Lot 657

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Description:

HEINRICH HIMMLER PRESENTATION OAK CHEST AND HITLER BIRTHDAY VOLUME
HEINRICH HIMMLER (1900 - 1945) Hitler's Chief of the Gestapo placed in charge of security and responsible for the construction and operation of extermination camps. He chose suicide rather than face a hangman's noose at Nüremburg. An excessively rare facsimile edition of a presentation volume given to Adolf Hitler by the Mayor of Nüremburg upon the occasion of his fiftieth birthday, The City of the Reich's Party Rallies Nürmburg the German Reich's Treasure Repository, Hans Durr and Conrad Scherzer, Zerreis & Co., Nürmburg, ca. 1941. This copy, one of but a handful intended for presentation to leaders of the armed forces, S.A. and SS, bears a hand-calligraphied page reading: "The Upper Burgermeister of the city of the Nazi Party Nurnberg dedicates this work to Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler Chief of the German Police". Beneath, Himmler initials and dates receipt of the gift "H H 31.I.40". The original work, entirely done by hand in the example given to Hitler, is here printed on high-quality rag paper and praises Nuremberg's sons and adopted sons. Among those mentioned are Kaiser Frederick II, Kaiser Karl IV, Goethe, Hans Sachs, Ludwig König von Bayern, Martin Luther, Richard Wagner, and Ulrich von Hutten, with each meriting a page or two. At conclusion, no less than seven heavily-illustrated pages are devoted to Hitler. The 12 1/2" x 10" volume bears 44pp. printed on one side each, with a white parchment cover bearing a gilt Teutonic and swastika cover design and title on the spine. The volume is contained within a felt-lined ornately-carved oak chest measuring 12 1/4" x 15" x 3 1/2". It bears hand-carved small, square, corner blocks of wood with raised individual carvings of SS runes, death's heads, swastikas and other emblems all associated with Himmler and the SS. At bottom left is a Hagel rune: an asterisk inside a six-sided hexagon, a symbol of the inner strength of Aryan man to overcome all adversity. The case is most likely a project of the Hitler Youth; the center work being professionally carved, while the eagles and swastikas that adorn the top framing are a bit more amateurish. The presenters were obviously cognizant of Himmler's love of Teutonic Volk Kunst ("People's Art"), so this type of work would be typical and expected. This same case is illustrated within the book as having been presented to Hitler with the original volume, so this is a complete presentation made to Hitler's "No. 2" man. Fine condition - an incredible association and incredibly rare relic.

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October 10, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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