" data-start=\"2084\"\u003eInsignia:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original \u003cstrong data-end=\"2133\" data-start=\"2107\"\u003eOttoman aviation badge\u003c\/strong\u003e affixed to the base\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2239\" data-start=\"2156\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong data-end=\"2175\" data-start=\"2158\"\u003eAuthenticity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Verified period-correct \u003cstrong data-end=\"2237\" data-start=\"2200\"\u003eWWI German-Ottoman aviation relic\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-end=\"2261\" data-start=\"2241\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2259\" data-start=\"2245\"\u003eDate Range\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2360\" data-start=\"2262\"\u003eLikely presented between \u003cstrong data-end=\"2300\" data-start=\"2287\"\u003e1917–1918\u003c\/strong\u003e during the unit's operations in \u003cstrong data-end=\"2357\" data-start=\"2333\"\u003ePalestine and Arabia\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-end=\"2391\" data-start=\"2362\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2389\" data-start=\"2366\"\u003eDisplay Suggestions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2447\" data-start=\"2392\"\u003eThis \u003cstrong data-end=\"2429\" data-start=\"2397\"\u003eone-of-a-kind aviation award\u003c\/strong\u003e is perfect for:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-end=\"2660\" data-start=\"2448\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2487\" data-start=\"2448\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2485\" data-start=\"2450\"\u003eWWI German aviation collections\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2540\" data-start=\"2488\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2538\" data-start=\"2490\"\u003eOttoman-German alliance memorabilia displays\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2603\" data-start=\"2541\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2601\" data-start=\"2543\"\u003eFraming alongside a photo of FA 300 aircraft or pilots\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2660\" data-start=\"2604\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2658\" data-start=\"2606\"\u003eShowcasing in a military aviation-themed exhibit\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-end=\"2690\" data-start=\"2662\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2688\" data-start=\"2666\"\u003eCollector’s Appeal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul data-end=\"2987\" data-start=\"2691\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2751\" data-start=\"2691\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2749\" data-start=\"2693\"\u003eExtremely rare personalized aviation trophy from WWI\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2836\" data-start=\"2752\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2834\" data-start=\"2754\"\u003eDirectly tied to Germany’s military efforts in Palestine and the Middle East\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2907\" data-start=\"2837\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2905\" data-start=\"2839\"\u003eAuthentic Ottoman-German aviation insignia affixed to the base\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-end=\"2987\" data-start=\"2908\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2985\" data-start=\"2910\"\u003eUnique hand-carved craftsmanship, likely a unit-made presentation piece\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"2985\" data-start=\"2910\"\u003e13 Inches Tall 5 Inches Wide   2Lbs 8Oz\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46319437119727,"sku":"18-36","price":995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-36_1.jpg?v=1741898129"},{"product_id":"large-plaster-bust-of-rittmeister-manfred-freiherr-von-richthofen-the-red-baron","title":"Large plaster bust of Rittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen, “The Red Baron”","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"347\" data-end=\"670\"\u003eThis striking and substantial plaster bust commemorates the legendary First World War ace, \u003cstrong data-start=\"438\" data-end=\"485\"\u003eRittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen\u003c\/strong\u003e, famously known as \u003cstrong data-start=\"505\" data-end=\"525\"\u003e“The Red Baron.”\u003c\/strong\u003e The sculpture is an evocative tribute to the Prussian nobleman and fighter pilot who remains one of the most iconic figures in aviation history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"672\" data-end=\"1110\"\u003eThe bust portrays Richthofen in stylized fashion, wearing his characteristic \u003cstrong data-start=\"749\" data-end=\"788\"\u003eaviator’s flight helmet and goggles\u003c\/strong\u003e, with a prominently displayed \u003cstrong data-start=\"819\" data-end=\"848\"\u003ePour le Mérite (Blue Max)\u003c\/strong\u003e hanging from his neck — the highest military order of the Kingdom of Prussia. Below his chest, the name \u003cstrong data-start=\"953\" data-end=\"992\"\u003e“Roter Baron Manfred v. Richthofen”\u003c\/strong\u003e is boldly inscribed in raised lettering, flanked on the back by the years \u003cstrong data-start=\"1067\" data-end=\"1080\"\u003e1892–1918\u003c\/strong\u003e, marking his birth and death.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1112\" data-end=\"1523\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1112\" data-end=\"1126\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1126\" data-end=\"1129\"\u003eThis example remains in excellent display condition. There are \u003cstrong data-start=\"1192\" data-end=\"1247\"\u003eno significant chips, structural cracks, or repairs\u003c\/strong\u003e, though minor scuffing and age-related wear are present as expected. The underside remains \u003cstrong data-start=\"1339\" data-end=\"1362\"\u003eopen and unfinished\u003c\/strong\u003e, consistent with hollow-cast studio pieces of the mid-20th century. The white matte surface retains a strong presentation, with all detailing crisp and legible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1525\" data-end=\"1996\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1525\" data-end=\"1559\"\u003eHistorical context and appeal:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1559\" data-end=\"1562\"\u003eAs a cultural icon of the Great War, Richthofen’s image was immortalized in postcards, busts, books, and even early film. Busts of this size are uncommon and were typically produced \u003cstrong data-start=\"1744\" data-end=\"1799\"\u003efor commemorative, educational, or display purposes\u003c\/strong\u003e in schools, veterans' halls, or aviation clubs. This particular piece likely dates to the \u003cstrong data-start=\"1890\" data-end=\"1910\"\u003emid-20th century\u003c\/strong\u003e, created during a resurgence of interest in First World War aviation and memorabilia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1998\" data-end=\"2273\"\u003eIt is an \u003cstrong data-start=\"2007\" data-end=\"2028\"\u003eideal centerpiece\u003c\/strong\u003e for any collection focused on WWI, Imperial German aviation, or early 20th-century militaria. Displayed among medals, photographs, or models of Richthofen’s famous red Fokker Dr.I triplane, it offers both visual impact and historical resonance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2275\" data-end=\"2540\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2275\" data-end=\"2296\"\u003eCollector's note:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2296\" data-end=\"2299\"\u003eLarger commemorative busts of Richthofen are highly desirable among WWI aviation collectors and are increasingly scarce on the market. This piece offers an excellent opportunity to own a \u003cstrong data-start=\"2486\" data-end=\"2522\"\u003edramatic, well-preserved tribute\u003c\/strong\u003e to the Red Baron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2275\" data-end=\"2540\"\u003eApprox. 16 X 9 Inches \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46344746893551,"sku":"18-38","price":995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-38_1.jpg?v=1742923471"},{"product_id":"wwi-era-german-memorial-plaque-turnverein-klein-und-grossbarchlitz-fallen-members-tribute","title":"WWI-Era German Memorial Plaque – Turnverein Klein- und Grossbarchlitz Fallen Members Tribute","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"461\" data-end=\"968\" class=\"\"\u003eThis rare and poignant \u003cstrong data-start=\"484\" data-end=\"519\"\u003eImperial German memorial plaque\u003c\/strong\u003e, measuring approximately \u003cstrong data-start=\"545\" data-end=\"563\"\u003e16 x 10 inches\u003c\/strong\u003e, serves as a solemn tribute to the fallen members of the \u003cstrong data-start=\"621\" data-end=\"661\"\u003eTurnverein Klein- und Grossbarchlitz\u003c\/strong\u003e—a local gymnastic society—from \u003cstrong data-start=\"693\" data-end=\"708\"\u003eWorld War I\u003c\/strong\u003e. Beautifully etched into a flat bronze or brass sheet, the plaque was designed for wall display and includes \u003cstrong data-start=\"818\" data-end=\"857\"\u003efour factory-drilled mounting holes\u003c\/strong\u003e, one in each corner, allowing for easy installation in a memorial hall, gymnasium, or Vereinsheim (clubhouse).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"970\" data-end=\"1106\" class=\"\"\u003eThe German text reads:\u003cbr data-start=\"992\" data-end=\"995\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"995\" data-end=\"1045\"\u003e“Seinen im Weltkriege gebliebenen Turnbrüdern”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1045\" data-end=\"1048\"\u003e(\"To its fellow gymnasts who remained in the World War\")\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1108\" data-end=\"1318\" class=\"\"\u003eBeneath this dedication, the names of the fallen are split into two columns flanking a sword entwined with oak leaves. Above the names are two Iron Crosses, symbolizing bravery and sacrifice. The names include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1320\" data-end=\"1583\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1320\" data-end=\"1441\" class=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1322\" data-end=\"1441\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1322\" data-end=\"1338\"\u003eLeft column:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1338\" data-end=\"1341\"\u003eOskar Barthel\u003cbr data-start=\"1356\" data-end=\"1359\"\u003eOtto Bornamann\u003cbr data-start=\"1375\" data-end=\"1378\"\u003eOtto Cornelius\u003cbr data-start=\"1394\" data-end=\"1397\"\u003eFritz Jikert\u003cbr data-start=\"1411\" data-end=\"1414\"\u003eOtto Müller\u003cbr data-start=\"1427\" data-end=\"1430\"\u003eOtto Näwe\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1443\" data-end=\"1583\" class=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1445\" data-end=\"1583\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1445\" data-end=\"1462\"\u003eRight column:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1462\" data-end=\"1465\"\u003eCurt Thiele\u003cbr data-start=\"1478\" data-end=\"1481\"\u003eGeorg Thiele\u003cbr data-start=\"1495\" data-end=\"1498\"\u003eOtto Ulbricht\u003cbr data-start=\"1513\" data-end=\"1516\"\u003eOtto Fritzsche \u003cem data-start=\"1533\" data-end=\"1567\"\u003e(listed as \"vermisst\" – missing)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1567\" data-end=\"1570\"\u003ePaul Wiesel\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1585\" data-end=\"1682\" class=\"\"\u003eAt the bottom, the originating organization is noted:\u003cbr data-start=\"1638\" data-end=\"1641\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1641\" data-end=\"1682\"\u003e“Turnverein Klein- u. Grossbarchlitz”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1684\" data-end=\"2131\" class=\"\"\u003eThis plaque offers a rare and humanizing glimpse into the personal losses endured by even the smallest communities in the German Empire during the Great War. Turnvereins were physical fitness and nationalist social clubs, strongly integrated into local communities and often the social backbone of towns across Germany. Memorials like this were typically placed in club buildings or town halls after the war and are seldom found outside of Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2133\" data-end=\"2430\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2133\" data-end=\"2158\"\u003eHistorical Relevance:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2158\" data-end=\"2161\"\u003eKlein- and Grossbarchlitz are small Saxon towns, likely in the region of \u003cstrong data-start=\"2234\" data-end=\"2257\"\u003eSaxony or Thuringia\u003c\/strong\u003e, where such Turnvereins were particularly active. The listing of multiple men with the same surname (Otto, Thiele) suggests familial ties or brothers-in-arms lost together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2432\" data-end=\"2754\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2432\" data-end=\"2455\"\u003eDisplay Suggestion:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2455\" data-end=\"2458\"\u003eDue to its flat design and original mount holes, this plaque is ideal for wall hanging in a curated militaria collection, museum exhibit, or historic preservation space. The sword and oak wreath motif evoke honor and remembrance, making it an especially moving piece of WWI homefront memorabilia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2432\" data-end=\"2754\" class=\"\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2432\" data-end=\"2754\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"256\" data-end=\"259\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"259\" data-end=\"273\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Excellent overall with light, age-appropriate surface wear; darkened bronze or brass patina with some minor oxidation, especially on reverse; four original corner mounting holes intact.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46384435429615,"sku":"18-53","price":299.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-51_1_b0b06689-1fd5-4df0-ac15-0303cf11c24a.jpg?v=1744316767"},{"product_id":"brass-and-wood-nautical-desk-compass-with-ship-s-wheel-stand","title":"Brass and Wood Nautical Desk Compass with Ship’s Wheel Stand","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"250\" data-end=\"666\" class=\"\"\u003eThis charming vintage-style desk compass features a rotating brass ship’s wheel mounted on a smooth, flared column and solid wood base. Atop the base sits a functional directional compass, housed in brass with a bold black-and-white dial clearly marked with cardinal points and degree readings. The helm design evokes classic maritime symbolism, making this piece ideal for nautical enthusiasts and collectors alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"668\" data-end=\"915\" class=\"\"\u003eThe base is crafted from layered, polished hardwood, offering a rich contrast to the brass finish above. Whether displayed on a study desk, shelf, or curio cabinet, it serves as both a decorative conversation piece and a nod to maritime tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"917\" data-end=\"1205\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"917\" data-end=\"942\"\u003eHistorical Relevance:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"942\" data-end=\"945\"\u003eWhile not a period naval instrument, this compass pays tribute to the maritime heritage of ship navigation and seafaring culture. It resembles commemorative or presentation items often gifted to naval officers or used in mid-20th century maritime-themed decor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1207\" data-end=\"1445\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1207\" data-end=\"1221\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1221\" data-end=\"1224\"\u003eVery good overall. The compass is functional, the ship's wheel turns freely, and the brass and wood elements show only minor age-appropriate wear. Some light surface oxidation on the brass adds character and authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1447\" data-end=\"1712\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1447\" data-end=\"1471\"\u003eDisplay Suggestions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1471\" data-end=\"1474\"\u003eA perfect addition to any nautical display, this piece complements collections of naval memorabilia, ship models, and vintage exploration gear. Also ideal for office desks, libraries, or as a unique gift for a maritime history enthusiast.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46397144072431,"sku":"10-19","price":115.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/10-19_1.jpg?v=1744833508"},{"product_id":"cast-metal-eagle-figurine-on-wooden-pedestal-imperial-german-style-display-piece","title":"CAST METAL EAGLE FIGURINE ON WOODEN PEDESTAL – IMPERIAL GERMAN STYLE DISPLAY PIECE","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"138\" class=\"\"\u003eThis striking tabletop figurine features a bold cast metal eagle perched atop a polished wooden pedestal. Measuring approximately 5.5 inches tall and 4 inches wide at the wingspan, this piece evokes the symbolic style of Imperial German eagles, with its strong stance and wings spread in a protective arc. While not an official finial or helmet mount, the style strongly recalls the Kaiser's heraldic iconography, suggesting use as a commemorative display, small monument, or possibly as a crafted veteran’s memento.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"658\" data-end=\"1026\" class=\"\"\u003eThe eagle, rendered in darkened metal with subtle hand-finishing, shows feather detail and strength of form. Its talons rest firmly on a globe-like base, a classical motif in eagle symbolism, often associated with authority and dominion. The metal shows honest age and wear—light rubbing and edge softening—suggesting age-appropriate patina, likely early 20th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1028\" data-end=\"1388\" class=\"\"\u003eIt rests securely on a rounded wooden column rising from a square base. The underside of the base retains an old brass fitting, perhaps once anchoring the piece to a larger structure or plinth. The wood shows period finish and signs of light past restoration or stabilizing glue, visible along the base seam—evidence of use and preservation rather than damage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1390\" data-end=\"1630\" class=\"\"\u003eThis item would display handsomely in any collection of German militaria, especially among Imperial tabletop items, trench art, or wartime veterans’ memorials. Though small, it captures a powerful aesthetic, ideal for shelf or desk display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1632\" data-end=\"1822\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1632\" data-end=\"1646\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1646\" data-end=\"1649\"\u003eVery good+ overall with honest wear. No significant cracks or breaks to the eagle. Wood is stable and retains rich tone with minor surface handling. No maker's mark visible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1824\" data-end=\"1999\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1824\" data-end=\"1848\"\u003eDisplay Suggestions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1848\" data-end=\"1851\"\u003ePerfect for placement among medals, veteran souvenirs, or war-era ephemera. Would complement Bavarian, Prussian, or naval tableware or paperweights.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2001\" data-end=\"2246\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2001\" data-end=\"2024\"\u003eHistorical Context:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2024\" data-end=\"2027\"\u003eEagles featured prominently in Imperial German military symbolism, adorning everything from helmets to flags and official documents. This miniature version likely honors that tradition in commemorative or artistic form.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46454966354159,"sku":"18-69","price":149.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-69_1.jpg?v=1747157578"},{"product_id":"glass-souvenir-paperweight-featuring-munster-barackenlager-military-barracks","title":"Glass souvenir paperweight featuring Munster Barackenlager military barracks","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"370\" data-end=\"817\"\u003eThis is a \u003cstrong data-start=\"417\" data-end=\"458\"\u003erectangular beveled glass paperweight\u003c\/strong\u003e, featuring a photographic insert beneath the glass, labeled \u003cem data-start=\"519\" data-end=\"545\"\u003e“Munster Barackenlager.”\u003c\/em\u003e The photograph presents a wide-angle panoramic view of the \u003cstrong data-start=\"605\" data-end=\"656\"\u003eImperial German Army’s Munster barracks complex\u003c\/strong\u003e, a sprawling installation with multiple long-range structures, visible rooftops, and a central administrative building rising prominently near the horizon line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"819\" data-end=\"1166\"\u003eThe image, rendered in sepia tones, is inset beneath the glass surface and framed by a \u003cstrong data-start=\"906\" data-end=\"948\"\u003efaceted border of pressed crystal cuts\u003c\/strong\u003e that catch the light attractively from all angles. The reverse is finished in black pressed paperboard or felt, neatly intact and unmarked. The glass is free of cracks or chips and maintains excellent optical clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1168\" data-end=\"1360\"\u003eDimensions measure approximately 4 x 2.5 inches, typical of early 20th-century paperweights that were popular as desk accessories, souvenirs, or promotional items related to military postings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1362\" data-end=\"1665\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1362\" data-end=\"1376\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1376\" data-end=\"1379\"\u003eCondition: Excellent. The glass is clean and well-polished, with no damage to the edges or faceting. The photograph is clear and legible, with only minor age-related toning. The back panel is original and securely affixed. An extremely well-preserved example with strong display appeal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1667\" data-end=\"2051\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1667\" data-end=\"1690\"\u003eHistorical Context:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1690\" data-end=\"1693\"\u003eThe \u003cem data-start=\"1697\" data-end=\"1712\"\u003eBarackenlager\u003c\/em\u003e in \u003cstrong data-start=\"1716\" data-end=\"1742\"\u003eMunster (Lower Saxony)\u003c\/strong\u003e was one of the largest and most important \u003cstrong data-start=\"1785\" data-end=\"1828\"\u003eImperial German military training camps\u003c\/strong\u003e during the Kaiserreich period. Established in the late 19th century, Munster served as a hub for the \u003cstrong data-start=\"1930\" data-end=\"1981\"\u003ePrussian Army’s artillery and infantry training\u003c\/strong\u003e, and later played a pivotal role in pre-WWI and wartime mobilization.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2053\" data-end=\"2375\"\u003eSoldiers stationed there often sent postcards or brought home souvenirs like this paperweight, which would have been produced by a local vendor catering to visiting officers, administrative staff, and their families. These photographic paperweights were common mementos sold in garrison towns throughout the German Empire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2377\" data-end=\"2709\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2377\" data-end=\"2401\"\u003eDisplay Suggestions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2401\" data-end=\"2404\"\u003eThis paperweight is an ideal companion to \u003cstrong data-start=\"2446\" data-end=\"2482\"\u003eMunster-related regimental items\u003c\/strong\u003e, such as shoulder boards, commemorative steins, or postcards. It also makes a fine standalone desktop or curio cabinet piece, highlighting the geographical and architectural footprint of a key military post in pre-war Germany.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2711\" data-end=\"2916\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2711\" data-end=\"2726\"\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2726\" data-end=\"2729\"\u003eFrom a private European collection of Imperial German military ephemera and desk accessories. No visible maker’s mark but conforms to early 20th-century German souvenir production styles.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46476139299055,"sku":"10-24","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/10-24_1.jpg?v=1747959640"},{"product_id":"framed-funeral-procession-photograph-of-count-zeppelin-stuttgart-march-1917","title":"Framed Funeral Procession Photograph of Count Zeppelin – Stuttgart, March 1917","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"290\" data-end=\"376\"\u003eA rare and dramatically composed photograph of the state funeral of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, held in Stuttgart on March 12, 1917. A haunting Zeppelin airship looms overhead as the procession—including Württemberg’s King Wilhelm II—follows the flower-draped casket of the aviation pioneer. Elegantly framed with museum glass, this powerful wartime image bridges the worlds of aviation history, German imperial culture, and WWI-era mourning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-start=\"873\" data-end=\"900\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"878\" data-end=\"900\"\u003eHistorical Context\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"901\" data-end=\"1226\"\u003eFerdinand Graf von Zeppelin (1838–1917) was a German general and aviation visionary whose innovations led to the creation of rigid airships—forever bearing his name. His work transformed German military reconnaissance and strategic bombing during World War I, particularly through the Imperial Navy and Army’s Zeppelin corps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1228\" data-end=\"1663\"\u003eWhen Count Zeppelin died in March 1917, the German Empire mourned deeply. This photograph captures the somber funeral procession through Stuttgart, where his casket was escorted with military ceremony and fire cauldrons burned above ceremonial pillars. A Zeppelin airship can be seen overhead in a final aerial tribute. At the head of the procession stands \u003cstrong data-start=\"1585\" data-end=\"1619\"\u003eKing Wilhelm II of Württemberg\u003c\/strong\u003e, the last king of the Württemberg monarchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1665\" data-end=\"1717\"\u003eThe German-language caption beneath the image reads:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote data-start=\"1718\" data-end=\"1980\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1720\" data-end=\"1980\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"1720\" data-end=\"1848\"\u003e\"Die Beisetzung des Grafen Zeppelin in Stuttgart am 12. März 1917. An der Spitze des Zuges König Wilhelm II. von Württemberg.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1720\" data-end=\"1980\"\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1848\" data-end=\"1851\"\u003e(\u003cem data-start=\"1852\" data-end=\"1979\"\u003e\"The burial of Count Zeppelin in Stuttgart on March 12, 1917. At the head of the procession, King Wilhelm II of Württemberg.\"\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-start=\"1987\" data-end=\"2016\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1992\" data-end=\"2016\"\u003ePhysical Description\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2017\" data-end=\"2507\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2017\" data-end=\"2072\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2019\" data-end=\"2072\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2019\" data-end=\"2033\"\u003eImage Type\u003c\/strong\u003e: Black-and-white archival photograph\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2073\" data-end=\"2139\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2075\" data-end=\"2139\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2075\" data-end=\"2086\"\u003eSubject\u003c\/strong\u003e: Zeppelin funeral procession with airship overhead\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2140\" data-end=\"2209\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2142\" data-end=\"2209\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2142\" data-end=\"2153\"\u003eCaption\u003c\/strong\u003e: Printed in German on mounted label beneath the image\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2210\" data-end=\"2253\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2212\" data-end=\"2253\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2212\" data-end=\"2227\"\u003eFramed Size\u003c\/strong\u003e: Approx. 14 x 10 inches\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2254\" data-end=\"2375\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2256\" data-end=\"2375\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2256\" data-end=\"2267\"\u003eFraming\u003c\/strong\u003e: Professionally framed by Primrose Framing (Maine), using \u003cstrong data-start=\"2326\" data-end=\"2350\"\u003eTru Vue museum glass\u003c\/strong\u003e with 99% UV protection\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2376\" data-end=\"2438\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2378\" data-end=\"2438\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2378\" data-end=\"2385\"\u003eMat\u003c\/strong\u003e: Pale beige\/cream mat board with black fillet edge\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2439\" data-end=\"2507\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2441\" data-end=\"2507\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2441\" data-end=\"2456\"\u003eFrame Style\u003c\/strong\u003e: Black ornate pattern metal or wood-look composite\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-start=\"2514\" data-end=\"2532\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2519\" data-end=\"2532\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2533\" data-end=\"2797\"\u003eExcellent condition throughout. The photograph is clean with strong contrast. Mat and backing are professionally mounted. Frame is free of chips or damage. Museum glass remains spotless and glare-resistant, ideal for archival protection and display. Ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-start=\"2804\" data-end=\"2823\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2809\" data-end=\"2823\"\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2824\" data-end=\"3027\"\u003eFramed in Rockland, Maine by Primrose Framing, suggesting U.S.-based private collection. Image likely originated from a German publication or original period photograph, professionally cut and preserved.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46541677887727,"sku":"18-76","price":289.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-76_1.jpg?v=1750189932"},{"product_id":"imperial-german-bronze-plaque-profile-of-kaiser-wilhelm-ii-in-pickelhaube-ca-1914-1918","title":"Imperial German Bronze Plaque – Profile of Kaiser Wilhelm II in Pickelhaube, ca. 1914–1918","description":"\u003cp class=\"first:mt-1.5\"\u003eThis is an original Imperial German bronze plaque featuring a finely detailed profile of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, depicted in his iconic Pickelhaube (spiked helmet) with regimental banner. Measuring approximately 6 x 4 inches (15 x 10 cm), this solid bronze piece is a striking example of period craftsmanship, likely produced as a patriotic or commemorative item during the First World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"first:mt-1.5\"\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"\"\u003ePhysical Attributes:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe plaque is cast in solid bronze, with a high-relief depiction of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s head in profile. He is shown wearing a highly ornate Pickelhaube helmet, complete with parade plume and detailed with floral and heraldic motifs. The Kaiser’s distinctive upturned mustache and strong features are crisply rendered, and the regimental banner behind him adds depth and context to the composition. The reverse is plain, showing the natural casting texture. The plaque is substantial in hand, with a pleasing patina that attests to its age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"first:mt-1.5\"\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"\"\u003eHistorical Context:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlaques such as this were popular in Germany during the First World War, often produced as souvenirs, awards, or patriotic decorations for display in homes, offices, or regimental headquarters. Kaiser Wilhelm II, who reigned from 1888 to 1918, was a central figure in Imperial Germany and frequently depicted in military regalia. The Pickelhaube helmet became a symbol of the Imperial German Army, and the presence of the regimental banner suggests this plaque may have been intended to honor the Kaiser’s leadership and the German military.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"first:mt-1.5\"\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe plaque is in very good condition, with no cracks, chips, or repairs. The details remain sharp, and the bronze has developed a rich, even patina. Minor surface wear is present, consistent with age and handling, but there are no significant flaws. Please refer to the photographs for a comprehensive view of the item’s condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"first:mt-1.5\"\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"\"\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis piece comes from a private collection of Imperial German militaria and is guaranteed original. No maker’s marks are visible on the reverse, which is typical for plaques of this type and period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"first:mt-1.5\"\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"\"\u003ePricing Justification:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOriginal Imperial German bronze plaques depicting Kaiser Wilhelm II are highly sought after by collectors. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46732407963887,"sku":"18-78","price":285.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-78_1.jpg?v=1754591385"},{"product_id":"bronze-aviation-figure-of-wwi-pilot-with-propeller","title":"Bronze Aviation Figure of WWI Pilot with Propeller","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"172\" data-end=\"732\"\u003ePresented here is an evocative bronze statue of a World War I-era aviator, standing tall at 10.5 inches (26.7 cm) with a solid square base measuring 4 x 4 inches. The figure depicts a pilot in full early flying kit, clad in a double-breasted tunic and tall field boots, with a flying cap and integral goggles pushed up upon the brow. His right arm is raised, a pose commonly associated with the dramatic flair of period sculptures and commemoratives, while his left hand grasps a tall aircraft propeller that nearly matches his own height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"734\" data-end=\"1244\"\u003eThe piece is cast in bronze (weighing 2.11 lbs), mounted securely on a squared base with underside fastening visible via two aged retaining nuts, exhibiting mild surface oxidation. The patina is consistent with age, showing a darkened, mottled surface that enhances the sculptural depth. No hallmarking, inscriptions, or foundry stamps are visible, suggesting it may have been an artisan studio casting or produced in limited numbers for collectors, veterans, or aviation associations of the interwar period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1246\" data-end=\"1637\"\u003eThe subject matter strongly evokes the romanticized image of early aviators of the Great War—figures such as Manfred von Richthofen, Oswald Boelcke, or Ernst Udet—and would have appealed to the aviation enthusiast or veteran’s circles of the 1920s–30s. Statues of this type were often placed in officers’ clubs, regimental messes, or sold privately to commemorate the “Knights of the Air.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1639\" data-end=\"1963\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1639\" data-end=\"1653\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1653\" data-end=\"1656\"\u003eThe piece remains structurally sound with no cracks or repairs. The bronze shows natural age patina and spotting consistent with storage. Base is intact with minor surface wear. Absence of hallmarking makes precise attribution difficult, but it remains a highly collectible representation of WWI aviation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1965\" data-end=\"2496\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1965\" data-end=\"1988\"\u003eHistorical Context:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1988\" data-end=\"1991\"\u003eDuring the interwar years, the aviators of the First World War were immortalized in literature, film, and art as modern-day knights. Their chivalry in combat and daring in the skies stood in stark contrast to the mechanized slaughter of the trenches. Collectors, veterans, and patriotic organizations often commissioned or purchased bronzes like this one to celebrate the spirit of the early flying corps. They were symbols not just of aviation triumphs but of national pride and technological progress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2498\" data-end=\"2793\"\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2528\" data-end=\"2531\"\u003eThis is a solid, well-executed aviation bronze. While lacking hallmarking or named association keeps it below higher-priced commemorative bronzes, its quality, size, and subject matter will strongly appeal to collectors of WWI militaria and early aviation art.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46791491813615,"sku":"18-79","price":675.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-79_2.jpg?v=1756234504"},{"product_id":"prussian-hussar-officer-presentation-statuette-in-case","title":"Prussian Hussar Officer Presentation Statuette in Case","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"230\" data-end=\"591\"\u003eThis finely cast metal statuette represents a \u003cstrong data-start=\"276\" data-end=\"325\"\u003ePrussian Hussar officer in full dress uniform\u003c\/strong\u003e, mounted on a black stone plinth and housed in a fitted red presentation case. The figure measures 6.5 inches tall (overall height including base) with a 2 x 2 inch square base, and weighs approximately 1 lb. The case measures 8 x 3.5 x 3 inches and weighs 12 oz.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"593\" data-end=\"990\"\u003eThe officer is depicted in the flamboyant attire that epitomized the Imperial Hussars: a dolman heavily decorated with rows of frogging, tall plume-topped busby, saber at his side, and a cross-belt supporting his carbine. The sculpted details—lacework, sabretache straps, and uniform piping—are crisply executed, though intentionally generic, meant to evoke the type rather than a named officer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"992\" data-end=\"1426\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"992\" data-end=\"1014\"\u003eHistorical Context\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1014\" data-end=\"1017\"\u003eHussars originated as Hungarian light cavalry in the 15th century and became famous throughout Europe for their speed, daring, and striking uniforms. By the 18th century, nearly every major European power had raised Hussar regiments, and in Prussia they became an indispensable part of Frederick the Great’s army. Their duties included reconnaissance, skirmishing, pursuit, and harassing enemy supply lines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1428\" data-end=\"1933\"\u003eBy the Imperial era, the Prussian Army fielded numerous Hussar regiments, each distinguished by its own regimental colors, pelisses, and flamboyant headgear. The black-uniformed \u003cstrong data-start=\"1606\" data-end=\"1645\"\u003eLeib-Husaren Regiments Nos. 1 and 2\u003c\/strong\u003e, known as the “Death’s Head Hussars” for their Totenkopf insignia, were especially renowned and feared. Hussars embodied a cavalry ideal that combined martial utility with aristocratic panache, earning a reputation not only as warriors but also as cultural icons of dash and gallantry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1935\" data-end=\"2284\"\u003eThis statuette reflects that tradition, serving as a \u003cstrong data-start=\"1988\" data-end=\"2047\"\u003erepresentational tribute to the Hussar corps as a whole\u003c\/strong\u003e, rather than a portrait of a specific officer. It was likely produced as a presentation or collector’s piece in the mid-20th century, intended to preserve the pageantry of Imperial German cavalry for enthusiasts and descendants alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2286\" data-end=\"2497\"\u003eCondition is excellent overall. The figure retains a pleasing dark patina with only light handling wear. The case remains solid with bright exterior coloring and satin lining, showing only minor edge scuffing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2499\" data-end=\"2738\"\u003eA decorative and historically evocative object, this piece would make a fine addition to any collection of \u003cstrong data-start=\"2606\" data-end=\"2645\"\u003eImperial German cavalry memorabilia\u003c\/strong\u003e, complementing original Hussar artifacts such as busbies, sabers, and regimental insignia.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46791579042031,"sku":"18-80","price":795.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-80_1_3403b011-2f2b-4025-a930-771acdc98162.jpg?v=1756236836"},{"product_id":"bronze-relief-plaque-of-kaiser-wilhelm-ii-berlin-foundry-marked","title":"Bronze Relief Plaque of Kaiser Wilhelm II – Berlin Foundry Marked","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"73\" data-end=\"484\"\u003eThis is a heavy bronze relief portrait plaque depicting Kaiser Wilhelm II (1859–1941), the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, who reigned from 1888 until his abdication in November 1918 at the end of World War I. The plaque shows the Kaiser in left profile, wearing his characteristic swept-back hairstyle and upturned moustache, executed with crisp detail and a textured background to enhance contrast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"486\" data-end=\"815\"\u003eThe reverse bears a Berlin foundry stamp (\u003cem data-start=\"528\" data-end=\"564\"\u003eAkt-Gesellschaft Gladenbeck Berlin\u003c\/em\u003e), one of Germany’s premier art foundries of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, renowned for its high-quality bronze castings. It is also stamped with the number \u003cem data-start=\"731\" data-end=\"737\"\u003e2115\u003c\/em\u003e, indicating production series or cataloguing within the foundry’s workshop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"817\" data-end=\"1109\"\u003eThe plaque measures \u003cstrong data-start=\"837\" data-end=\"857\"\u003e5.5 x 7.5 inches\u003c\/strong\u003e and weighs \u003cstrong data-start=\"869\" data-end=\"880\"\u003e1.3 lbs\u003c\/strong\u003e, with its original integrated bronze stand intact. Its compact yet substantial form suggests it was intended as a desk or cabinet display piece, likely produced during Wilhelm II’s reign as a patriotic or commemorative object.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1111\" data-end=\"1292\"\u003eCondition is excellent, with a deep bronze patina, minor handling wear, and strong definition throughout the portrait and hair detail. The foundry mark and numbering remain sharp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1294\" data-end=\"1519\"\u003eSuch plaques were commonly presented as commemorative gifts to officers, dignitaries, or loyal supporters of the Kaiserreich, embodying both Imperial prestige and German military tradition on the eve of the First World War.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46816253149423,"sku":"20-345","price":465.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/20-345_1.jpg?v=1757018360"},{"product_id":"imperial-german-navy-commemorative-pewter-plate-sms-agir-coastal-defense-ship","title":"Imperial German Navy Commemorative Pewter Plate – SMS Ägir Coastal Defense Ship","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis pewter wall plate commemorates the SMS Ägir, a Siegfried-class coastal defense ship of the Kaiserliche Marine. The vessel was laid down in 1892, launched in 1893, and entered active service in 1896, part of a fleet of eight ships designed to defend Germany’s relatively short but strategically vital North Sea and Baltic coastlines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plate’s central motif shows the SMS Ägir at sea, rendered in relief with remarkable detail: the heavy casemate-mounted guns, prominent funnels, and bow wave emphasize her power. The surrounding rim is decorated with maritime imagery — a lighthouse guiding the vessel, an anchor with coiled rope symbolizing naval steadfastness, and a signal cannon recalling naval gunnery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ship’s name “S.M.S. ÄGIR” is boldly embossed at the bottom. At roughly 20 inches in diameter, the piece has a scalloped edge and retains its original hanging cord, evidence that it was intended for display — possibly in an officer’s home or naval wardroom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical Significance of SMS Ägir:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Ägir belonged to the Siegfried-class of coastal defense ships, a uniquely German naval experiment of the late 19th century. At a time when Great Britain pursued global sea dominance with massive battleships, Germany — then still building its naval doctrine under Kaiser Wilhelm II — invested in compact, heavily armored ships designed to defend against incursions close to German waters. With a displacement of only 4,000 tons, Ägir was far smaller than contemporary battleships, but her 24 cm (9.4 in) guns and thick armor made her a formidable opponent in coastal defense scenarios. During the First World War, the Ägir and her sisters were mobilized for defensive duties in the North Sea. Although they never engaged in major fleet actions like Jutland, their very presence forced the Royal Navy to account for them in coastal operations. By 1916, as dreadnoughts and battlecruisers made ships like Ägir obsolete, she was relegated to secondary roles, including serving as a training vessel and later as a barracks ship. She remained in service until 1922, when she was struck from the naval register and scrapped in accordance with the Treaty of Versailles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCollector’s Note:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Commemorative plates such as this one were often purchased by sailors themselves or given as presentation pieces, intended to preserve the pride of service aboard a named vessel. Plates bearing the names of lesser-known ships like Ägir are rarer than those of the larger German capital ships, making this a particularly desirable example. It captures both the artistry of German pewterwork and the historical narrative of a naval force transitioning from coastal defense to a global blue-water fleet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: Very good, with even dark patina, light handling wear, and crisp detail retention. No major cracks or repairs are evident.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46830805844207,"sku":"18-81 A","price":395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-81A_1.jpg?v=1757454842"},{"product_id":"original-wwii-german-wooden-stamp-eagle-wreath-marking","title":"Original WWII German Wooden Stamp – Eagle \u0026 Wreath Marking","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"377\" data-end=\"692\"\u003eThis is an authentic wooden desk stamp dating from the WWII era, featuring the emblem of the German state of the period: an eagle perched atop a wreath. The handle is hand-turned wood with a smooth patina from age and use. The impression die remains sharp, showing clear details of the eagle and surrounding text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"694\" data-end=\"952\"\u003eItems such as this were typically used by military or government offices for validating documents during the 1930s–1940s. While the design incorporates symbols of the regime, it is offered here solely as a historical collectible for study and preservation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"954\" data-end=\"1228\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"954\" data-end=\"994\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"956\" data-end=\"994\"\u003eMaterial: Wood with metal die insert\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"995\" data-end=\"1044\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"997\" data-end=\"1044\"\u003eDimensions: [you can measure height\/diameter]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1045\" data-end=\"1183\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1047\" data-end=\"1183\"\u003eCondition: Very good, showing expected wear to wood surface and light aging to the die. Still capable of producing a crisp impression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1184\" data-end=\"1228\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1186\" data-end=\"1228\"\u003eGuaranteed original wartime manufacture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1230\" data-end=\"1353\"\u003eThis piece is sold strictly as a historical artifact of the Second World War for collectors and researchers of militaria.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46830855553263,"sku":"10-25","price":245.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/10-25_1.jpg?v=1757457100"},{"product_id":"prussian-seven-years-war-soldier-set-hand-painted-miniatures-by-scholtz-and-spiro","title":"Prussian Seven Years’ War Soldier Set – Hand-Painted Miniatures by Scholtz and Spiro","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"219\" data-end=\"659\"\u003eThis finely assembled group of hand-painted lead soldiers vividly depicts Prussian infantry and officers of the mid-18th century, the era of Frederick the Great and the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763). Each figure is crafted in traditional flat and semi-flat style and is stamped with the names of classic German toy soldier makers—\u003cstrong data-start=\"548\" data-end=\"559\"\u003eScholtz\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong data-start=\"564\" data-end=\"573\"\u003eSpiro\u003c\/strong\u003e—both highly respected among collectors for their detailed historic representations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"661\" data-end=\"1046\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"661\" data-end=\"1046\"\u003eThe set includes a mix of marching grenadiers, officers with swords, a fallen casualty figure, and a mounted officer triumphantly raising his hat. Their uniforms are meticulously painted in the classic Prussian palette of dark blue coats with red facings, yellow breeches, and tall mitre caps for grenadiers. Officers are shown in tricorn hats with drawn swords, leading the advance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1048\" data-end=\"1722\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1048\" data-end=\"1722\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1048\" data-end=\"1071\"\u003eHistorical Context:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1071\" data-end=\"1074\"\u003eThese figures represent Frederick the Great’s disciplined infantry, famed throughout Europe for their rigid drill and battlefield effectiveness. The grenadiers in mitre caps evoke the elite battalions that served as shock troops during decisive battles such as Rossbach (1757) and Leuthen (1757). The inclusion of a mounted officer reflects Frederick himself or his senior commanders, who often led from horseback at the center of the line. Makers Scholtz and Spiro were both part of the great German tradition of toy soldier production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, carrying forward the fascination with Prussia’s military heritage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1724\" data-end=\"1751\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1724\" data-end=\"1751\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1724\" data-end=\"1749\"\u003ePhysical Description:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1752\" data-end=\"2168\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1752\" data-end=\"1855\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1754\" data-end=\"1855\"\u003eTotal of \u003cstrong data-start=\"1763\" data-end=\"1777\"\u003e12 figures\u003c\/strong\u003e: marching grenadiers, officers, mounted commander, and one casualty figure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1856\" data-end=\"1939\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1858\" data-end=\"1939\"\u003eComposition: Painted lead with original period paint, showing excellent detail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1940\" data-end=\"2017\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1942\" data-end=\"2017\"\u003eBases clearly stamped \u003cstrong data-start=\"1964\" data-end=\"1977\"\u003e“Scholtz”\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong data-start=\"1982\" data-end=\"1993\"\u003e“Spiro”\u003c\/strong\u003e on individual pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2018\" data-end=\"2168\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2020\" data-end=\"2168\"\u003eCondition: Overall good to very good with age-expected paint wear; some delicate repairs may be noted but all figures retain strong visual appeal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2170\" data-end=\"2594\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2170\" data-end=\"2594\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2170\" data-end=\"2191\"\u003eCollector Appeal:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2191\" data-end=\"2194\"\u003eThis set captures not only the martial image of Frederick’s Prussia but also the artistry of traditional German toy soldier making. It is suitable both as a display of Seven Years’ War military history and as an example of early collectible soldier craftsmanship. Sets of this quality and completeness are increasingly scarce, particularly when retaining mounted command figures and casualty poses.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46830903689455,"sku":"10-27","price":289.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/10-27_1_7676dad7-24c6-456f-aaa4-8f077cd99a52.jpg?v=1757460942"},{"product_id":"saxon-jager-regiment-zu-fuss-wooden-commemorative-shako-box-dated-1867","title":"Saxon Jäger-Regiment zu Fuß Wooden Commemorative Shako Box, Dated 1867","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"74\" data-end=\"477\"\u003eThis finely crafted wooden commemorative box takes the form of a Saxon \u003cem data-start=\"145\" data-end=\"159\"\u003eJäger zu Fuß\u003c\/em\u003e officer’s shako. Measuring approximately 3 inches tall by 2 inches wide, it was likely produced as a presentation or veterans’ keepsake. The body is carved from hardwood and fitted with silvered brass ornamentation, faithfully replicating the regimental shako’s fittings, including the Saxon frontplate and cockade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"479\" data-end=\"1133\"\u003eThe miniature shako features a cylindrical wooden body with smooth surfaces and integral bands at top and base. The hinged lid opens to reveal a small hollow interior, consistent with use as a presentation container for a memento or snuff rather than a drinking vessel. Its frontplate displays the \u003cem data-start=\"777\" data-end=\"797\"\u003eKönigreich Sachsen\u003c\/em\u003e (Kingdom of Saxony) coat of arms in the form of a sunburst star with a central wreath and the striped Saxon shield. Around the base runs a silvered brass chinscale band, beautifully detailed with overlapping scales. The lid bears a Saxon-style cockade rosette, oval in shape, with a gilded central boss and radiating sunburst border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1135\" data-end=\"1476\"\u003eThe top surface of the lid is carved in Gothic script: “Jäger-Regiment zu Fuß” (Rifle Regiment on Foot). The underside of the lid is engraved: “5. Oct. Plauen. 1867.” marking the date and location of a regimental or veterans’ gathering in Plauen. The brass hinge and fittings are neatly hand-worked, showing excellent period craftsmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1478\" data-end=\"2099\"\u003eThe \u003cem data-start=\"1482\" data-end=\"1527\"\u003eKöniglich Sächsisches Jäger-Regiment zu Fuß\u003c\/em\u003e (Royal Saxon Foot Rifle Regiment) was Saxony’s elite light infantry formation, tracing its lineage to the Napoleonic era. These marksmen were trained for reconnaissance and skirmish duties, prized for their independence and precision. By 1867, Saxony had only recently been drawn into the Prussian-led North German Confederation following the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. The date on this piece likely commemorates a reunion of veterans or a regimental celebration marking the reorganization of Saxony’s proud Jäger tradition under the new Confederation army structure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2101\" data-end=\"2430\"\u003eCondition: Very Good. The wood exhibits a fine age patina with light surface wear and minor scratches from handling. The silvered fittings show darkened toning in recesses and remain firmly affixed. Hinge operates smoothly and interior is clean. All inscriptions and embossing are crisp and legible. No modern repairs observed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2432\" data-end=\"2886\"\u003eA rare Saxon regimental presentation piece from the immediate post-1866 era, remarkable for its craftsmanship and precise replication of a Jäger shako. The dated inscription and town name firmly establish provenance and period authenticity. Such objects seldom survive, especially in this condition and with legible regimental identification. Highly desirable for collectors of Saxon militaria, Jäger units, or pre-Imperial German regimental artifacts.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46995542900975,"sku":"18-86","price":567.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-86_1.jpg?v=1760992594"},{"product_id":"leipzig-volkerschlachtdenkmal-glass-souvenir-paperweight-circa-1913","title":"Leipzig “Völkerschlachtdenkmal” Glass Souvenir Paperweight, Circa 1913","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"74\" data-end=\"484\"\u003eThis finely made glass paperweight commemorates the monumental \u003cstrong data-start=\"137\" data-end=\"198\"\u003eVölkerschlachtdenkmal (Monument to the Battle of Nations)\u003c\/strong\u003e in Leipzig, Germany. Measuring approximately 3.5 inches (9 cm) in diameter, it features a domed, scalloped-edge form enclosing a vivid printed and hand-tinted image of the memorial viewed from above, captioned simply “Leipzig.” The underside retains its original black paper backing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"486\" data-end=\"827\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong data-start=\"490\" data-end=\"515\"\u003eVölkerschlachtdenkmal\u003c\/strong\u003e, completed in 1913, was erected to honor the centennial of the \u003cstrong data-start=\"579\" data-end=\"607\"\u003eBattle of Leipzig (1813)\u003c\/strong\u003e—one of Europe’s largest Napoleonic battles, in which combined Prussian, Austrian, Russian, and Swedish forces defeated Napoleon’s army. The monument became an enduring patriotic symbol of German unity and remembrance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"829\" data-end=\"1039\"\u003eCondition: Very Good. The glass remains clear and undamaged with only minor surface wear and faint age toning to the image insert. The black paper backing shows light abrasion at center but is largely intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1041\" data-end=\"1289\"\u003eA striking and authentic \u003cstrong data-start=\"1066\" data-end=\"1105\"\u003eearly 20th-century Leipzig souvenir\u003c\/strong\u003e, produced during the Kaiserreich period to celebrate one of Germany’s most significant national monuments. A charming and display-worthy relic of Imperial-era pride and remembrance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46995548700911,"sku":"18-87","price":87.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-87_1.jpg?v=1760992747"},{"product_id":"bavarian-pickelhaube-wappen-desk-plaque-ludwig-iii-konig-von-bayern","title":"Bavarian Pickelhaube Wappen Desk Plaque “Ludwig III König von Bayern”","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"71\" data-end=\"1228\"\u003eThis is a period German desk or mantel presentation plaque built around an original Bavarian officer’s Pickelhaube wappen (helmet front plate) that has been permanently mounted to a shaped hardwood backboard and set into a stepped black-finished wooden base. The backboard is cut in a traditional scalloped shield profile with a lighter-toned perimeter molding, and it is fastened with evenly spaced domed tacks around the outer border, giving the piece a deliberate “honor board” look rather than a casual craft mount. Affixed to the center is the Bavarian officer’s helmet wappen in gilt-toned metal, showing the crowned Bavarian shield flanked by two crowned rampant lions with rich acanthus and foliate scrollwork. Across the lower banners is the Bavarian motto “In Treue fest,” rendered in blackened Gothic script, exactly as encountered on officer-grade Bavarian helmet plates and higher-quality state emblems of the late imperial period. The crown above the arms retains visible color detail in the field panels (a reddish tone present in the crown’s interior sections), a feature that often appears on better-grade pieces and reads strongly in-hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1230\" data-end=\"2311\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1230\" data-end=\"2311\"\u003eThe plaque’s base is a substantial, stepped plinth finished in black with a long brass nameplate centered on the front. The nameplate is additionally adorned at both ends with two brass eight-point stars that deliberately echo the officer “stars” seen on Imperial German spiked helmets (the small officer fittings and star devices used as decorative hardware on officer accoutrements). That choice is not incidental: it visually ties the nameplate to the helmet plate above, turning the entire object into a coherent, helmet-derived presentation piece rather than a generic decorative shield. The nameplate inscription is faint from age and oxidation, but your identification is consistent with what can be discerned: “Ludwig III König von Bayern.” Overall size, using the tape shown in the photos, is approximately 12.5–13 inches wide at the base, and approximately 9.5–10 inches in height from the base to the crown peak. Depth is consistent with a freestanding desk plaque (several inches), and the stepped base gives it stable display presence for a shelf, cabinet, or desktop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2313\" data-end=\"3179\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2313\" data-end=\"3179\"\u003eThe critical element here is that this is not merely Bavarian-themed décor; it is a militaria object constructed from an actual Bavarian officer helmet wappen. The form and detailing align with the Bavarian officer Pickelhaube front plate pattern used in the Kingdom of Bavaria in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Bavaria’s heraldic language is immediately recognizable to collectors: the crowned state arms, the lion supporters, and the “In Treue fest” motto that served as a shorthand for Bavarian identity and loyalty to crown and state. On officer helmets, these plates were typically higher quality than enlisted examples, both in modeling and finish, and they were intended to read crisply even at a distance. Mounted in this format, the plate becomes a “trophy” object—something meant to be displayed long after uniform service or ceremonial use ended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3181\" data-end=\"4296\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3181\" data-end=\"4296\"\u003eThe Ludwig III identification on the nameplate places the plaque squarely within the final chapter of Bavarian monarchy. Ludwig III was the last reigning King of Bavaria, and his reign (1913–1918) overlapped with the decisive years of the First World War and the collapse of the German monarchies at the end of 1918. That period is exactly when presentation objects, honor boards, and desk pieces like this proliferated. They served several functions: retirement acknowledgments, association gifts, patriotic displays in offices and club rooms, commemoratives tied to service, and private tokens of loyalty during a time when Bavarian state identity remained strong even within the broader framework of the German Empire. Bavaria was not simply another province; it retained distinct state traditions, uniforms, orders, and a court culture that continued to emphasize “Bavarian-ness.” An officer’s helmet plate, removed and mounted, becomes a very literal embodiment of that tradition—an object that once sat on the front of an officer’s headgear and later was converted into a permanent display honoring the crown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4298\" data-end=\"5074\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4298\" data-end=\"5074\"\u003eThis type of conversion is historically plausible and widely encountered in serious Imperial German collections: helmet plates, cockades, spikes, and even complete helmets were sometimes repurposed into veterans’ display boards or commemorative desk items, especially after 1918 when wearing or storing full uniforms became less practical and the monarchy had fallen. For many former officers and state loyalists, these symbols were not discarded; they were curated. A desk plaque with Ludwig III’s name and a Bavarian officer wappen fits that post-war narrative exceptionally well. It is the kind of piece that could have sat in a study as a quiet statement of service, identity, and continuity with the old order—even after the political structure that produced it was gone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5076\" data-end=\"6117\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5076\" data-end=\"6117\"\u003eCollector appeal is strong for several reasons that go beyond simple aesthetics. First, the centerpiece is an authentic helmet wappen with correct Bavarian iconography and the “In Treue fest” scroll, which is one of the most desirable state mottos in Imperial German collecting due to its immediate recognition and consistent association with premium Bavarian helmets and officer items. Second, the presentation format is unusually cohesive: the brass nameplate and the two brass stars deliberately mirror officer helmet hardware, creating a unified militaria composition rather than an unrelated plaque with a random emblem. Third, Ludwig III is a historically meaningful anchor. “Last king” material has built-in narrative value because it marks a definitive endpoint—the close of the Bavarian kingdom and the broader imperial monarchical era. Pieces that clearly reference Ludwig III often resonate with collectors building Bavaria-focused displays, “end of empire” groupings, or study collections tied to the Great War and its aftermath.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"6119\" data-end=\"7021\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"6119\" data-end=\"7021\"\u003eIn terms of what this is in the market, it sits at the intersection of Bavarian helmet components and German veteran\/presentation objects. Standalone Bavarian officer helmet wappen are collected heavily on their own, and well-modeled examples with pleasing finish routinely command a premium compared to flat, later decorative castings. A purpose-built display incorporating an authentic plate, a stable base, and a named dedication plate typically values above “loose parts,” because it presents as a finished period display object that can be placed directly into a collection without additional framing or mounting work. The nameplate further elevates it from “parts art” to an intentional commemorative piece, even if the engraving is now light. The two officer-style stars on the nameplate are a serious plus, because they add a distinctly militaria-specific detail that most generic plaques lack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"7023\" data-end=\"8031\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"7023\" data-end=\"8031\"\u003eCondition is honest and consistent with age and display use. The wood shows expected scuffing and edge wear, with small nicks and finish rub along the perimeter molding and at the stepped base, most noticeable at corners and along the front lip. The rear of the backboard is plain wood with age toning and surface wear consistent with a freestanding object that has been handled and stored over decades. The wappen shows patina and handling wear, with brighter highlights on raised areas and darker toning in recesses that actually enhances the depth of the modeling; no obvious major breaks are visible in the lions, crown, or scrollwork in the provided views. The nameplate shows oxidation and surface dulling, and the inscription is faint but readable under favorable light; the two brass stars are present and intact, showing normal age wear. Overall, it remains a solid, display-ready piece with strong visual impact and the right combination of Bavarian state symbolism and officer-helmet construction.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47598397489391,"sku":"18-93","price":427.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-93_1.jpg?v=1769992468"},{"product_id":"arcadian-china-manchester-crest-zeppelin-souvenir-c-1914-1918","title":"Arcadian China Manchester Crest Zeppelin Souvenir c.1914-1918","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis small British crested china model depicts a Zeppelin-type rigid airship on an integral stand, produced in glazed white earthenware and decorated with the civic arms of Manchester. The piece measures approximately 5 inches in length by 2 inches in height and is molded in the familiar elongated cigar-shaped form associated with early Zeppelin imagery, with a tapered bow, tail fins, and simplified side projections representing gondolas or observation structures. The front bears a colored transfer of the Manchester coat of arms, including the ship at chief and the motto ribbon below, while the underside is marked for Arcadian China of Stoke-on-Trent and identifies the piece as a model of a Zeppelin, with registration number 657735. The body is mounted to an oval base by two short supports, giving it the appearance of a miniature display model rather than a toy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs an object, this is a very typical and very appealing example of First World War British crested china, a field of souvenir production that adapted civic pride, current events, and wartime imagery into inexpensive but highly collectible domestic ornaments. Arcadian was one of the best-known makers in this category, producing a wide range of miniatures in the form of tanks, guns, soldiers, submarines, and airships, often personalized with town and city arms. The choice of Zeppelin form is especially significant. Few machines captured the imagination of the wartime public more strongly than the Zeppelin, which in Britain came to symbolize both technological modernity and the new threat of long-range aerial warfare. Even when reduced to souvenir scale, the form remained instantly recognizable and carried a distinctly contemporary wartime meaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Manchester arms are an important part of the appeal. The transfer shows the city’s heraldic shield with ship above and diagonal bands below, flanked by supporters, with the city name Manchester printed beneath. The motto ribbon appears to read Concilio et Labore, the traditional civic motto of Manchester, meaning “By wisdom and effort” or more loosely “By counsel and labor.” That pairing of a Zeppelin airship with the arms of an industrial city is entirely fitting for the period. Manchester stood as one of Britain’s great manufacturing and commercial centers, and souvenir china of this sort linked local civic identity with the immense public fascination surrounding modern war, aviation, and national endurance. These were not military issue pieces, but they belong squarely to the material culture of the Great War home front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorically, Zeppelin souvenirs occupy an interesting position in aviation collecting because they reflect public memory and wartime imagination rather than direct military use. During the First World War, Zeppelin raids over Britain left a deep impression on civilians, and the airship became a symbol that appeared not only in newspapers and propaganda but also in ceramics, postcards, toys, and novelty wares. British makers were quick to turn that imagery into marketable objects. Crested china models such as this one were purchased as keepsakes, displayed in the home, and retained as reminders of a conflict in which the sky had suddenly become part of everyday life. In that sense, even a small china ornament like this preserves a genuine fragment of wartime psychology and popular culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe underside mark confirms the commercial origin of the piece and helps place it securely within the output of Stoke-on-Trent’s wartime souvenir trade. The impressed and printed base details are consistent with factory production rather than later fantasy ware, and the registration number adds further confidence to the period character of the model. While the exact production year is not stated on the piece, the Zeppelin theme, Arcadian mark, and crested china format place it comfortably in the 1914-1918 wartime era or the immediate aftermath, when such patriotic and commemorative objects remained highly saleable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition is good, honest, and in keeping with a fragile piece of period crested china. The form appears structurally sound, with no obvious major cracks visible in the provided photographs. The glaze remains generally bright, though there is light age wear, minor rubbing, and some faint surface marks. The Manchester crest transfer shows expected wear and softness, particularly to the finer lettering and motto ribbon, but remains readable and attractive. The underside mark is clear enough to identify the maker and model description. There is minor discoloration and handling wear to the base, along with the usual production hole to the underside. Overall, it presents as a very respectable survivor with strong shelf appeal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor collectors, this piece has crossover interest in several directions: British crested china, early aviation souvenirs, Zeppelin memorabilia, Great War home-front material, and civic heraldic wares. It is particularly appealing because the airship form is more visually distinctive than the standard miniature buildings and animals found in most crested china lines, and because the Manchester arms add a clear municipal association. Small, display-friendly, and immediately recognizable, it is the kind of object that rewards both aviation collectors and those interested in the domestic decorative culture of the First World War.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47967145132271,"sku":"18-101","price":98.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-101_5.jpg?v=1773271069"},{"product_id":"imperial-german-iron-cross-desk-paperweight-1813-1870-1914","title":"Imperial German Iron Cross Desk Paperweight, 1813-1870-1914","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"59\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"61\" data-end=\"825\"\u003eThis substantial Imperial German Iron Cross-form desk piece is best understood as a patriotic paperweight or small table ornament rather than a wearable badge or plaque. Measuring approximately 4.5 inches across and roughly .5 inch thick, it has the weight, depth, and solid cast construction of a desk article meant to sit prominently on a writing table, shelf, or cabinet. The front is modeled in relief with the classic Iron Cross outline and bears the institution dates 1813, 1870, and 1914, together with a crowned FW monogram on the upper arm, a large central W, and an oak leaf spray between them. The overall effect is bold and immediately recognizable, combining three major eras of Prussian and German military history into one strong commemorative form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"827\" data-end=\"1708\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"827\" data-end=\"1708\"\u003ePhysically, this is a far more substantial object than the thin sheet-metal patriotic novelties and appliques often encountered. The body appears to be cast in a heavy white metal or spelter-type alloy with a silvered or plated finish over the face, giving it the proper mass and presence of a true desktop piece. The raised numerals and monograms stand sharply against the textured field, and the thickness of the casting gives the cross a sculptural quality that suits the Iron Cross motif particularly well. The reverse is plain and undecorated, without any fitted mount or suspension hardware, which further supports the conclusion that it was meant for tabletop use rather than wear. It reads as a patriotic desk accessory of the First World War era, the sort of object that would have sat in an office, study, veterans’ room, or private household as both ornament and symbol.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1710\" data-end=\"2677\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1710\" data-end=\"2677\"\u003eThe symbolism is rooted in the long memory of Prussian and German military tradition. The date 1813 marks the original creation of the Iron Cross by King Friedrich Wilhelm III during the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon. The date 1870 records its revival for the Franco-Prussian War under King Wilhelm I, while 1914 marks the great reissue of the cross at the outbreak of the First World War under Kaiser Wilhelm II. The crowned FW monogram refers back to Friedrich Wilhelm III, the originator of the order, and the central W continues the dynastic and military associations carried forward under later Prussian and imperial rule. The oak leaves reinforce that message, as they were a long-established emblem of strength, sacrifice, and martial virtue in German patriotic imagery. Taken together, the dates and monograms transform this from a mere cross-shaped desk piece into a compact statement of Prussian continuity, military honor, and historical remembrance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2679\" data-end=\"3505\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2679\" data-end=\"3505\"\u003eObjects like this belonged to the wider world of German patriotic domestic art rather than to the field of official decorations themselves. During the First World War and the years immediately surrounding it, the Iron Cross became one of the most widely used visual symbols in the German Empire, appearing not only on actual awards but also on paperweights, table ornaments, desk fittings, brooches, stickpins, memorial plaques, and other civilian and veteran pieces. A heavy cross such as this would have appealed to anyone who wanted that symbolism in a permanent, visible form. It was the sort of object that allowed national sentiment and military memory to become part of everyday surroundings, especially in the office or study where a weighty, practical piece could also function as a statement of loyalty and identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3507\" data-end=\"4177\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3507\" data-end=\"4177\"\u003eCondition is honest and entirely consistent with age and use. The front retains much of its silvered surface, though there is scattered rubbing, oxidation, and finish loss along the high points and edges. The relief remains strong and fully legible, and the cross still presents very well from the front. The reverse is plain and shows heavier wear, discoloration, and surface disturbance from long handling and contact, all of which is appropriate to a desk article of this sort. No maker mark is visible in the photographs. Structurally, the piece appears solid, with no obvious cracks or breaks to the arms, and it remains an attractive and very displayable survivor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4179\" data-end=\"4712\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4179\" data-end=\"4712\"\u003eFor collectors, the appeal here lies in the combination of form, weight, and symbolism. This is not a flimsy patriotic trinket but a substantial Iron Cross desk piece with real presence. It fits naturally into collections of Imperial German patriotica, Iron Cross-related material, desk accessories, and First World War commemoratives. Because of its size and thickness, it displays more like a small sculptural object than a simple paper item or applique, and that gives it broader visual impact than most Iron Cross-form souvenirs.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47967569936623,"sku":"18-111","price":127.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-111_1.jpg?v=1773268832"},{"product_id":"imperial-german-bismarck-portrait-bronze-dish-cast-iron-back-c-1890-original","title":"Imperial German Bismarck Portrait Bronze Dish Cast Iron Back c.1890 Original","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThis is an original Imperial German commemorative portrait dish depicting Otto von Bismarck, \u003cem\u003eFürst von Bismarck\u003c\/em\u003e (Prince of Bismarck), the architect of German unification and the dominant political figure of the Kaiserreich from its founding in 1871 until his dismissal by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1890. The piece is constructed in two materials — a gilt bronze or brass front dish with a richly detailed relief portrait composition, and a cast iron reverse disc fitted with brass mounting studs — and measures approximately 5.5 inches (14 cm) in diameter with a weight of approximately 11 ounces (312 grams), indicating substantial casting weight consistent with quality period production.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe front of the dish is formed as a shallow circular basin in gilt bronze or brass, the interior surface carrying a high-relief portrait composition in the center. Bismarck is depicted in right-facing profile — the standard orientation of his most widely distributed portrait imagery — showing his characteristic heavily built head, short side-parted hair, mustache, and the wide collar and epaulette-bearing shoulder of his Prussian military uniform. The relief is modeled with considerable depth and naturalistic anatomical character, particularly in the face and collar area, consistent with quality die-struck or cast production of the late nineteenth century. Flanking and framing the portrait is a symmetrical decorative program: to the left, a branch of German oak with acorns in relief; to the right, laurel or bay foliage with berries; and in the lower field, Bismarck's personal heraldic shield bearing the family device — a trefoil cloverleaf (\u003cem\u003eKleeblatt\u003c\/em\u003e) on a divided ground, the arms of the von Bismarck family as carried on his personal coat of arms. The outer rim of the dish has three small notch-form cutouts at intervals, likely serving as registration points or decorative articulation in the original design. The interior surface of the dish carries a warm gilt or brass tone with natural age patina and tonal variation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe reverse is a cast iron disc of the same diameter, finished in a textured dark surface with three brass dome-headed studs positioned at intervals — a functional fitting designed to allow the piece to stand flat on a desk surface or be mounted against a wall or panel, the studs holding the bronze front and iron back together as a unit while simultaneously serving as feet or wall standoffs. The reverse carries a second lower-relief version of the Bismarck portrait in the cast iron, less detailed than the front but clearly legible as the same composition, an artifact of the casting process by which the reverse received an impression of the obverse relief.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eOtto von Bismarck (1815–1898) served as Minister-President of Prussia from 1862 and as the first \u003cem\u003eReichskanzler\u003c\/em\u003e (Imperial Chancellor) of the unified German Empire from 1871 until his forced resignation in 1890. His role in engineering three successful wars — against Denmark in 1864, Austria in 1866, and France in 1870–71 — and his subsequent construction of the Bismarckian political and diplomatic order made him the most celebrated and widely commemorated German statesman of the nineteenth century. The \u003cem\u003eBismarck-Kult\u003c\/em\u003e (Bismarck cult) that developed during and after his lifetime produced an enormous body of commemorative material: portrait medallions, busts, steins, tobacco jars, ashtrays, desk pieces, and decorative dishes of exactly this type. These pieces were produced in quantity by German metalware and bronze foundries throughout the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s, with production continuing posthumously after his death in 1898. The combination of oak — the German national tree — and laurel in the decorative program of this dish is a standard heraldic and patriotic vocabulary connecting Bismarck to both military glory and German national identity. The inclusion of his personal heraldic shield further personalizes the commemoration beyond a generic portrait, marking this as a piece specifically referencing Bismarck as a hereditary Prussian nobleman rather than merely as a political figure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe front dish presents solidly with the gilt or brass surface carrying a warm, aged patina and areas of natural tonal variation across the relief ground, consistent with age and handling rather than deliberate cleaning or polishing. The relief portrait and decorative elements are well-preserved with good definition throughout. The cast iron reverse shows honest surface oxidation and texture consistent with its age and material. The brass mounting studs are present on the reverse. No significant damage, bending, or repair is visible in the provided images.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eBismarck personality pieces occupy a well-established and actively collected segment of the Imperial German market. Collectors focused on Prussian nobility, the Kaiserreich political culture, and German home décor of the period seek this material consistently, and quality portrait dishes of this type — particularly those retaining the heraldic shield device rather than presenting a plain portrait — represent the more specific and documentable end of the Bismarck commemorative spectrum.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48195065577711,"sku":"18-112","price":145.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-112_1.jpg?v=1774391209"},{"product_id":"imperial-german-wwi-kriegs-erinnerungen-war-memories-keepsake-box-eagle","title":"Imperial German WWI Kriegs-Erinnerungen War Memories Keepsake Box Eagle","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThis is an original Imperial German \u003cem\u003eKriegs-Erinnerungen\u003c\/em\u003e (War Memories \/ War Souvenirs) keepsake box of the First World War period, produced as a personal storage case in which a soldier or his family might preserve the tangible remnants of wartime service — letters, photographs, field postcards, decorations, documents, and personal effects. The box measures approximately 12 by 9 by 4.5 inches (30.5 by 22.9 by 11.4 centimeters) and is of substantial construction, sized to accommodate the full range of keepsakes a returning soldier might accumulate over years of field service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe exterior is covered in a field-gray woven linen or canvas fabric, a color and material choice that directly references the \u003cem\u003eFeldgrau\u003c\/em\u003e (field gray) uniform introduced by the Imperial German Army in 1907 and worn throughout the First World War — giving the box an immediate visual connection to the men whose memories it was designed to preserve. The edges of the lid and base are bound in red leather trim, aged and worn at the corners consistent with long handling, providing a color contrast that references the traditional Prussian military palette of black, white, and red. The lid is fitted with a small pressed metal clasp at the front center, functional and intact. Four small brass corner feet are fitted to the base exterior, visible in the images, protecting the bottom surface and elevating the box slightly when set down. The lid exterior carries two identifying elements: in the upper left, a color-printed or lithographed depiction of the \u003cem\u003eReichsadler\u003c\/em\u003e (Imperial German Eagle) — the double-headed black eagle on a shield within a heraldic surround, rendered in black, white, and red with gold talons — and in the lower right, the title \u003cem\u003eKriegs-Erinnerungen\u003c\/em\u003e printed in period typeface. The bottom exterior bears a cursive handwritten inscription, partially legible in the photographs, appearing to record a personal name or dedication; the full reading requires examination in hand under direct light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe interior is lined throughout in period-appropriate fabric. The underside of the lid is lined in a silver-gray watered silk or moire fabric, showing the characteristic rippled surface pattern of moire and the natural age toning and compression expected of a century-old textile. The interior walls and floor of the box are lined in a darker olive-gray woven fabric of the same general tone as the exterior canvas, giving the interior a unified and purposeful appearance. The hinge connecting lid to base runs the full width of the back edge and is intact. The interior is currently empty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eKriegs-Erinnerungen\u003c\/em\u003e box was a commercially produced object of the wartime civilian and soldier market in Germany, manufactured in quantity during the 1914–1918 period and sold as a dignified means of organizing and preserving the material record of a man's service. They were given as gifts to departing soldiers, purchased by families awaiting their return, and used throughout the war and afterward to house the accumulated papers and objects that constituted a personal war archive. The eagle and field-gray aesthetic tied the object explicitly to the Imperial German national identity and the pride of military service that characterized the early war years in particular. Boxes that retain their original contents — letters, photographs, decorations — represent the most significant finds in this category, but the box itself, as a defined artifact of the Wilhelmine material culture of the First World War, is a collectable object in its own right and a period-appropriate display and storage solution for the collector of Imperial German material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eCondition is consistent with approximately 110 years of age and use. The exterior canvas shows overall soiling, surface dust accumulation, and scattered darker staining on the right side of the lid — visible clearly in the photographs and honestly noted. The red leather corner binding is worn and partially deteriorated at the corners, with cracking and surface loss consistent with the age of the leather. The clasp is present and functional. The interior silk lid lining shows compression, toning, and the natural surface variation of aged moire, with lifting at the upper corners where the fabric has pulled from the board. The interior box lining is structurally intact. The exterior bottom fabric shows surface wear, scattered adhesive loss, and the cursive inscription noted above. The overall structure of the box is sound and the lid opens and closes correctly.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49378800271599,"sku":"03-119","price":149.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/03-119_1.jpg?v=1777401057"},{"product_id":"imperial-german-wwi-trench-art-chip-carved-box-zeppelin-double-headed-eagle","title":"Imperial German WWI Trench Art Chip-Carved Box Zeppelin Double-Headed Eagle","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThis is an original Imperial German First World War period chip-carved wooden box, a characteristic example of the \u003cem\u003eKerbschnitt\u003c\/em\u003e (chip-carving) decorative woodworking tradition that flourished among German soldiers, prisoners, and home-front craftsmen throughout the 1914–1918 period. The box measures approximately 7 by 6 by 4.5 inches (17.8 by 15.2 by 11.4 centimeters) and is decorated across all exterior surfaces with the dense, systematic pyramid-point chip-carving pattern — hundreds of individual faceted cuts executed with a chisel or knife to produce an overall texture of interlocking raised points — that defines the style and requires considerable patience and skill to execute consistently at this scale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe lid presents two distinct decorative fields. The top face carries a smooth uncarved panel set within the chip-carved border, on which a three-dimensional carved wooden \u003cem\u003eLuftschiff\u003c\/em\u003e (airship or Zeppelin) is applied in relief — the distinctive elongated ellipsoid form with its tapered nose and tail, carved separately and affixed to the panel surface. The Zeppelin was one of the defining symbols of German military and technological ambition during the First World War. Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin's rigid airships represented to the German public a uniquely national achievement, and their use in bombing raids over England beginning in 1915 made them objects of intense patriotic pride within Germany even as their military utility was debated. The appearance of the Zeppelin as a decorative motif on personal objects — boxes, postcards, medals, and porcelain — was widespread throughout the war years and places this box squarely in the patriotic material culture of the Imperial German home front and field.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe front face of the lid carries an applied brass or bronze badge in the form of a double-headed crowned eagle with spread wings, holding a sword in one talon, the heads facing outward in the bicephalic heraldic tradition. This device is not the single-headed Prussian \u003cem\u003eReichsadler\u003c\/em\u003e of Imperial Germany but the double-headed eagle associated with the Romanov Russian imperial house and with the Habsburg Austro-Hungarian dynasty — both of which employed the two-headed eagle as their primary dynastic emblem. Applied to a German-made box in a wartime context, this badge most likely represents either a captured Russian imperial fitting incorporated by its maker as a war trophy element, or a commercially produced decorative piece referencing Germany's principal eastern adversary. A small brass ring is fitted below the badge at the base of the front face, serving as a pull or handle for opening the box. The lid is hinged at the rear with two small brass hinges, and a small brass knob or loop is fitted at the top center of the lid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe interior is lined throughout in a period marbled or burl-patterned paper, printed in amber, brown, and dark tones to simulate the appearance of figured walnut or burl wood veneer — a common and economical interior lining material used in German decorative boxes of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A partially legible printed label is adhered to the interior floor, the text in German; the visible fragments include the word \u003cem\u003eReproduktionen\u003c\/em\u003e (reproductions) and references to cultural or craft production, suggesting a commercial maker's or retailer's label. A removable interior shelf or tray divides the box horizontally, lined in the same marbled paper. The interior shows the expected toning, soiling, and partial loss of the paper lining consistent with a century of storage and use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe exterior chip-carving is executed throughout in an even, practiced pattern with consistent depth and angle across the lid top, lid sides, box body, and base surround. The wood has darkened with age and handling to a deep warm brown. Some loss and chipping to the pyramid points is present at the corners and edges, consistent with age. The front face panel below the eagle badge shows significant paint or finish loss, the original dark surface worn away to reveal the raw wood beneath across much of the panel field. The applied Zeppelin carving on the lid top is intact and firmly attached. The brass hinges and knob are present and functional.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eChip-carved boxes of this period with figurative applied elements — and particularly those combining the Zeppelin motif with a captured or trophy imperial badge — represent a specific and collected category of Imperial German wartime material culture, occupying the intersection of folk craft tradition, patriotic iconography, and the personal expression of men living through one of the most transformative conflicts in modern history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49378830909679,"sku":"03-124","price":195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/03-124_1.jpg?v=1777401472"},{"product_id":"imperial-german-wurttemberg-13-pionier-bataillon-reservist-stein-1908-10","title":"Imperial German Wurttemberg 13. Pionier Bataillon Reservist Stein 1908-10","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eAn original Imperial German Reservistenkrug (reservist's commemorative stein), commissioned for and named to Pionier Henzler upon completion of his peacetime active service with the 2. Kompanie, Württembergisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 13, garrisoned at Ulm an der Donau, covering the service period 1908 to 1910. The piece is a high-grade example of the regimental porcelain stein tradition that flourished across the German Empire from the 1880s to 1914, with all of the most desirable features present and intact: full named attribution to a specific soldier, complete roster of comrades along both sides of the handle, an intact lithophane base, an elaborate figural pewter lid, and a specialized unit motif appropriate to the engineering branch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe body is white porcelain of the standard tapered-and-stepped regimental form, approximately ten to eleven inches tall to the top of the figural finial. The decoration combines transfer-printed line work, polychrome hand-coloring in greens, reds, blues, and yellows, gilt highlights on inscriptions, and the characteristic imperial tricolor of black, white, and red banding wrapped helically around the upper neck and footed base. The handle is a smooth white scroll form with a black-painted thumb purchase at the lower terminal. The interior of the upper rim is glazed white, with the small numeral 3 inscribed at the foot, presumably a factory size or batch mark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe central scene on the front of the body is the diagnostic regimental device of a German Pionier-Bataillon: a black foul anchor surmounted by a gilt royal crown, crossed behind with regimental flags, supported by a horn and bugle and a small red banner bearing the numeral 13 for the battalion designation. The anchor was the universal branch symbol of the Imperial pioneers, reflecting their primary role as bridge-builders and river-crossing specialists. To either side of this central device are vignettes of the unit at its trade. One scene shows a long pontoon bridge supported on boats laid across the Danube, with pioneers in white fatigue dress (Drillich) laying the deck planks while officers in dark service tunics supervise from the far shore. The Federal Fortress of Ulm and the silhouette of the Ulmer Münster, the cathedral with the tallest church steeple in the world at the time of this stein's manufacture, rise in the background. A second scene depicts pioneers at field exercise in dress uniform, with one rank firing a demonstration shot while comrades stand by with tools of the trade. The reverse continues with additional smaller vignettes including bivouac and quartering scenes. A pink ribbon banner threading through the imagery reads \"Wir üben zu Wasser und zu Land fürs Vaterland\" — \"We train on water and on land for the Fatherland\" — the explicit motto of the pioneer branch reflecting their dual amphibious and terrestrial role.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe upper neck of the stein carries two principal inscriptions in gilt Fraktur. The crowning line reads \"Hier sei wahr treu als Pionier\" or a close variant — \"Be here true and loyal as a pioneer\" — followed by the soldier's named dedication \"Pionier Henzler\" in bold gilt script. The lower foot band is inscribed in black \"Württb. Pionier Bataillon Nr. 13. Ulm\" and \"Zur Erinnerung an meine Dienstzeit\" — \"In remembrance of my service time.\" A subsidiary band notes \"2. Comp.\" identifying the specific company within the battalion. A further banner across the lower body reads \"Bruder hängt die Gläser an, es lebe der Reservemann\" — \"Brothers, raise the glasses, long live the reserve man\" — a stock toast inscription found across the regimental stein tradition and tied to the moment of completing one's service obligation and entering the reserve roll. A small additional inscription near the foot references the Kaisermanöver, the great annual imperial maneuvers conducted in the presence of Kaiser Wilhelm II, suggesting that Pionier Henzler's battalion participated in one of these large-scale exercises during his service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eFlanking the handle on both sides of the body are the comrade rosters, listing every man of the company by rank and surname in fine gilt Fraktur script. The left roster begins with the Gefreiter (lance-corporal) grade — Baier, Binder, Brehm, Henne, Lang, Schnell, Schweizer, Steinrück, Zimmermann — and then continues with the Pionier (private) grade — Adler, Bausch, Beck, Brentle, Bluthard, Dreher, Frölich, Gehring, Glöckle, Hamberg, Heller, Henzler, Heuss, Hofstein, Höflinger — with the recipient Henzler's name appearing among his peers. The right-side roster continues with additional Pionier names including Hermann, Hottenbach, Krämer, Krauß, Kaufmann, Locher, Madlener, Mauch, Maier, Megerle, Messerschmid, Müller, Nieffer, Renner, Schäfer, Scherer, Scherffeld, Schirle, Schmitt, Schumm, Schlenker, Stäble, Straub, and Weber, recording the full company strength as it stood in 1910. The presence of intact and fully legible comrade rosters is a meaningful feature; many surviving steins have lost their roster gilt to wear or cleaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe base of the stein is fitted with a hand-pressed Lithophane, the translucent porcelain plaque visible only when the empty stein is held up to a light source. The scene depicts a soldier in uniform parting with a young woman in a long dress, with a townscape and church steeple suggested in the background — a sentimental motif typical of the parting-from-the-sweetheart imagery favored on reservist steins of this era. The lithophane is intact, undamaged, and shows good transmission, which is a key authentication and condition point on any reservist stein and significantly affects value.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe pewter lid is unusually elaborate and matches the quality of the porcelain body. The lower dome is cast in high relief with martial trophies, military scenes including a horse-drawn limber, soldiers at drill, and a heraldic medallion bearing the Reichsadler (imperial eagle) over crossed pioneer tools — shovel, pickaxe, sapper's implements. The dome is crowned with a tall pedestal supporting a fully sculpted figural finial of a pioneer in service dress standing at attention with an anchor at his feet, identifying the branch unmistakably. The thumblift is the classic Imperial bird-of-prey form, a typical fitting for steins of this grade and period. The lid is hinged with a strap mount and remains tight and functional.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003ePionier-Bataillon Nr. 13 was the engineering battalion of the XIII (Königlich Württembergisches) Armee-Korps, the Royal Württemberg Army Corps that formed the kingdom of Württemberg's contingent within the Imperial German Army following the unification of 1871. The battalion was garrisoned at Ulm, the great fortress city on the Danube that anchored the southern German defensive line and provided ideal conditions for the training of river-crossing specialists. Imperial German pioneers were the engineering branch of the army, responsible for the construction of pontoon bridges and field bridges, the laying and clearing of obstacles, demolitions, mining and counter-mining, fortification construction, and the general technical support of infantry and cavalry operations. The pioneer's anchor device reflected the centrality of bridging work to the branch's identity. The Ulm garrison was particularly significant for pioneer training because the Danube provided a wide and fast-flowing river ideal for pontoon exercises, and the Federal Fortress complex offered extensive fortification training facilities. Soldiers who served their two-year compulsory term with Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 13 between roughly 1890 and 1914 left having mastered an unusually broad set of skills relevant to civilian engineering trades, which made the unit a popular service posting. The soldiers depicted on this stein, including the recipient Pionier Henzler, would have been called from the reserve to active mobilization in August 1914 with the outbreak of hostilities; many would have served with the battalion or its expanded wartime formations on the Western or Eastern Fronts. This stein captures their unit and their company exactly as it stood in the final peacetime years of the Kaiserreich.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe Reservistenkrug tradition itself emerged in the 1880s as the consequence of universal conscription under the Imperial Army, which annually released hundreds of thousands of young men back to civilian life after their compulsory active service. Traveling salesmen visited garrison towns in the final months of each service cohort, taking orders for personalized commemorative steins which were then produced by specialized porcelain factories in Bohemia, Thuringia, and elsewhere, fitted with pewter lids by Zinngiessereien in southern Germany, and delivered to the soldier's home address as he mustered out. The named soldier, named unit, named company, dated service period, comrade roster, lithophane, and elaborate figural lid found on the present example reflect the top tier of the tradition and the higher-grade offerings that a well-organized soldier could specify. Production of these steins ended abruptly in August 1914 and never resumed in the same form under the Weimar Reichswehr.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eCondition is excellent. The porcelain body shows no chips, cracks, or hairlines under examination. The polychrome decoration retains strong, vibrant color throughout, with no notable fading on the scenic panels and full intensity on the imperial tricolor banding. The gilt inscriptions and roster names remain bright and fully legible, including the fine Fraktur script of the comrade lists, which on lesser-preserved examples is often the first element to wear away. The lithophane base is undamaged and transmits a clear and full image. The pewter lid shows the expected age toning and minor surface oxidation but no losses, dents, or repairs; the figural pioneer finial and the bird-of-prey thumblift are both intact and well defined, and the hinge mechanism remains tight and functional. The base interior shows only minor age soiling consistent with original use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThree points carry the collector significance of this piece. First, the combination of named recipient, named unit, named company, dated service period, and full comrade roster is the strongest possible attribution package on a regimental stein and turns the object from a generic commemorative into a documentary record of a specific Imperial company at a specific moment. Second, Pionier (engineering) unit steins are scarcer on the market than the more common infantry, artillery, and cavalry examples, and the visually distinctive anchor-and-crown device makes them readily identifiable and display-attractive. Third, the elaborate figural pewter lid with the standing pioneer finial, combined with the intact lithophane and bright comrade rosters, represents the top tier of surviving reservist stein quality and is appreciably less common than examples that have lost their figural finial, suffered lithophane damage, or had their gilt rosters cleaned away. Taken together, the piece is a substantial Imperial-period regimental porcelain stein with strong educational, display, and study value, and a meaningful representative of the Württemberg engineering tradition in the final peacetime years of the Kaiserreich.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49519031615727,"sku":"18-104","price":1195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-104_1.jpg?v=1778699337"},{"product_id":"hanover-kings-german-legion-cast-iron-plaque-wedemeyer-nec-aspera-terrent","title":"Hanover Kings German Legion Cast Iron Plaque Wedemeyer Nec Aspera Terrent","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOriginal cast iron commemorative plaque honoring \u003cem\u003eDes Königs Deutsche Legion\u003c\/em\u003e (the King's German Legion), the Hanoverian formation that served in British pay against Napoleon from 1803 to 1816. The plaque takes the form of an elongated heraldic shield with a pointed base, cast in iron with a dark, near-black patinated finish. It measures 4.5 by 7 inches (approximately 11.4 by 17.8 cm) and weighs 13 ounces (approximately 369 grams).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe central relief renders the rearing \u003cem\u003eSachsenross\u003c\/em\u003e (Saxon Steed), the white horse of Lower Saxony and heraldic emblem of the House of Welf, mounted atop a plinth and trampling a fallen, vanquished figure beneath its forehooves. The modeling is vigorous and fully three-dimensional, the horse's flying mane, straining musculature, and open-mouthed defiance caught at the apex of its rear. The plinth below carries the raised Latin motto NEC ASPERA TERRENT (\"Nor do hardships deter [them]\"), the historic motto of the House of Hanover and of the units that bore its emblem, together with the dates 1803–1816 that bracket the Legion's existence from founding to disbandment. A smaller recessed frieze of marching soldiers occupies the panel below the inscription, reproducing in miniature one of the sculptural base reliefs designed for the monument. The lower edge of the field carries the incised signature H. WEDEMEYER. A second incised mark accompanied by a date appears within the face of the relief; it is not fully legible and likely represents a foundry or modeler's notation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe signature identifies the sculptor as Caspar Friedrich Heinrich Wedemeyer (1867–1941), a Lower Saxon-born artist who spent his career in Dresden. He trained at the Königliche Kunstakademie there from 1888, studying under Ernst Julius Hähnel and becoming a master pupil of Robert Diez in 1891, and worked as an independent sculptor in the city from 1902. He belonged to the Dresden artists' group Grün-Weiß, exhibited regularly at the city's national and international art shows from 1897, and was appointed professor at the Dresden Academy around 1928. His documented works include the bronze figure of the König-Albert monument at Radeberg, stucco reliefs for the festival halls of Schloss Waldenburg, and sculptures on equestrian themes such as his plaster \u003cem\u003ePferd und Reiter\u003c\/em\u003e (Horse and Rider) and \u003cem\u003eRossbändiger\u003c\/em\u003e (Horse-Tamer) — subjects that align closely with the rearing-horse composition seen on this plaque.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe design originates in one of the more poignant unrealized public monuments of Imperial Germany. In 1913, on the approach of the centenary of the Battle of Waterloo, a committee formed in Hanover to raise funds for a monument to the King's German Legion, to be erected at the Königsworther Platz with the support of the city administration. In February 1914 the memorial committee opened an artistic competition, and Wedemeyer — a Hanoverian working in Dresden — won first prize with an entry submitted under the title \u003cem\u003eBefreiung\u003c\/em\u003e (Liberation). The planned monument was colossal, intended to reach a total height of 15.30 meters (just over fifty feet). Its base was to carry the dedication \u003cem\u003eDer Königlich Deutschen Legion 1803–1816 das dankbare Volk\u003c\/em\u003e (\"To the King's German Legion 1803–1816, the grateful people\") together with the names of all forty-one battles and engagements in which the Legion had fought. Within weeks of the competition result, the First World War broke out and the project was suspended. It was never resumed: full-size plaster models of the figural group and the base reliefs were produced in 1923 at the Lauchhammer art foundry in the Niederlausitz, but the monument was never cast in permanent form. Those plaster models survived a remarkable odyssey — rescued from destruction after the Second World War, carried to the Nationalgalerie in Berlin where they lay for decades as unidentified holdings, and finally returned to Hanover's Historisches Museum, where they are preserved today. This small cast plaque reproduces Wedemeyer's central sculptural group and one of the base reliefs from that lost design, making it a tangible fragment of a monument that existed only on paper and in plaster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe formation the plaque commemorates holds an exceptional place in both German and British military history. When French troops occupied the Electorate of Hanover in 1803 and the Convention of Artlenburg forced the dissolution of its army, thousands of Hanoverian officers and soldiers refused French service and crossed the North Sea to Britain, whose king George III was simultaneously Elector of Hanover. There they were reconstituted, by the end of 1803, as the King's German Legion — a complete combined-arms corps of dragoons, hussars, light and line infantry, and horse and foot artillery, all German-speaking volunteers fighting for a sovereign who was at once their king and their elector. It became the only German formation to fight without interruption against Napoleon throughout the wars. The Legion served at Copenhagen in 1807, in Pomerania and Sicily, and won its greatest renown in the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal, where its cavalry earned a reputation as among the finest in the British army — at García Hernández in 1812 its dragoons achieved the rare feat of breaking formed French infantry squares. It shared in the liberation of northern Germany in 1813–14 and stood on the field at Waterloo in 1815, where the Legion's 2nd Light Battalion under Major Georg Baring defended the farmhouse of La Haye Sainte through the afternoon in one of the battle's decisive holding actions. Disbanded in 1816, its veterans formed the nucleus of the new Kingdom of Hanover's army, whose successor regiments were absorbed into the Imperial German Army after unification in 1871. The plaque's imagery — the trampled foe crushed beneath the defiant Welfenross — gives visual form to the Legion's self-understanding as an exiled force that never ceased resisting the occupier, and the motto \u003cem\u003eNec aspera terrent\u003c\/em\u003e frames that endurance in a single line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eCondition is very good and consistent with an original period casting. The relief detail is crisp and complete, the patina even and undisturbed, and the raised lettering fully legible across the motto and dates. There is no cracking, no active corrosion, and no evident repair. The reverse is plain, carrying the negative impression of the relief and the normal surface texture of the casting. No wall-mounting hardware is present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor the collector, the plaque brings together several strands of interest that rarely coincide in a single small object. It is a signed work by an identifiable academic sculptor, a professor of the Dresden Academy whose larger commissions are documented and preserved. It commemorates a formation of the first rank in the shared military history of Hanover and Britain, from the exile of 1803 to the ridge at Mont-Saint-Jean. And it is a surviving relic of an ambitious Hanoverian monument that the First World War prevented from ever being built — the design known otherwise chiefly through the plaster models now in a museum. That combination of secure attribution, deep historical resonance, and connection to a lost public monument sets it well apart from anonymous decorative iron castings of the period. Signed Wedemeyer plaques of this design are seldom encountered on the collector market.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50141737550063,"sku":"18-106","price":372.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-106_1.jpg?v=1783362209"},{"product_id":"imperial-german-wwi-1917-horseshoe-photo-frame-railway-ausweichen-winkel-andenken","title":"Imperial German WWI 1917 Horseshoe Photo Frame Railway Ausweichen Winkel Andenken","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOriginal World War I-period German commemorative photo frame formed from a heavy iron horseshoe, engraved along its lower face with a dedication marking the construction of railway passing loops (\u003cem\u003eAusweichen\u003c\/em\u003e) at a place named Winkel in 1917. The piece belongs to the broad family of soldier-made and commissioned \u003cem\u003eAndenken\u003c\/em\u003e (keepsakes or mementos) produced during the Great War to mark units, postings, and completed works, and it sits at the intersection of militaria and period German home décor as a functional standing frame.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe frame is built around a genuine used horseshoe of substantial weight, retaining its nail holes and the raised calks at the heel. The shoe has been fitted with a shaped sheet-metal backing that creates an arched picture aperture, secured with rivets at the branches and closed at the base by a scalloped apron. A flat iron easel strut is hinged to the reverse, allowing the piece to stand upright on a desk or shelf, and the original card photo-mount survives within the aperture. The whole carries a dark, near-black finish with handling wear consistent with age. The frame measures 7 by 7.6 inches (approximately 17.8 by 19.3 cm) and weighs 2 pounds 12 ounces (approximately 1.25 kg), a heft that reflects its origin as a working shoe rather than a decorative casting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe scalloped apron across the base is engraved in \u003cem\u003eFraktur\u003c\/em\u003e-influenced capitals: \u003cem\u003eAndenken \/ an dem Bau der Ausweichen \/ in Winkel \/ 19 [Iron Cross] 17\u003c\/em\u003e, which translates as \"Memento of the construction of the passing loops at Winkel, 1917.\" A small Iron Cross device is set between the \"19\" and \"17\" of the date, giving the wartime context in a single stroke. In railway usage \u003cem\u003eAusweichen\u003c\/em\u003e (literally \"to give way\") denotes passing loops or sidings — the short parallel track sections that allow trains to pass one another on a single-track line, and a routine but essential element of the field railway network. The card mount behind the aperture bears a pencil inscription in old German cursive; it is faint and not legible enough to transcribe with confidence, and likely represents a soldier's name or a brief personal dedication.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe dedication places the frame squarely within the world of the \u003cem\u003eEisenbahntruppen\u003c\/em\u003e (railway troops), also called \u003cem\u003eEisenbahnpioniere\u003c\/em\u003e, the specialist engineer formations that built, repaired, operated, and when necessary destroyed the railways on which the German war effort depended. By the standards of 1914–1918 this was a major arm: roughly 100,000 men served in the railway troops during the war, distinguished by the letter \"E\" on their shoulder straps, and the German army fielded hundreds of distinct railway war-formations, including dedicated construction and operating companies. Their work was decisive in the \u003cem\u003eStellungskrieg\u003c\/em\u003e, the positional warfare of the trench lines, where — as the military writer George Soldan later described — railway troops laid feeder tracks for the heaviest batteries, built track curves and spurs for railway guns, and constructed column-unloading points, often in secrecy close behind the front before a major offensive. The construction of \u003cem\u003eAusweichen\u003c\/em\u003e was exactly this kind of task: expanding the throughput of a supply line by allowing more trains to move in both directions. A frame commemorating the completion of such loops at a named location in 1917 is a personal artifact of that logistical war, the part of the conflict fought with survey stakes, ballast, and rail rather than rifles, yet without which the front could not have been fed. The choice of a horseshoe as the frame — a folk emblem of luck, and a fitting one for men whose survival depended on the reliability of what they built — is characteristic of the sentimental register of wartime \u003cem\u003eAndenken\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eCondition is good and consistent with a century-old iron keepsake that saw real use. The horseshoe is solid, the engraved apron fully legible across the dedication and date, and the easel strut intact and functional. The finish shows honest wear, minor surface roughness, and the expected darkening of aged iron; there is no structural damage or break. The original card mount is present but age-toned, with foxing and a couple of small stains, and the pencil inscription upon it is faded. No period photograph remains in the aperture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor the collector, the appeal lies in the specificity and the subject. Commemorative \u003cem\u003eAndenken\u003c\/em\u003e of the Great War survive in some number, but most mark a regiment, a garrison, or a general term of service; a piece that documents a concrete engineering task — the building of railway passing loops at a named place in a datable year, stamped with the Iron Cross — is considerably more particular, and speaks directly to the under-collected but historically central story of the German railway troops. It presents equally well as a militaria piece tied to the \u003cem\u003eEisenbahntruppen\u003c\/em\u003e and as a decorative standing frame in a period interior, and it carries the immediacy of an object made by or for the men who did the work. Frames of this engraved, location-specific type are seldom encountered.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50141766418671,"sku":"18-107","price":286.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-107_1.jpg?v=1783363258"},{"product_id":"imperial-german-wwi-1914-patriotic-porcelain-plate-die-deutschen-heerfuhrer-kaiser","title":"Imperial German WWI 1914 Patriotic Porcelain Plate Die Deutschen Heerfuhrer Kaiser","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOriginal World War I-period German patriotic porcelain wall plate titled \u003cem\u003eDie Deutschen Heerführer\u003c\/em\u003e (\"The German Army Commanders\"), dated 1914 and centered on Kaiser Wilhelm II, surrounded by transfer-printed portrait vignettes of the senior commanders of the Imperial German Army at the outbreak of the war. The plate measures 10 inches (approximately 25.4 cm) in diameter and belongs to the family of commemorative porcelain produced in large quantities across Germany in 1914 and 1915, of which this multi-portrait commanders' version is among the more elaborate and sought designs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe plate is white-glazed porcelain with a molded rim and gilt line trim. The central field carries fourteen photographic portraits reproduced in monochrome transfer print, arranged in a symmetrical composition within a naturalistically painted wreath of green oak leaves and acorns, the German emblem of steadfastness and military virtue. At the top center is the Imperial crown in gold and crimson; at the exact center of the plate, in an upright rectangular frame bordered with a gilt laurel band, is Kaiser Wilhelm II in general's uniform wearing the star and sash of a senior order. Directly below the central group is the \u003cem\u003eEiserne Kreuz\u003c\/em\u003e (Iron Cross) of 1914 with its crowned \"W\" cypher and the date, above a scrolled banner lettered \u003cem\u003eGott mit uns\u003c\/em\u003e (\"God with us\"), the motto borne on the Prussian and Imperial belt buckle. The plate's title, \u003cem\u003eDie Deutschen Heerführer\u003c\/em\u003e, runs in block capitals across the lower rim, and the date \u003cem\u003e1914\u003c\/em\u003e across the top.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eEach portrait is captioned in a small banner or beneath the oval with the commander's name, and together they form a portrait gallery of the men who led the German armies in the opening campaigns of the war. Reading the plate, the figures include, in the upper arc, \u003cem\u003evon Heeringen\u003c\/em\u003e (Josias von Heeringen, commander of the Seventh Army in the West), \u003cem\u003eKronprinz Rupprecht von Bayern\u003c\/em\u003e (Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, commander of the Sixth Army and the most senior South German royal soldier), and \u003cem\u003eHerzog von Württemberg\u003c\/em\u003e (Duke Albrecht of Württemberg, commander of the Fourth Army). Flanking the Kaiser in the central row are \u003cem\u003evon Bülow\u003c\/em\u003e (Karl von Bülow, commander of the Second Army in the advance through Belgium and northern France) and \u003cem\u003evon Hausen\u003c\/em\u003e (Max von Hausen, the Saxon general who led the Third Army), together with two general officers shown in rectangular frames to either side of the Emperor, one of whom is the German Crown Prince as an army commander. Across the lower group are \u003cem\u003evon Emmich\u003c\/em\u003e (Otto von Emmich, who led the assault on the fortresses of Liège in August 1914), \u003cem\u003evon Kluck\u003c\/em\u003e (Alexander von Kluck, commander of the First Army on the extreme right wing of the march on Paris), \u003cem\u003evon Hindenburg\u003c\/em\u003e (Paul von Hindenburg, victor of Tannenberg on the Eastern Front and later Chief of the General Staff), \u003cem\u003evon Beseler\u003c\/em\u003e (Hans von Beseler, who directed the siege and capture of Antwerp), and \u003cem\u003evon Falkenhayn\u003c\/em\u003e (Erich von Falkenhayn, who succeeded Moltke the Younger as Chief of the General Staff in late 1914). The assembly captures the high command precisely as it stood in the first months of the conflict, before the deaths, dismissals, and promotions of the middle war years reshaped it, which is what fixes the plate so firmly to 1914.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eHistorically, these commemorative plates occupy a specific place in the German home front of the Great War. In the patriotic fervor of 1914 an enormous variety of porcelain wall plates, cups, and steins bearing the Kaiser, Hindenburg, the Iron Cross, and martial mottoes were produced for a civilian public eager to display allegiance, and they were hung in parlors and kitchens across the Empire. The commanders' plate is a particularly informative example of the genre, functioning as a printed roll of the army's leadership and a piece of visual propaganda that placed the dynastic crown, the Iron Cross, and the professional generalcy within a single unifying wreath. As a survival, it documents both the material culture of the wartime household and the cult of military personality that surrounded these figures, several of whom, Hindenburg above all, would remain central to German public life long after 1918.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe reverse is plain white glaze with concentric foot rings and a painted pattern or decorator's number, \u003cem\u003e2233\u003c\/em\u003e, at the center; no printed factory mark is present, which is not unusual for the decorated blanks used in this class of patriotic ware.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eCondition is very good for a decorated porcelain plate of this age. The plate is structurally sound with no chips or cracks. There is light surface wear and some fine scratching to the printed and gilt decoration, most visible across the central portraits and the gilt frame, consistent with age and handling; the portraits, captions, and lettering remain clear and fully legible, and the oak-wreath coloring and gilding are bright. The glaze retains good gloss.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor the collector, the plate offers strong appeal on several counts: it is an original 1914-dated example of the most content-rich variant of the WWI patriotic plate, naming and portraying the entire opening-campaign high command rather than a single figure; it combines the Kaiser, the Iron Cross, the Imperial crown, and the army's leadership in one well-composed design; and at 10 inches it is a substantial display piece. Multi-portrait commanders' plates of this pattern are less commonly encountered than the single-subject Hindenburg and Kaiser plates and are correspondingly desirable to collectors of Imperial German home-front material and WWI patriotic porcelain.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50144888684783,"sku":"18-108","price":195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-108_1.jpg?v=1783453366"},{"product_id":"rosenthal-1915-red-cross-charity-plate-zumbusch-putto-german-austrian-arms-wwi","title":"Rosenthal 1915 Red Cross Charity Plate Zumbusch Putto German Austrian Arms WWI","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOriginal World War I-period Rosenthal porcelain commemorative plate, a Red Cross benefit issue of 1915 designed by Professor Ludwig von Zumbusch, depicting a standing child who holds the shields of Germany and Austria-Hungary beneath the flag of the Red Cross. The plate measures approximately 9 inches (about 21.5 cm) in diameter and is a fully marked, artist-signed example of the finest class of German wartime charity porcelain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe central field carries a monochrome sepia photogravure-style transfer of a nude \u003cem\u003ePutto\u003c\/em\u003e (child genius) striding forward, a Red Cross flag furled on a staff over his right shoulder. To either side he steadies a heraldic shield: at left the double-headed eagle, at right its companion, representing the arms of the allied Central Powers of the German Empire and Austria-Hungary joined in common cause. The composition is signed in the image at lower right with the artist's initials \u003cem\u003eL. v. Z.\u003c\/em\u003e The plain white rim frames the scene, and the reverse bears an extensive printed inscription in black with the green Rosenthal crown-and-crossed-lines mark of the \u003cem\u003eKunst-Abteilung\u003c\/em\u003e (Art Department) at Selb in Bavaria.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe reverse identifies every particular of the plate. Across the top runs a two-line verse by the poet Ludwig Fulda: \u003cem\u003e\"Ein Segenspfand, gewidmet jenen Händen, die herbem Kriegsleid sanfte Lindrung spenden\"\u003c\/em\u003e (\"A pledge of blessing, dedicated to those hands that bring gentle relief to bitter war-suffering\"), a dedication to the nurses and carers whose work the sale of the plate supported. Below, flanking the Rosenthal mark, are the names of the two sponsoring charitable bodies: the \u003cem\u003ePreussischer Landesverein vom Roten Kreuz\u003c\/em\u003e (Prussian Provincial Association of the Red Cross) at left and the \u003cem\u003eVaterländischer Frauenverein\u003c\/em\u003e (Patriotic Women's Association) at right. Beneath is the title \u003cem\u003eZur Erinnerung an große Zeit 1915\u003c\/em\u003e (\"In remembrance of a great time, 1915\"), and at the foot the attribution \u003cem\u003eZeichnung von Prof. L. v. Zumbusch\u003c\/em\u003e (\"drawing by Prof. L. von Zumbusch\"). Two pierced lugs are molded into the reverse rim for wall suspension.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe plate is a document of the German home front and of the vast charitable apparatus mobilized behind the war. From 1914 onward the \u003cem\u003eRote Kreuz\u003c\/em\u003e associations and the \u003cem\u003eVaterländischer Frauenverein\u003c\/em\u003e, the latter a Prussian women's organization founded in 1866 to support wartime medical and welfare work, raised funds for field hospitals, nursing, and the care of the wounded through the sale of patriotic goods. Rosenthal, one of the foremost Bavarian porcelain houses, lent its Art Department and leading designers to the effort, producing benefit plates of a quality far above the ordinary commemorative ware of the period. The pairing of the German and Austrian arms under the neutral banner of the Red Cross expresses both the military alliance of the Central Powers and the humanitarian ideal invoked to justify and soften the war, while Fulda's couplet directs the sentiment specifically toward the caregivers rather than the combatants, an unusually tender note within the martial output of 1915.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe design is the work of Ludwig von Zumbusch (1861–1927), a painter and illustrator of the Munich school and son of the sculptor Kaspar von Zumbusch. He was a prominent figure of the \u003cem\u003eJugendstil\u003c\/em\u003e, a regular contributor to the celebrated Munich satirical and artistic weekly \u003cem\u003eJugend\u003c\/em\u003e, from which the movement took its name, and was widely known for his tender, luminous depictions of children and mothers. His graceful, classicizing treatment of the child figure here is entirely characteristic of his hand, and his participation, like Rosenthal's, reflects the mobilization of Germany's leading artists in the patriotic cause. The verse is by Ludwig Fulda (1862–1939), a successful dramatist, poet, and translator of the same generation, celebrated for his German renderings of Molière and Rostand, whose facility with the epigrammatic couplet is well shown in the two lines chosen for the plate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eCondition is very good and consistent with a wall-displayed charity plate of its age. The plate is structurally sound with no chips or cracks. The sepia image is clear and complete with fine tonal gradation; there is light surface scratching visible across the darker ground under raking light, and minor wear consistent with handling. The reverse inscriptions and both maker's marks are crisp and fully legible, and the suspension lugs are intact. The glaze retains good gloss overall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor the collector, the plate unites several desirable threads: it is a marked Rosenthal Art Department piece, a signed design by a named Jugendstil artist of standing, a First World War Red Cross and \u003cem\u003eVaterländischer Frauenverein\u003c\/em\u003e charity issue with full documentary inscription, and a graphically striking image joining the German and Austrian arms under the Red Cross. Wartime Rosenthal charity plates of this Zumbusch design are encountered from time to time and are valued both within Imperial German home-front collecting and among collectors of Red Cross and medical-service history and of Jugendstil porcelain.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50144898220271,"sku":"18-109","price":165.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-109_1.jpg?v=1783453551"},{"product_id":"von-hindenburg-hutschenreuther-relief-portrait-plate-blue-glaze-reichsprasident","title":"Von Hindenburg Hutschenreuther Relief Portrait Plate Blue Glaze Reichsprasident","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOriginal German porcelain relief portrait plate depicting Paul von Hindenburg, modeled in raised relief under a soft blue glaze and produced by the \u003cem\u003eAbteilung für Kunst\u003c\/em\u003e (Art Department) of Lorenz Hutschenreuther at Selb in Bavaria. The plate measures 10 inches (approximately 25.4 cm) in diameter and is named in raised capital letters, \u003cem\u003evon HINDENBURG\u003c\/em\u003e, molded into the lower border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe plate is finely potted white porcelain. The central field carries a three-dimensional molded bust of Hindenburg turned slightly to his left, glazed in tonal blue-on-white that reads almost as a sculptural medallion, the modeling capturing the heavy brow, the deep-set eyes, and the broad upswept moustache that made his features among the most recognizable in Germany. He is shown in civilian dress, a dark suit with a wing collar and knotted tie, rather than in uniform. Encircling the portrait is a border of gilt dots and dashes, and the rim beyond is molded with a continuous embossed scroll-and-spiral relief left in the white. The reverse bears the printed green mark of the maker, a lion within an oval over the initials \u003cem\u003eL.H.S.\u003c\/em\u003e, with \u003cem\u003eHutschenreuther\u003c\/em\u003e above, \u003cem\u003eSelb\u003c\/em\u003e below, and \u003cem\u003eAbteilung für Kunst\u003c\/em\u003e beneath that, and is fitted with an old twisted-wire hanging loop across the foot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe civilian portrait and the form of the mark together place the plate in the years of the Weimar Republic rather than the First World War. The \u003cem\u003eAbteilung für Kunst\u003c\/em\u003e mark in this form was used from about 1919 into the later 1920s, and the choice to depict Hindenburg out of uniform, in the sober dress of a head of state, corresponds to his service as \u003cem\u003eReichspräsident\u003c\/em\u003e (President of the Reich), to which he was first elected in 1925 and re-elected in 1932. Wartime Hutschenreuther plates of Hindenburg, by contrast, show him uniformed as a \u003cem\u003eGeneralfeldmarschall\u003c\/em\u003e with the \u003cem\u003ePour le Mérite\u003c\/em\u003e and Iron Cross and are dated to 1914–1915. This is therefore best understood as a presidential-era commemorative, produced for a public that continued to venerate Hindenburg through the 1920s as the living embodiment of the old army and of national continuity after the collapse of the monarchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe figure it honors had by then become the central personality of German public life across three eras. Paul von Hindenburg (1847–1934) had fought as a young officer in the wars of German unification, at Königgrätz in 1866 and at the proclamation of the Empire at Versailles in 1871, before retiring in 1911. Recalled at the outbreak of war in 1914, he and his chief of staff Erich Ludendorff destroyed the invading Russian armies at the Battle of Tannenberg in the war's first weeks, a victory that made Hindenburg a national hero on a scale no other commander approached. He rose to Chief of the General Staff in 1916 and directed the German war effort through its final campaigns. His fame carried him, in retirement and old age, into the presidency of the Weimar Republic in 1925, a post he held until his death in 1934. This plate belongs to the vast material culture of the \"Hindenburg cult,\" the outpouring of portraits, busts, medals, postcards, and commemorative porcelain through which ordinary Germans expressed their attachment to him from the war years onward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eCondition is excellent and very nearly pristine. The plate is structurally sound with no chips, cracks, or restoration. The relief portrait is crisp and the blue glaze clean and bright throughout, with no discoloration or fading; the gilt-dot border is complete and the embossed white rim sharp. The reverse mark is clear and fully legible, and the old wire hanger remains in place and functional. The plate presents as an exceptional survival with only the most minor traces of handling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor the collector, the plate offers a strongly modeled, immediately recognizable portrait of the most important German personality of the era, executed by one of Bavaria's leading porcelain houses through its dedicated art department, and named in the mold. Hindenburg personality material is a well-established collecting field spanning the war years and the presidency, and a sculptural relief plate in the blue-glaze manner, in this state of preservation, is a more substantial and display-worthy example than the common transfer-printed plates. Its Art Department mark, relief modeling, and near-perfect condition set it well above ordinary commemorative ware.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50144926236911,"sku":"18-110","price":159.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-110_1.jpg?v=1783453926"},{"product_id":"arcadian-crested-china-model-british-airship-hull-arms-wwi-souvenir-rd-657737","title":"Arcadian Crested China Model British Airship Hull Arms WWI Souvenir Rd 657737","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOriginal First World War-period British crested souvenir china in the form of a model airship, made by Arcadian China of Stoke-on-Trent and bearing the enameled arms of the city of Kingston-upon-Hull. The piece measures 5.5 by 1.5 inches (approximately 14 by 3.8 cm) and is a characteristic example of the wartime \"heraldic china\" that was among the most popular British souvenirs of the Great War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe model takes the form of a streamlined airship or dirigible raised on twin pylons above a flat oval plinth, glazed white overall with fine gilt lining to the control car, tail fins, and forward gondola detail, and with two small square gondola or engine-car openings molded along the lower hull. To the upper side of the envelope is a color transfer of the coat of arms of Kingston-upon-Hull: a blue shield charged with three gold ducal coronets in pale, above a yellow scroll lettered HULL. The underside is printed in black with the Arcadian globe-and-crown mark and the initials A. \u0026amp; S. over STOKE-ON-TRENT, together with the impressed and printed registration number Rd No 657737 and a small hand-painted number in orange.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe maker and the registration number date the piece closely. Arcadian was the trade name of Arkinstall \u0026amp; Sons of Stoke-on-Trent, and the globe-surmounted-by-crown mark in this form was introduced in 1912. The registration number 657737 is a Great War registration recorded on other Arcadian military models of the period, including the firm's well-known despatch-rider figure, placing this airship in the years around 1915 to 1918. Contemporary records note that Arcadian's model British airships were being sold at Stoke-on-Trent late in the war, one documented example priced at one shilling and fourpence in December 1918.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe airship belongs to a distinctive category of wartime popular culture. Crested souvenir china had been developed in the later nineteenth century, credited chiefly to William Henry Goss and his sons, as inexpensive white porcelain models carrying the arms of the town where they were sold, their popularity fed by the growth of the railways and of domestic seaside tourism. With the outbreak of war in 1914 the Staffordshire potteries, Arcadian, Carlton, Grafton, Savoy, Shelley, Swan, and others, rapidly registered new patriotic and military designs: shells, bombs, mines, warships, aeroplanes, tanks, ambulances, and airships. Topicality mattered more than technical accuracy, and the models let civilians on the home front hold a small, cheerful token of the vast machinery of the war. The airship was a natural subject: airship and Zeppelin raids on British towns, and Britain's own airship program, made the great dirigibles a fixture of wartime public consciousness. Carrying the arms of Hull, an East Yorkshire port city that itself suffered airship raids during the war, this example would have been sold locally as an inexpensive keepsake, an ordinary family's memento of an extraordinary time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eCondition is very good for a piece of this fragile class. The model is intact with no chips or cracks, retaining crisp gilding to the fins, car, and gondola detail, and a bright, cleanly registered Hull crest. There is minor overall wear consistent with age, light surface soiling to the white glaze, and a small area of old adhesive residue to the base, with the maker's mark and registration number clear and legible. The piece stands securely on its plinth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor the collector, the appeal lies in the subject and the field. Crested china is a long-established British collecting area with active followings by maker, by locality, and by theme; wartime military models are among the most sought categories, and the airship is one of the more desirable Great War forms, well above the common vases and domestic shapes. A clean example with bright gilding, an intact hull, and a legible city crest and maker's mark presents well and carries its history plainly. It would suit a collector of Goss and crested china, of aviation and airship material, or of First World War home-front memorabilia.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50144963920111,"sku":"18-113","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-111_7.jpg?v=1783454633"},{"product_id":"carlton-crested-china-model-airship-armistice-1918-victory-of-justice-southport","title":"Carlton Crested China Model Airship Armistice 1918 Victory of Justice Southport","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOriginal First World War-period British crested souvenir china in the form of a model airship, made by Carlton China of Stoke-on-Trent and commemorating the Armistice of November 1918. The piece measures 5 by 1.5 inches (approximately 12.7 by 3.8 cm) and combines two of the most collected themes in wartime heraldic china: the airship form and a dated peace commemorative legend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe model is a streamlined dirigible with a ribbed, segmented envelope and integral molded landing skids, glazed white overall. Along the upper hull is a printed commemorative inscription in black, \u003cem\u003eTHE VICTORY OF JUSTICE \/ ARMISTICE OF THE GREAT WAR \/ SIGNED NOV 11TH 1918\u003c\/em\u003e, and below it a color transfer coat of arms: a shield with a red chief bearing a central bird between fleurs-de-lis over horizontal wavy bars of blue and white, surmounted by a mural crown and set upon a yellow scroll lettered \u003cem\u003eHONOR ALIT ARTES\u003c\/em\u003e (\"Honour nourishes the arts\"), with a further caption \u003cem\u003eTOWN HALL\u003c\/em\u003e beneath. The arms and motto are those of the Borough of Southport, the Lancashire seaside resort, the \u003cem\u003eTOWN HALL\u003c\/em\u003e label identifying the local landmark for which this souvenir was sold. The underside carries the printed Carlton China mark for Stoke-on-Trent with the registration notation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe maker and the inscription place the piece precisely. Carlton China was the trade name of Wiltshaw \u0026amp; Robinson of Stoke-on-Trent, one of the principal Staffordshire producers of crested souvenir ware alongside Goss, Arcadian, Grafton, Savoy, and others. The Armistice legend fixes the model to the period immediately following 11 November 1918 and into 1919, marking it as a peace or victory commemorative rather than a wartime issue. Where the airship models registered earlier in the war served to bring the great dirigibles of the conflict into the parlor as topical novelties, this example turns the same popular form to celebration, pairing the shape that had symbolized the war in the air with the announcement of its end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe airship belongs to a distinctive strand of British home-front material culture. Crested china developed in the later nineteenth century, credited to William Henry Goss and his sons, as inexpensive white porcelain models carrying the arms of the place where they were sold, its popularity carried by the railways and the growth of domestic seaside tourism. With the coming of war in 1914 the Staffordshire potteries rapidly registered patriotic and military designs, shells, mines, warships, tanks, aeroplanes, and airships among them, sold as affordable keepsakes to a public hungry for tangible connection to the great events of the day. Topicality outweighed accuracy, and the models trace the mood of the home front from the anxious early war years through to the relief and triumph of the Armistice. Carrying the arms of Southport and the date of the Armistice, this piece is a small monument to the peace as an ordinary family would have marked it, a seaside souvenir turned into a memorial of the war's end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eCondition is very good for a piece of this fragile class. The model is intact with no chips or cracks, retaining a clean glaze, a crisp and cleanly registered Southport crest, and a fully legible commemorative inscription and maker's mark. There is minor overall wear consistent with age and a little light surface soiling. The model stands securely on its molded skids.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor the collector, the appeal is the combination of desirable features in one small object: the airship, among the more sought Great War crested-china forms; a dated Armistice commemorative legend, which lifts the piece above the ordinary crested souvenir; the identifiable Southport arms; and a clear Carlton maker's mark. It would suit collectors of Goss and crested china, of aviation and airship material, and of Armistice and First World War commemoratives. As British Armistice-period souvenir ware rather than Imperial German material, it sits outside the core Kaiserreich specialty and belongs with the shop's non-German pieces, but as a Great War airship commemorative it is a clean and appealing example of its kind.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50144981811439,"sku":"18-114","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-114_1.jpg?v=1783455080"},{"product_id":"braunschweig-war-merit-cross-award-paperweight-named-ribbon-watenbuttel-wwi","title":"Braunschweig War Merit Cross Award Paperweight Named Ribbon Watenbuttel WWI","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOriginal First World War-period German commemorative glass paperweight from the Duchy of Brunswick, enclosing a section of award ribbon together with the printed notice announcing the award of the \u003cem\u003eBraunschweigisches Kriegsverdienstkreuz\u003c\/em\u003e (Brunswick War Merit Cross) to a named local recipient. The piece measures 4 by 2.5 by 0.5 inches (approximately 10.2 by 6.4 by 1.3 cm), a flat rectangular block of clear glass with rounded corners, the paper and textile insert sealed to the underside and viewed through the glass from above.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eSet beneath the glass is a diagonal length of the medal's silk ribbon in yellow with blue side stripes, laid across a mottled ground, above a printed paper strip lettered in German blackletter. The heading reads \u003cem\u003eDas Braunschweigische Kriegsverdienstkreuz\u003c\/em\u003e (The Brunswick War Merit Cross), and the notice below, in \u003cem\u003eFraktur\u003c\/em\u003e, states: \u003cem\u003eDas Braunschw. Kriegsverdienstkreuz am gelb-blauen Bande ist dem Landwirt Eduard Helms in Watenbüttel verliehen worden\u003c\/em\u003e — \"The Brunswick War Merit Cross on the yellow-blue ribbon has been awarded to the farmer Eduard Helms in Watenbüttel.\" The insert thus records a specific, named bestowal of the decoration, pairing a physical piece of the award ribbon with the printed announcement of the honor. The underside is backed in dark paper, and the block shows age toning and some moisture-related clouding and residue within, consistent with a century-old sealed keepsake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe decoration named is one of the principal honors of the Duchy of Brunswick. The \u003cem\u003eKriegsverdienstkreuz\u003c\/em\u003e, also called the \u003cem\u003eErnst-August-Kreuz\u003c\/em\u003e, was instituted on 23 October 1914 by Ernst August, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, to be awarded, in the words of the statute, without distinction of rank or standing for merit in the war. It is a bronze cross pattée bearing the ducal cypher \u003cem\u003eEA\u003c\/em\u003e at its center, the Brunswick crown to the upper arm, the date 1914 to the lower, and oak-leaf sprays to the sides, with the reverse legend \u003cem\u003eFür Verdienst im Kriege\u003c\/em\u003e (\"For Merit in War\"). Originally a single-class award, it gained a First Class in pinback form on 20 March 1918, the existing cross becoming the Second Class. From 17 November 1915 the cross could also be conferred on a distinct ribbon for non-combatants, to recognize services not directly connected with fighting: where the combatant's ribbon is blue with yellow side stripes, the non-combatant ribbon reverses the arrangement to yellow with blue side stripes. The ribbon sealed into this paperweight is that yellow-blue non-combatant ribbon, and the notice's description of the recipient as a \u003cem\u003eLandwirt\u003c\/em\u003e (farmer) is entirely consistent with such a home-front award, granted for agricultural or civil contribution to the war effort rather than for service at the front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe named recipient roots the piece firmly in its place. Watenbüttel is a village on the outskirts of the city of Brunswick, long since absorbed into it, and Eduard Helms was evidently a local farmer whose wartime service to the duchy was recognized with the cross and reported, as such awards routinely were, in the regional press. The paperweight was almost certainly made as a personal or family keepsake, preserving the printed announcement and a fragment of the ribbon under glass as a permanent memento of the honor. Objects of this kind, combining an actual ribbon relic with the documented name of the recipient, occupy the ground between decoration collecting and archival document, and are considerably scarcer and more personal than the medals themselves. The Duchy of Brunswick, ruled at the war's outbreak by Ernst August, the son-in-law of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the last reigning Welf duke, holds a particular fascination for collectors of the smaller German states, and its distinctive awards and the units associated with it, the Brunswick Infantry Regiment No. 92 and the Brunswick Hussar Regiment No. 17 with their death's-head tradition, are keenly followed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eCondition is consistent with a sealed glass keepsake of over a century's age. The glass block is intact, with edge and corner wear and light chips consistent with use as a paperweight. The interior shows age toning, some clouding, and moisture-related discoloration to the backing, but the ribbon retains its yellow and blue coloring and the printed notice remains legible in full, including the recipient's name and place. The dark paper backing is worn and partially abraded at the edges. The named inscription, the feature that gives the piece its interest, is clear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor the collector, the appeal is the rare conjunction of relic and record: a genuine section of the Brunswick War Merit Cross non-combatant ribbon preserved together with the printed, named announcement of its award to an identifiable Brunswick farmer. It is at once a state-award piece, a named document, and a home-front keepsake, and it speaks directly to the way an ordinary family memorialized an honor received in the Great War. Such personalized award ephemera from the smaller German states survive far less often than the decorations themselves, and rarely with the recipient named so plainly.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50144998129903,"sku":"18-115","price":97.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-115_1.jpg?v=1783455545"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/collections\/c11232fc5cf1f65710f0cf2f47e18d92.jpg?v=1739478814","url":"https:\/\/derrittmeister.com\/collections\/german-figurines.oembed?page=2","provider":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","version":"1.0","type":"link"}