Lot 662

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Description:

Great collection of relics recovered by an American G.I. from the ruins of Hitler's Berghof at Berchtesgaden. Included are three pieces of the massive red and gray marble fireplace from the living room, varying sizes but about 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" on average. One piece has a smoothly polished surface, and all have the same grain and coloring as other verified sections of the same fireplace sold by us in the past. One example was a very substantial 8" x 3" piece engraved: "FIREPLACE HITLER'S HOUSE BERCHTESGADEN 1946". Other pieces of this fireplace have come to market, most often tiny sections presented in an ashtray reading: "Flick Your Ashes on Hitler's Hearth". These examples also match the pieces being offered here. Additionally, there is a 2 1/2" triangular piece of broken tile present, which exactly matches similar pieces of tile we have sold which were removed from Hitler's private bathroom at the Berghof, and those tiles also had excellent provenance. The marble and tile sections are stored in a hand-carved wooden box with German crest, along with the unknown G.I.'s two shoulder patches, his five "hash marks" sleeve patch, and a period shoulder patch from the U.S. 2nd Chemical Battalion. Two notes accompany these relics, both written by noted artist EDWARD VEBELL (1921""2018). Vebell, in later life a nationally-recognized illustrator, served as a staff artist for Stars & Stripes during World War II, as well as the official courtroom artist for the Nuremberg war trials. His notes identify the relics, and indicate that he purchased them in 1975 - but he cannot recall the soldier's name.

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November 13, 2018 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, 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