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  U.S. / GERMANY – NEWSPAPER – FRAMED – FELIX GRAF von LUCKNER COLLECTION FROM UNITED STATES VISIT

  SKU: 21-326

  $795.00

  This is a beautifully arranged four-piece framed collection honoring Felix Graf von Luckner. The entire piece measures 28″ x 30 ½.” It is professionally mounted with a glass front and antique brown matting within its gold-toned, solid-wood frame. It features three photographs of von Luckner, along with a front page newspaper article. The front page is from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor’s Michigan Daily, a student newspaper, and is displayed on the frame’s left half. The article is dated November 1, 1928 and titled “German Raider Speaks Tonight.” The article features von Luckner’s photo and announces his appearance at the U of M auditorium. It further states that he will be speaking to the audience about his adventures as Germany’s “Sea Devil,” the friendly foe of the allied merchant marines. The well-preserved newspaper measures 17″ x 21.”
  The frame’s top right section features a signed photo of a well dressed von Luckner aboard a ship, casually smoking his pipe. The signed photograph measures 4 ¼”x 6,” and sits within a 6 ½” x 8 ½” white matte border that bears von Luckner’s signature. A 4 ¼” x and 6 ¼” professional photograph that features Luckner, Henry Ford and von Luckner’s wife, Ingeborg von Luckner, appears below the signed photograph. [The latter was taken in New York on January 11, 1928]. The frame’s bottom right section features a 4 ½”x 6 ½” candid snapshot of von Luckner and his friend “Bill,” along with a handwritten message in German. [We are unable to further identify the other gentleman, except to note that the handwritten note is signed Bill].
  Felix Graf von Luckner (1881-1966) was one of WW I’s most interesting naval figures. To say that he was a colorful figure is an absolute understatement!
  Von Luckner came from an aristocratic family and did not want to follow the life path required by his father. Instead, he left home at a young age and traveled around the world taking any number of physically-demanding jobs: working in a circus, as a lumberman, and many positions requiring heavy labor. His father wanted him to join the cavalry, but von Luckner said he would not return to his family until he could wear his Emperor’s naval uniform. He returned to Germany in 1911 and passed his exams for the merchant fleet. He joined the Kaiserliche Marine in 1912 and returned home as a naval officer. His first posting was aboard the S. M. S. Panther, one of the six-ship S. M. S. Iltis Gunboat Class that saw service off South America’s coast and in the Caribbean. With WW I’s advent, von Luckner found himself posted to the battleship S. M. S. Kronprinz Wilhelm. He commanded one of her main turrets, and acquitted himself well at 1916’s Battle of Jutland (Skagerrakschlacht).
  He next was given his first command, the S. M. S. Seeadler (Sea Eagle). It was a highly unusual ship, a three-masted, steel-bodied sailing ship that had been captured by a U-Boot. It then was converted to a Commerce Raider that boasted two 105mm (10.5cm) cannons, as well as machine guns. Now war-ready, the ship departed from Germany in December 1916.
  During its 225-day voyage, the S. M. S. Seeadler sank or captured fifteen allied ships. Von Luckner was very careful to preserve the captured crew members’ lives, for which he was greatly respected. His ship was forced aground in a bad storm during September 1917. He and his crew were captured and made POW’s by New Zealand. He, however, was not willing to remain a POW and led a daring escape in the New Zealand commandant’s speedboat. Unfortunately for the plucky von Luckner, they were caught and remained in New Zealand’s hands until the war’s end.
  After the war, von Luckner wrote a book about his adventures. This brought him to Lowell Thomas’s attention, who then helped make him famous in the U.S. He visited the U.S., made many public speeches, and even met Henry Ford, who presented him with a car!
  During the Nazi regime, he was recruited to join and publicly endorse Hitler. Had he agreed, he might have been awarded a high-profile job in the Kriegsmarine. He refused to rescind his status as a Free Mason, however, that and other anti-Nazi activities eventually led the Nazis to call for his death as the war was ending (fortunately for von Luckner, they were unable to carry it out). After WW II, he moved to Sweden with his second wife (a Swedish lady who also appears in one of the collection’s photos) where he lived until his 1966 death.
  This is a great collection featuring von Luckner after his days in the Imperial German Navy, which he spent traveling with his wife and speaking all over the world about his victorious adventures and capture. The collection is in excellent condition and would make a great conversation piece for German Navy enthusiasts and general history buffs alike. [Extra packing will be required due to the nature of this framed piece of history].

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  This is a beautifully arranged four-piece framed collection honoring Felix Graf von Luckner. The entire piece measures 28″ x 30 ½.” It is professionally mounted with a glass front and antique brown matting within its gold-toned, solid-wood frame. It features three photographs of von Luckner, along with a front page newspaper article. The front page is from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor’s Michigan Daily, a student newspaper, and is displayed on the frame’s left half. The article is dated November 1, 1928 and titled “German Raider Speaks Tonight.” The article features von Luckner’s photo and announces his appearance at the U of M auditorium. It further states that he will be speaking to the audience about his adventures as Germany’s “Sea Devil,” the friendly foe of the allied merchant marines. The well-preserved newspaper measures 17″ x 21.”
  The frame’s top right section features a signed photo of a well dressed von Luckner aboard a ship, casually smoking his pipe. The signed photograph measures 4 ¼”x 6,” and sits within a 6 ½” x 8 ½” white matte border that bears von Luckner’s signature. A 4 ¼” x and 6 ¼” professional photograph that features Luckner, Henry Ford and von Luckner’s wife, Ingeborg von Luckner, appears below the signed photograph. [The latter was taken in New York on January 11, 1928]. The frame’s bottom right section features a 4 ½”x 6 ½” candid snapshot of von Luckner and his friend “Bill,” along with a handwritten message in German. [We are unable to further identify the other gentleman, except to note that the handwritten note is signed Bill].
  Felix Graf von Luckner (1881-1966) was one of WW I’s most interesting naval figures. To say that he was a colorful figure is an absolute understatement!
  Von Luckner came from an aristocratic family and did not want to follow the life path required by his father. Instead, he left home at a young age and traveled around the world taking any number of physically-demanding jobs: working in a circus, as a lumberman, and many positions requiring heavy labor. His father wanted him to join the cavalry, but von Luckner said he would not return to his family until he could wear his Emperor’s naval uniform. He returned to Germany in 1911 and passed his exams for the merchant fleet. He joined the Kaiserliche Marine in 1912 and returned home as a naval officer. His first posting was aboard the S. M. S. Panther, one of the six-ship S. M. S. Iltis Gunboat Class that saw service off South America’s coast and in the Caribbean. With WW I’s advent, von Luckner found himself posted to the battleship S. M. S. Kronprinz Wilhelm. He commanded one of her main turrets, and acquitted himself well at 1916’s Battle of Jutland (Skagerrakschlacht).
  He next was given his first command, the S. M. S. Seeadler (Sea Eagle). It was a highly unusual ship, a three-masted, steel-bodied sailing ship that had been captured by a U-Boot. It then was converted to a Commerce Raider that boasted two 105mm (10.5cm) cannons, as well as machine guns. Now war-ready, the ship departed from Germany in December 1916.
  During its 225-day voyage, the S. M. S. Seeadler sank or captured fifteen allied ships. Von Luckner was very careful to preserve the captured crew members’ lives, for which he was greatly respected. His ship was forced aground in a bad storm during September 1917. He and his crew were captured and made POW’s by New Zealand. He, however, was not willing to remain a POW and led a daring escape in the New Zealand commandant’s speedboat. Unfortunately for the plucky von Luckner, they were caught and remained in New Zealand’s hands until the war’s end.
  After the war, von Luckner wrote a book about his adventures. This brought him to Lowell Thomas’s attention, who then helped make him famous in the U.S. He visited the U.S., made many public speeches, and even met Henry Ford, who presented him with a car!
  During the Nazi regime, he was recruited to join and publicly endorse Hitler. Had he agreed, he might have been awarded a high-profile job in the Kriegsmarine. He refused to rescind his status as a Free Mason, however, that and other anti-Nazi activities eventually led the Nazis to call for his death as the war was ending (fortunately for von Luckner, they were unable to carry it out). After WW II, he moved to Sweden with his second wife (a Swedish lady who also appears in one of the collection’s photos) where he lived until his 1966 death.
  This is a great collection featuring von Luckner after his days in the Imperial German Navy, which he spent traveling with his wife and speaking all over the world about his victorious adventures and capture. The collection is in excellent condition and would make a great conversation piece for German Navy enthusiasts and general history buffs alike. [Extra packing will be required due to the nature of this framed piece of history].

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• 

  U.S. / GERMANY – NEWSPAPER – PHOTO – BADGE – FRAMED – ZEPPELIN COLLAGE

  SKU: 21-262

  $595.00

  This is a marvelous framed collage of items that relate to zeppelins. A total of four items appear in the collage. They range in dates from 1917 to 1937. I will describe the four items chronologically.

  1) Photograph of Navy Zeppelin L53. The L53 also held the production number of LZ 100. It was launched on 8 August 1917. During its service, it flew nineteen reconnaissance missions and four bombing missions over England. It was shot down over England on 11 August 1918 by a Royal Naval Air Service Lieutenant flying a Sopwith Camel. The photo, which measures 6 7/8″ x 4 1/8,” shows the L 53 as she is rolled out of her hanger. The zeppelin’s stern appears in the photograph.

  2) Graf Zeppelin World Flight Badge from 1929. A wide variety of badges were produced, covering a great assortment of zeppelin badges like this. Some were world flight badges and others were more regionalized. The badge measures 1 3/4″ in diameter. The edge proclaims “Graf Zeppelin Weltflug 1929.” The badge’s center shows the Graf Zeppelin in profile. She is superimposed over a blue and green map of the world. While it cannot be seen, these had a pin on the reverse. They are VERY prized by collectors.

  3) Newspaper clipping from 19 October 1933. The clipping comes from a newspaper in Hanover. The headline reads“Deutsche Zeppeline über York.” The article deals with zeppelins that flew over and bombed York in England during WW I. At the end of the article, another smaller article deals with a speed record set by the Graf Zeppelin.

  4) Crew uniform button from either the Graf Zeppelin or the Hindenburg. The gilt-toned button is a post 1933 example. The button has an eagle with the world in his claws. Superimposed over the globe is a zeppelin. At the globe’s bottom is a swastika.

   

   

   

  The collage is framed in a black with gold trim and measures 16 ½” x 14 3/4.” It is a great historical collage that will be of particular interest to you zeppelin collectors.

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   This is a marvelous framed collage of items that relate to zeppelins. A total of four items appear in the collage. They range in dates from 1917 to 1937. I will describe the four items chronologically.

  1) Photograph of Navy Zeppelin L53. The L53 also held the production number of LZ 100. It was launched on 8 August 1917. During its service, it flew nineteen reconnaissance missions and four bombing missions over England. It was shot down over England on 11 August 1918 by a Royal Naval Air Service Lieutenant flying a Sopwith Camel. The photo, which measures 6 7/8″ x 4 1/8,” shows the L 53 as she is rolled out of her hanger. The zeppelin’s stern appears in the photograph.

  2) Graf Zeppelin World Flight Badge from 1929. A wide variety of badges were produced, covering a great assortment of zeppelin badges like this. Some were world flight badges and others were more regionalized. The badge measures 1 3/4″ in diameter. The edge proclaims “Graf Zeppelin Weltflug 1929.” The badge’s center shows the Graf Zeppelin in profile. She is superimposed over a blue and green map of the world. While it cannot be seen, these had a pin on the reverse. They are VERY prized by collectors.

  3) Newspaper clipping from 19 October 1933. The clipping comes from a newspaper in Hanover. The headline reads“Deutsche Zeppeline über York.” The article deals with zeppelins that flew over and bombed York in England during WW I. At the end of the article, another smaller article deals with a speed record set by the Graf Zeppelin.

  4) Crew uniform button from either the Graf Zeppelin or the Hindenburg. The gilt-toned button is a post 1933 example. The button has an eagle with the world in his claws. Superimposed over the globe is a zeppelin. At the globe’s bottom is a swastika.

   

   

   

  The collage is framed in a black with gold trim and measures 16 ½” x 14 3/4.” It is a great historical collage that will be of particular interest to you zeppelin collectors.

   

   

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• 

  GERMANY – GLOBE – SHOWING GRAF ZEPPELIN’S (LZ-127) VARIOUS ROUTES

  SKU: 21-322

  $1,295.00

   This is one of the most interestingzeppelin items we have ever offered. It is a world globe (produced in Stuttgart, Germany) depicting the Graf Zeppelin’s (LZ-127) various worldwide routes. The LZ 127 was patterned after the LZ 126. The LZ 126 served as part of Germany’s war reparations following WW I’s end. The Zeppelin Company’s leader, Dr. Hugo Eckener, personally flew the LZ 126from its Friedrichshafen home base in southern Germany to the Lakehurst, New Jersey, U. S. Naval Air Station in October 1924. It was then turned over to the U.S. Navy and renamed the U.S.S. Los Angeles, which became the longest-serving rigid airship ever operated by the US Navy. [Lakehurst was also the site of the Hindenburg’s (LZ 129) 1937 explosion. I still remember my late mother-in-law telling me how as a New York City school girl, she and her class watched the Hindenburg fly overhead on its way to that fateful rendezvous].
  Eckener was a man who understood the value of publicity and took full advantage of it. Upon his return to Germany, he lobbied the German government for support and financial assistance to build a zeppelin for commercial purposes. While Eckener received some governmental support, most of the more than two million Reichsmarks necessary to begin the zeppelin’s production was donated by the German public. The German people had enthusiastically supported Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin (1838-1917) when he built the first airships. Even when a zeppelin had crashed and been totally destroyed, the German people had donated money to restart the program. They were just as eager in 1926 to show their patriotism and pride in German aviation by financially supporting Eckener’s commercial zeppelin.
  The LZ 127 was based on the same plans as the LZ 126. Work began in 1926 and the zeppelin was launched in 1928. It was christened the Graf Zeppelin by his daughter, Helene (Hella) Gräfin Brandenstein-Zeppelin. [PLEASE NOTE: Some of the dishware we offer from the Graf Zeppelin was part of the special place settings for her and her husband]. TheGraf Zeppelin made its first voyage to the USA shortly after being christened. The airship made some 590 voyages that covered more than one million miles of essentially trouble-free service. While the Graf Zeppelin did offer passenger service, its primary source of income was from transporting mail and critical cargo. The mailing of letters and postcards provided a large source of revenue. Zeppelins actually carried small post offices onboard to frank mail that was traveling from Germany to other destinations on the zeppelin routes. This was hugely popular among collectors of all kinds, including stamp collectors, aviation collectors, etc. Mailing a letter aboard a zeppelin was hugely expensive. The U.S. Postal Service issued several different postage stamps for use only on zeppelin flights.
  In 1929, a year after the Graf Zeppelin was first launched, it was sent on an around-the-world tour. The tour was funded by American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who had accompanied Teddy Roosevelt during the 1898 Spanish-American War’s invasion of Cuba. Hearst paid $200,000 for the commercial rights and assigned four people to travel aboard the Graf Zeppelin on its global voyage. The trip actually began in Germany with the Graf Zeppelin’s flight west to Lakehurst, NJ, which was the tour’sofficial starting point. Weltrundfahrt 1929 then commenced with a return to Friedrichshafen for refueling before continuing nonstop across Europe, Russia and Siberia to Tokyo. After five days in Tokyo, the Graf Zeppelin flew on across the Pacific Ocean to Los Angeles, CA (the first ever NONSTOP flight over that ocean), before completing its last leg across the USA to Lakehurst.
  At first glance, our item appears to be a standard 1920’s German world globe. It was produced in full color and measures 41″ in circumference. Long distance mileage (in kilometers) is depicted between selected world cities (as was common on regular globes). Special blue paint, however, indicates the Graf Zeppelin Weltrundfahrt’s assorted international routes.
  The globe stands 26″ tall. Printed on its side is the information below.

  “Wirtschaftspolitischer
  Kosmos –
  Erd-Globus
  * No 1 *
  Kosmos Gesellschaft der Naturfreunde STUTTGART”

  [Economic Cosmos Earth Globe Number 1 Cosmos Friends of Nature Society Stuttgart]

  The base of the globe is made of fine-quality wood. Inserted in its base is a small compass that measures 1″ in diameter.
  Generally, I am not one to speculate about an item’s origins or history if I do not have hard facts to back me up. This time, however, I will speculate. I have two theories. The first is that it was owned by a real zeppelin fan, particularly of theGraf Zeppelin and its travels. My second theory is that it was owned by somebody at the Zeppelin factory, perhaps an executive or other important person.  The globe’s superior quality and the time that somebody took to patiently trace theGraf Zeppelin’s various routes on its surface is just amazing. 

  Height: in
  Width: in
  Length: in

   This is one of the most interestingzeppelin items we have ever offered. It is a world globe (produced in Stuttgart, Germany) depicting the Graf Zeppelin’s (LZ-127) various worldwide routes. The LZ 127 was patterned after the LZ 126. The LZ 126 served as part of Germany’s war reparations following WW I’s end. The Zeppelin Company’s leader, Dr. Hugo Eckener, personally flew the LZ 126from its Friedrichshafen home base in southern Germany to the Lakehurst, New Jersey, U. S. Naval Air Station in October 1924. It was then turned over to the U.S. Navy and renamed the U.S.S. Los Angeles, which became the longest-serving rigid airship ever operated by the US Navy. [Lakehurst was also the site of the Hindenburg’s (LZ 129) 1937 explosion. I still remember my late mother-in-law telling me how as a New York City school girl, she and her class watched the Hindenburg fly overhead on its way to that fateful rendezvous].
  Eckener was a man who understood the value of publicity and took full advantage of it. Upon his return to Germany, he lobbied the German government for support and financial assistance to build a zeppelin for commercial purposes. While Eckener received some governmental support, most of the more than two million Reichsmarks necessary to begin the zeppelin’s production was donated by the German public. The German people had enthusiastically supported Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin (1838-1917) when he built the first airships. Even when a zeppelin had crashed and been totally destroyed, the German people had donated money to restart the program. They were just as eager in 1926 to show their patriotism and pride in German aviation by financially supporting Eckener’s commercial zeppelin.
  The LZ 127 was based on the same plans as the LZ 126. Work began in 1926 and the zeppelin was launched in 1928. It was christened the Graf Zeppelin by his daughter, Helene (Hella) Gräfin Brandenstein-Zeppelin. [PLEASE NOTE: Some of the dishware we offer from the Graf Zeppelin was part of the special place settings for her and her husband]. TheGraf Zeppelin made its first voyage to the USA shortly after being christened. The airship made some 590 voyages that covered more than one million miles of essentially trouble-free service. While the Graf Zeppelin did offer passenger service, its primary source of income was from transporting mail and critical cargo. The mailing of letters and postcards provided a large source of revenue. Zeppelins actually carried small post offices onboard to frank mail that was traveling from Germany to other destinations on the zeppelin routes. This was hugely popular among collectors of all kinds, including stamp collectors, aviation collectors, etc. Mailing a letter aboard a zeppelin was hugely expensive. The U.S. Postal Service issued several different postage stamps for use only on zeppelin flights.
  In 1929, a year after the Graf Zeppelin was first launched, it was sent on an around-the-world tour. The tour was funded by American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who had accompanied Teddy Roosevelt during the 1898 Spanish-American War’s invasion of Cuba. Hearst paid $200,000 for the commercial rights and assigned four people to travel aboard the Graf Zeppelin on its global voyage. The trip actually began in Germany with the Graf Zeppelin’s flight west to Lakehurst, NJ, which was the tour’sofficial starting point. Weltrundfahrt 1929 then commenced with a return to Friedrichshafen for refueling before continuing nonstop across Europe, Russia and Siberia to Tokyo. After five days in Tokyo, the Graf Zeppelin flew on across the Pacific Ocean to Los Angeles, CA (the first ever NONSTOP flight over that ocean), before completing its last leg across the USA to Lakehurst.
  At first glance, our item appears to be a standard 1920’s German world globe. It was produced in full color and measures 41″ in circumference. Long distance mileage (in kilometers) is depicted between selected world cities (as was common on regular globes). Special blue paint, however, indicates the Graf Zeppelin Weltrundfahrt’s assorted international routes.
  The globe stands 26″ tall. Printed on its side is the information below.

  “Wirtschaftspolitischer
  Kosmos –
  Erd-Globus
  * No 1 *
  Kosmos Gesellschaft der Naturfreunde STUTTGART”

  [Economic Cosmos Earth Globe Number 1 Cosmos Friends of Nature Society Stuttgart]

  The base of the globe is made of fine-quality wood. Inserted in its base is a small compass that measures 1″ in diameter.
  Generally, I am not one to speculate about an item’s origins or history if I do not have hard facts to back me up. This time, however, I will speculate. I have two theories. The first is that it was owned by a real zeppelin fan, particularly of theGraf Zeppelin and its travels. My second theory is that it was owned by somebody at the Zeppelin factory, perhaps an executive or other important person.  The globe’s superior quality and the time that somebody took to patiently trace theGraf Zeppelin’s various routes on its surface is just amazing. 

   

   

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