Third Reich at Ratisbon’s
The 50th Contemporary Auction at Ratisbon’s has just finished, and at the time of writing there were a number of items still unsold so head over to the website to see if you can find any bargains. Anyway, as the premier Third Reich auction house, here’s some of the items that were sold. Lots of uniforms kicked off the auction but what were the initial big hitters? Panzer jackets of course. First up there was a Heer Panzer field jacket, or wrapper, worn by a Feldwebel serving with PanzerRegiment 4.
The collar tabs came with pink silk piping and zinc skull. Both tabs were matching in condition and patina. The shoulder boards were black with pink silk piping. A nice pair in good condition with a bit less patina then the collar tabs. The owner must have worn the tunic as an EM as well. The breast eagle was machinewoven, EM/NCO type and period time attached by hand. It sold for £5,697.23 (includes Buyer’s Premium of 22.5%).
Something a little easier on the pocket was a Luftwaffe flight blouse for an Unteroffizier and pilot. An untouched example with period time attached insignia.
The collar tabs were attached by machine and the shoulder boards were the slip-on type with yellow piping and green backing. The breast eagle was the machine-embroidered EM/ NCO type and was period time attached by machine. There were one pair of loops for a Pilot's Badge with clear signs of wear as well as a period time attached glider badge. Also came with a DLRG lapel pin. The inside lining was cotton with a size stamp and maker-marked for ‘Leopold
Lautenschläger Uniformfabrik Karlsruhe’. It sold for £1,015.15.
Still with the Luftwaffe, how about a fighter pilot's leather jacket? This style is known as a Hartmann-type of jacket.
Came with wool lining, working brass zippers and ‘Éclair’ marked buttons. It went for the surprisingly low price of £533.46.
This next lot was an interesting group. It was a uniform grouping of a Ortsgruppe level political leader of the NSDAP, with the rank of an Amtsleiter. There was the brown, four-pocket service tunic with gilt buttons. Typical construction worn by NSDAP leaders. The collar tabs were attached by hand with blue Ortsgruppe ping.
The armband was made from red wool with white linen lining. Minor moth damage.
There were loops for awards and a ribbon bar. A SA-Sport's Badge was attached.
The brown NSDAP Ortsgruppe level leader's cap came with blue piping and correct gilt insignia, period time attached to the cap with all prongs in place.
Then there was a large size HJ leader's brown shirt, the owner must have worn it as a political leader. It comes in nearly unworn condition. Next, a brown cravat with a washed out RZM tag, a brown Zweidorn leader's belt with matching shoulder belt, a matching brown leather holster for a 7.65mm pistole, and a brown leader's breeches made from cord. Quite the collection, it sold for £3,366.55.
Caps are very collectable, but those from the Waffen-SS cost two or three times more than an equivalent Heer or Luftwaffe cap. Here was a Waffen-SS officer's visor cap named to ‘Willi Hoffmann’. Interestingly, this cap was once sold at Ratisbon's without the cap insignia. Holes of the prongs of a cap eagle and skull badge were clearly visible. It was bought by a collector who then completed it with a pair of original insignia. The silk lining featured an intact ‘DIE GUTE MARKE’ marked celluloid diamond. There was one crack, repaired with modern tape from the inside. It sold for £3,936.27.
There were lots of medals and badges up for grabs. Here was a German Cross in Gold to Hauptmann Kurt Rudolph, serving with Artillerie-Regiment 389. Awarded on 15 December 1944. It was made by Otto Klein & Co. Hanau and was ‘134’ maker-marked on the back. The black, enamelled swastika had no chipping and scratches. The lot also came with a portrait photo of Rudolph as well. It sold for £3,946.63.
Finally, an interesting document grouping to Unteroffizier Bernhard Hupp serving with Panzer-Regiment 4, part of the 13. Panzer-Division. Certificates for the Westwall, Tank Assault Badge in silver, Iron Cross 2nd Class and Wound Badge in black, plus a Wehrmacht driver's license issued on 17 July 1940 with original photo. There was a Heer Wehrpass issued on 25 November 1938 with original applied photo. His units are listed on page 12. There was a campaign list from 9 August 1940 until 23 January 1944. In addition some period time documents and two post-war documents. Among them is the certificate of discharge from war captivity. The lot sold for £2,221.92.
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