Ratisbon’s 55th Contemporary History Auction

Lots of headgear in Ratisbon’s latest Third Reich auction, and an early lot that caught the eye was a Heer visor cap for EM and NCOs. It was named to ‘Pz. Schütze Meyer Friedrich’ based in St. Pölten serving with 1./ Pz.Ers.Abt.33. Featured pink colour piping, and aluminium cap eagle and wreath badge with all prongs in place. A textbook black cin strap for EM and NCOs with correct buttons, period time attached. The lining was fine, gold-colour silk. Had a celluloid diamond in good condition. Marked with ‘Extra Klasse’ and came with a sticker of the seller, ‘Friedrich Pechal’. It hammered for £1,239 (plus BP of 22.5%).

Sticking with the Panzers, this sidecap got the bidder’s interest . It was a Heer black M38 cap issued to Panzer troops. Featuring a machinewoven insignia, EM/NCO pattern, both period-time attached. The eagle attached by hand, cockade by machine. The lining was grey cotton, size stamped ‘57’, makermarked ‘Clemens Wagner’. It sold for £2,621.

If you really wanted to spend money on a cap though, then there was this Waffen-SS officer’s visor cap. Officer’s visor caps were typically issued with metal insignia. As Wehrmacht officer’s caps, they come with an officer’s chin strap. The cap band is typically from black velvet. This example was named to ‘W. Käfer’ serving with 2./Pi.38 which must refer to SS-Pionier-Abteilung 38.

Both insigna looked to be from Cupal and show a matching patina. All prongs in place. The officer’s chin strap was mounted to two buttons which are attached with prongs. The lining was made from fine silk, the celluloid diamond was intact and marked with ‘Meisterklasse’. This sold for £6,949.

There were plenty of uniforms and jackets, one of the highlights being a Waffen-SS ‘Wiking’ black Panzer wrapper for an Unterscharführer. This example was worn by an Unterscharführer of SS-PanzerRegiment 5. The sleeve eagle was the machine-woven EM/NCO type, attached by machine. The collar tabs were hand-embroidered officer’s type. There was a rank tab for an SS-Unterscharführer, both attached by machine.

The shoulder boards featured pink cotton piping, slip-on type, black, silvered ‘5’ ciphers. The buttons are all present and were all attached with the same thread. Finally, there was a silver-wire woven cuff title ‘Wiking’ for officers, worn condition, attached by machine. It hammered for £14,156.

I wonder if Tom Hanks has one of these? Yes, it was an Olympia typewriter for the SS. A period-time SS typewriter, uncleaned find, fully working with an intact ‘SS’ key. ‘Olympia’ maker marked. ‘461313’ numbered to the bottom. The ribbon was fully working. With the original wooden transport case. The case with heavy signs of use. It sold for €780.

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