Under the hammer

Duncan Evans reports on the latest militaria sold at auctions around the country

Let’s have a look at what’s gone under the hammer in auction rooms, with some amazing German field armour at Thomas del Mar; medals, cuff titles, watches, helmets and uniforms at Ratisbon’s; some fantastic medals at Morton & Eden; and a Death Plaque from the Western Front in WWII.

The 40th Contemporary History auction at Ratisbon’s was unusual in that it was the entire collection belonging to one elderly collector who had only bought from veterans and their families. Let’s start with this fascinating collection related to the battleship Scharnhorst. It belonged to Matrosenobergefreiter Hans Späth who went down with the Scharnhorst on 26 December 1943. The lot included a death card, ID tag as well as two letters which confirm he was serving on the ship and reported as missing. There were medals and documents to his stepbrother Feldwebel Josef Kammerl, killed in action on 26 August 1941 in Russia. The death card shows Hans Spät and Josef Kammerl. The medals included an unmarked Iron Cross 2nd Class with Klein & Quenzer marked bag, an Austria medal in case of issue,

Ratisbon’s lifetime collection

a Sudetenland medal as well as a War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords in damaged bag. It all sold for £279.35 (includes 22.5% Buyer’s Premium). His Minesweeper War Badge sold for £167.60 as well.

There was a family grouping of items belonging to SS-Sturmmann Andreas Geyer who served as an Army flak gunner with SS Division Das Reich. A studio portrait photo of him in camouflage smock and with helmet cover, signed and dedicated to his parents, fetched a hefty £877.15. His Army Flak Badge went for £402.25, General Assault Badge for £402.25 as well, a cuff title for Das Reich hitting £3,597.97 and a pocket watch selling for £514.

Now, if you want a uniform grouping, there were a number of items that belonged to Major Hans Mayr. There was the field blouse with name tag on the inside pocket, matching straight trousers with yellow piping, a signals visor cap with officer’s wreath with the eagle removed (but included in the lot), a soft Heer leather belt and various bits and pieces like buttons and shoulder tabs. It sold for £2,078.33.

A tale of two helmets next. A Heer M42 combat helmet, named, complete with original leather liner, maker stamped with ‘Brunner’, sold for £558.69. Then you have another M42 combat helmet, in similar condition, but, because it has an SS rune on it watch the price soar to £4,804.74! But speaking of helmets, who wouldn’t want a pickelhaube. Here was a nicely worn Bavarian officer's spike helmet for a Leibregiment officer. This privately purchased Leibregiment helmet was worn by an EM who became an officer. Came with a storage container. It sold for £1,759.88.