Description:

A most desirable piece of Third Reich silver, a serving knife, 10 1/2" x 2", originating from the "formal" pattern of silverware sets crafted for Adolf Hitler by P. Bruckmann & Sohne of Heilbronn. The handle is decorated with a national eagle with folded wings atop a wreathed static swastika, flanked by the initials "A H". The border of the handle is trimmed with a "Greek key" pattern, and the reverse of the handle displays two proof marks, the silver content "800" and Bruckmann's eagle mark. The piece displays some minor tarnish to the tip of the blade on both sides and the shoulders of the obverse, as well as the base of the handle on the reverse, with minor nicks and scratches overall, else very good. The piece was recovered as a souvenir by an American soldier, identified in our documentation only as "Bert", most likely from either the "Verwaltungsbau der NSDAP" ("Administrative "Building of the NSDAP"), or the "Fuhrerbau" ("Fuhrer's Building") on the "Konigsplatz" in Munich. Present with the lot is a photocopy of a T.L.S., 3pp. 4to. "Germany", June 20, 1945, from Bert to his wife , in small part: "...I am sending a set of Hitler's silverware home complete with tea and coffee pots... I got it out of Hitler's party headquarters at Munich..." The lot also includes photocopies of two U.S. Army capture certificates listing the numerous items sent home by Bert, including: "...4 cake spatulas..." Bruckmann manufactured 3,000 pieces of this "formal" pattern silverware to Hitler on the occasion of his 50th birthday. These were presented in six sets of 500, and were utilized at Hitler's "Berghof", "Kehlsteinhaus" and guest house at Berchtesgaden, the "Reichschancellery" in Berlin, his Prinzregertenplatz apartment in Munich, and the "Brown House", the headquarters of the NSDAP in Munich. We believe that the serving knife presented here was part of the set utilized at this latter location, and was moved to the "Verwaltungsbau" or the "Fuhrerbau" for safekeeping following an Allied bombing raid in October of 1943 which severely damaged the "Brown House" next door. Both administrative buildings served as depositories for valuable items retained by NSDAP officials, including a cache of looted art, mother of pearl and gold inlaid presentation Luger pistols, an enormous gold and ruby ring, and the desk set used during the signing of the Munich Agreement of 1938, sold by us in 2011.

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May 1, 2019 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$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 + $10,000