Description:

339TH 'POLAR BEAR' REGIMENT IDENTIFIED TUNIC AND SOLDIER PHOTOGRAPH
An excessively rare 339th Regiment tunic and a large soldier's photo portrait photograph, both in excellent condition. The wool tunic is identified to Theodore J. Zech, Company M, 339th Regiment, A.E.F. Russia, serial no. 2021920. A Victory ribbon bar appears over the left pocket and U.S. and 'M' company discs are affixed to the collar. A large two-piece wool 'polar bear' patch, unique to the regiment, is sewn to the left shoulder. A maker's cloth label from 'Leopold Morse Co.' in Boston has been sewn to the inside of the lower right pocket. Very fine condition with no sign of mothing or other significant damage. Accompanied by a large, oval, hand-colored photograph of Zech, 15 x 21 in. overall, picturing him in this very tunic from mid-chest, up with a blue infantry hat ribbon and the same chest ribbon, in the original frame. Very good. These two items were purchased on eBay by our consignor's father in December, 2000. The original listing information is included wherein the seller, also identified, indicates that the uniform was the last item being offered from 'the Zech grouping', along with an earlier eBay listing from the same seller offering the photograph. A very rare ensemble. The 339th Regiment was created in June 1918, composed mainly of young draftees, for the purpose of fighting on the Western Front in France. They were sent to fight the Bolsheviks in Northern Russia and were nicknamed the 'polar bears' because of their service there. The regiment was heavily engaged against the Bolshevik-controlled Russian Sixth Army and took over 500 casualties. One company of the 339th actually mutinied, the cause laid to 'Bolshevik propaganda'.

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January 26, 2023 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
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$100 $499 $20
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$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000