WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

Pair Of Rare Original WW2 British St John & Red Cross Badges. Original Ann Hopkin Badges 1945 Red & White Enamel with Gold Rose Petals Borders.

Two Tudor Rose badges, a special badge for members serving under the India Office, worn on the collar of the greatcoat ½ an inch above the inner step of the step opening or the collar of the jacket. Ann Hopkin who was a Welfare Officer in India with the St John and Red Cross Service Hospital Welfare between 1945 and 1946.

Bearing small apertures to enable stitching them upon a collar

https://museumandarchives.redcross.org.uk/objects/8350

20mm Across  read more

Code: 25597

A Superb K98 Mauser Combat Bayonet. Early to Pre War Manufacture 1939 By Coppel GmbH. Matching Bayonet & Nickel Plated Scabbard.

Karabinier Kurz Mauser K98k Seitengewehr 84/98. Early bakelite gripped, Serial number 7333. Matching Waffenamt 'Wa253' inspector markings to the scabbard and pommel, with full matching maker markings to both parts. Bayonet blade and scabbard, in wonderful bright plus condition, the bayonet fits and extracts perfectly, with perfect functioning rifle button catch.

A bayonet for the standard Mauser arm used by the Heer Army, Kriegsmarine Navy, used before and during the allied liberation of France, and subsequently the whole of the enslaved Western Europe, until, finally, the capture of Berlin by the Red Army. The Karabiner 98 kurz (German; "carbine 98 short", often abbreviated Kar98k or K98k and often incorrectly referred to as a "K98" (which was a Polish Carbine), is a bolt-action rifle chambered for the 7.92 ×57mm Mauser cartridge that was adopted on 21 June 1935 as the standard service rifle by the German Wehrmacht. It was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. Although supplemented by semi- and fully automatic rifles during World War II, it remained the primary German service rifle until the end of the war in 1945.


Sold to over 18s only.  read more

Code: 25904

A Most Rare & Original, Nazi Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei Silver Serving Platter From the Nazi Graf Zeppelin. The Most Famous Zeppelin Ever Made, And The Inspiration For Airship in Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade

This stunning aeronautical collectors item, a main serving platter, has the German Zeppelin Co. logo, of the Third Reich Zeppelin, flying across the globe, the Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei. Manufactured by GEBRUDER HEPP PFORZHEIM, in 90 grade.

In March 1935, the South Atlantic flights became the responsibility of the Nazi controlled Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei, after this company had been set up jointly by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin, the German Air Ministry and Deutsche Lufthansa. The DZR was created at the instigation of Air Minister Hermann Goring as a way to increase Nazi control over zeppelin operations, and can be see as part of the larger policy of Gleichschaltung, or coordination, which affected all aspects of German life in the years following Hitler’s assumption of power.

Consistent with Nazi ideology, the airship was expected to be more than just a private commercial venture; it was to be a public symbol of the new German nation.

In a speech marking the founding of the DZR, Goring commented:

“I hope that the new ship will also fulfil its duty in furthering the cause of Germany
The airship does not have the exclusive purpose of flying across the Atlantic, but also has a responsibility to act as the nation’s representative.”

The even larger airship, the LZ 129 'Hindenburg' joined the 'Graf Zeppelin' in 1936, and, in addition to South Atlantic flights with its partner, inaugurated a service over the North Atlantic, between Frankfurt and Lakehurst in New Jersey, in the summer. Also in 1936 the South American route was extended to Rio de Janeiro. Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei ceased operations as the commercial use of airships came to an abrupt end on 6 May 1937, when the 'Hindenburg' exploded at Lakehurst.
This large silver tray is made of finest grade German silver plate, 90 grade, and was the product of the same silver company that made the Third Reich military cutlery and other silver objects for the Third Reich hierarchy - Gbr. Hepp.

His company, alongside his rival, Wellner, was a maker of much of the Fuhrer's formal dinnerware, and the Reich chancellery dinnerware pieces. Many items by were used in several of Hitler's residences, the Hotel Der Deutscher Hof personally used by Hitler, and numerous state offices. The Zeppelin Corps became one of the shortest-lived German service branches of World War II. After the German invasion of Poland in 1939, the Luftwaffe ordered the last two Zeppelin airships moved to a large Zeppelin hangar in Frankfurt. In March of 1940, Goring ordered their destruction and the aluminium fed into the Nazi war industry. In May, a fire broke out in the Zeppelin facility which destroyed most of the remaining parts. The rest of the parts and materials were soon scrapped with almost no trace of the German "Giants of the Air" remaining by the end of the year. 49cm x 32.5cm  read more

Code: 22618

A Superb WW1 Machine Gunner's Collection, A Fabulous Original WW1 Gordon Highlander Machine Gun Corps Medals, Badges, Sporran, Glengarry & Gaiters of Gordon Highlander

British WW1 Machine Gun Corps medals and uniform kit is now some of the most desirable and collectible original artefacts of WW1. All these pieces were belonging, awarded, and worn by WW1 veteran, Pvt L. Jackson, of the Gordon Highlanders Machine Gun Corps. Comprising of his Glengarry cap with badge and tartan patch, his pair of WW1 service medals named, his sporran with belt, his pair of gaiters in canvas, shoulder titles both Gordons and Machine Gun Corps, his Machine Gun Corps cap badge and sock tassles. Photos for illustration only including a Gordon Highlanders machine gun corps, photographed in June 1914. Captain Hume Gore, who was later to lead George Ramage's platoon, is seated third from right in the front row. National Library of Scotland reference: Acc.7660 (part). The Regiment raised a total of 21 battalions and was awarded 57 battle honours, 4 Victoria Crosses and lost 8,870 men during the course of the war. The Gordon Highlanders was an Infantry Battalion that would have had an MG Section as part of its Battalion Headquarters. These weapons would have been brigaded when the Machine Gun Corps was formed in 1915. The guns, and crews, would have been formed into a Machine Gun Company.
The 1st Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 8th Brigade in the 3rd Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front; they suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Le Cateau in August 1914. The 2nd Battalion landed at Zeebrugge as part of the 20th Brigade in the 7th Division in October 1914 for service on the Western Front and then moved to Italy in November 1917.

Territorial Force

The 1/4th (City of Aberdeen) Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 8th Brigade in the 3rd Division in February 1915 for service on the Western Front. The 1/5th (Buchan and Formartin) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 153rd Brigade in the 51st (Highland) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front. The 1/6th (Banff and Donside) Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 20th Brigade in the 7th Division for service on the Western Front. The 1/7th (Deeside Highland) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 153rd Brigade in the 51st (Highland) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front.

New Armies

The 8th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 26th Brigade in the 9th (Scottish) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front.10 The 9th (Service) Battalion and the 10th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 44th Brigade in the 15th (Scottish) Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front.

The folk singer and Scottish Traveller Jimmy MacBeath served with the regiment during the war . Just some of the engagements he may have taken part in with his regimental comrades; During 1916
The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin and the attacks on High Wood, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Guillemont, Operations on the Ancre. The attacks on High Wood, The Battle of the Ancre.
During 1917
The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle, The Second Battle of Passchendaele. The First and Second Battles of the Scarpe, The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of Menin Road Ridge, The capture of Bourlon Wood, part of the Cambrai Operations.
Nov 1917 Moved to Italy to strengthen the Italian resistance.
04.11.1918The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of Bapaume, The Battle of Estaires, The Battle of Hazebrouck, The Battle of the Tardenois, The Battle of the Scarpe, The pursuit to the Selle, The Battle of the Selle, Final Advance in Picardy.  read more

Code: 20851

An Original and Superb WW2 RAF Air Ministry Issue 'Scramble Bell', Cast Bronze With Turned Hardwood Handle On A Brass Socket Mount With Brass Ball Top. Interior Bears The AM Crown Mark of the Air Ministry Contract

An iconic centre piece of any collection from the most renowned and famed era of the British RAF. This would would make an amazing addition to any collection, or display, or a unique historic gift for any collector of aeronautica.

A most scarce, original, 'Battle of Britain' piece of original, RAF Air Ministry issue aeronautica, an original brass bracket mounted then hand-held 'scramble' bell, complete with its wooden handle, stamped AM Crown, marked with crown and initials AM, Used at an RAF air base. Made in the period when the RAF knew very well that war was imminent and very likely, and it was used throughout the entire war, right from the 'Battle of Britain' period. It’s diameter of the bell is 200 mm, and height 300 mm approx, it weighs, 3.15 kilos.

A very fine example, in super condition, of an original RAF scramble bell from a RAF base, such as RAF North Weald, as it likely came from that location area, another that came from RAF Debden, an airfield 3 miles south east of Saffron Waldon in Essex, was sold over six years ago for 2,500 at auction in New York.

This hand bell would have been rung when instructions came through from HQ of an imminent attack by the feared and deadly Luftwaffe Bombing Squadrons, in order to scramble the bravest of the brave, the frighteningly young, RAF, RAAF or RCAF pilots into the air. During the Battle of Britain and beyond the average age of the pilots was just 20 years old, of the 2,937 British and Allied aircrew. Britain aircrew were flying multiple sorties a day to intercept the relentless Luftwaffe raids over the British skies, Aircrew from sixteen nationalities flew and fought together against the Luftwaffe, who outnumbered the RAF in both aircraft and pilots.

Against all odds, the RAF defeated the Luftwaffe. Hitler was forced to abandon his plans to invade Britain.
544 aircrew were killed during the Battle of Britain. A further 422 aircrew were wounded. Almost a third of all the men that flew.

British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, famously expressed the incredible debt owed to the Battle of Britain aircrew:

“Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few.”

During WW2 the world's premier gallantry medals were granted to air Force personnel, 22 Victoria Crosses were awarded, and 2,001 Air Force Crosses were Awarded, 26 were awarded to the same recipient twice, and just 1 was awarded to the same man three times.

Throughout the summer of 1940, across England, on hundreds of grass makeshift runways, with young eager pilots that awaited in huts for the bell to be rung, then rushing ‘hell for leather’ to their fighter planes, in order to attack the German bomber and fighter formations descending on vulnerable Southern England. Such as RAF Debden, in Essex, that was built in April 1937, with the tarmac airstrip laid in 1940. It was a sector station for 11 Group RAF. Many British Hurricane and Spitfire squadrons were based at Debden, including number 17 squadron throughout the Battle of Britain. In September 1942, it was handed over to the USAAF, as part of British support for the American bombing campaign in Europe. The Battle of Britain (German: Luftschlacht um England, literally "The Air Battle for England") was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force, the Luftwaffe. It has been described as the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces. The British officially recognise the battle's duration as being from 10 July until 31 October 1940, which overlaps the period of large-scale night attacks known as the Blitz, that lasted from 7 September 1940 to 11 May 1941. German historians do not accept this subdivision and regard the battle as a single campaign lasting from July 1940 to June 1941, including the Blitz.

The primary objective of the German forces was to compel Britain to agree to a negotiated peace settlement. In July 1940 the air and sea blockade began, with the Luftwaffe mainly targeting coastal-shipping convoys, ports and shipping centres, such as Portsmouth. On 1 August, the Luftwaffe was directed to achieve air superiority over the RAF with the aim of incapacitating RAF Fighter Command; 12 days later, it shifted the attacks to RAF airfields and infrastructure. As the battle progressed, the Luftwaffe also targeted factories involved in aircraft production and strategic infrastructure. Eventually it employed terror bombing on areas of political significance and on civilians.

The Germans had rapidly overwhelmed France and the Low Countries, leaving Britain to face the threat of invasion by sea. The German high command knew the difficulties of a seaborne attack and its impracticality while the Royal Navy controlled the English Channel and the North Sea. On 16 July, Adolf Hitler ordered the preparation of Operation Sea Lion as a potential amphibious and airborne assault on Britain, to follow once the Luftwaffe had air superiority over the UK. In September, RAF Bomber Command night raids disrupted the German preparation of converted barges, and the Luftwaffe's failure to overwhelm the RAF forced Hitler to postpone and eventually cancel Operation Sea Lion. Germany proved unable to sustain daylight raids, but their continued night-bombing operations on Britain became known as the Blitz.

Historian Stephen Bungay cited Germany's failure to destroy Britain's air defences to force an armistice (or even outright surrender) as the first major German defeat in World War II and a crucial turning point in the conflict. The Battle of Britain takes its name from a speech by Winston Churchill to the House of Commons on 18 June: "What General Weygand has called The Battle of France is over. The Battle of Britain is about to begin." The scramble bell came three different forms, the larger mounted bell, with the same AM Air Ministry marks, but much heavier, so they had to be wall mounted, or on a free standing bracket, hanging outside of say, a hut, and this type the medium sized bracket mounted for hanging outside of a hut, but as this one with an added handle, which was naturally much somewhat portable, and ideal for emergency RAF bases and landing strips, created with makeshift or tented non-permanent buildings. And the smaller regular contract hand-bell was also ideal in those bases.  read more

Code: 25232

A Superb, German, WW1 Mauser Gew 98 'Butcher' Bayonet

Manufactured by Alex Coppel Solingen With traditional 'butcher' blade.

Designed to fit the Mauser Gew 98 rifle. The Seitengewehr 98/05 was introduced into the the Prussian army in late 1905, as a replacement for the 98/02 for engineers and pioneer troops, as the 98/02 was deemed to long and heavy for it's intended purpose. Initial production was in two versions, the first plain backed, and the second with 29 double teeth. The scabbard was leather with steel throat and chape mounts, later changed to all steel that was better for trench warfare combat. The bayonet as typical of German blades did not have more than a vestigial muzzle ring, relying on the length of the hilt mounting to fix the blade to its rifle. The plain back version was identified as the S98/05 or S98/05 o.S. (ohne Soge - without saw) and the saw back as the S98/05 S or m.S. (mit Soge - with saw). The overall condition is good, with wooden grips.
The Gewehr 98 (abbreviated G98, Gew 98, or M98) is a German bolt-action rifle made by Mauser, firing cartridges from a five-round internal clip-loaded magazine. It was the German service rifle from 1898 to 1935, when it was replaced by the Karabiner 98k, a shorter weapon using the same basic design. The Gewehr 98 action, using a stripper clip loaded with the 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge, successfully combined and improved several bolt-action engineering concepts which were soon adopted by many other countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, and Japan.2 The Gewehr 98 replaced the earlier Gewehr 1888 as the main German service rifle. It first saw combat in the Chinese Boxer Rebellion and was the main German infantry service rifle of World War I. The Gewehr 98 saw further military use by the Ottoman Empire and Nationalist Spain.

14.5 inch blade
No scabbard  read more

Code: 25902

A Very Sound and Good Condition World War II British Tank Site / Periscope-

Tank & AFV Periscope TD31917. War Dept stampings and maker markings. Likely manufactured 1930's. Perfect prisms. Their locationing can be seen in both the tank photographs, fitted to the two hatch lids in front of the turrets

Tanks and armoured vehicles use periscopes: they enable drivers, tank commanders, and other vehicle occupants to inspect their situation through the vehicle roof. Prior to periscopes, direct vision slits were cut in the armour for occupants to see out. Periscopes permit view outside of the vehicle without needing to cut these weaker vision openings in the front and side armour, better protecting the vehicle and occupants.

A protectoscope is a related periscopic vision device designed to provide a window in armoured plate, similar to a direct vision slit. A compact periscope inside the protectoscope allows the vision slit to be blanked off with spaced armoured plate. This prevents a potential ingress point for small arms fire, with only a small difference in vision height, but still requires the armour to be cut.

In the context of armoured fighting vehicles, such as tanks, a periscopic vision device may also be referred to as an episcope. In this context a periscope refers to a device that can rotate to provide a wider field of view (or is fixed into an assembly that can), while an episcope is fixed into position.

Periscopes may also be referred to by slang, e.g. "shufti-scope".  read more

Code: 25894

A Most Scarce French WW1 Military Theodolite Manufactured by M G Huet of Paris. 61/1660 Artillerie Milliemes

A crucial {yet delightful looking} piece of WW1 optical equipment for use by every artillery piece of the French artillery corps in WW1, and WW2, an artillery theodolite, in superb condition .

An artillery theodolite, also known as an artillery director or gun director, is a specialized optical instrument for measuring horizontal and vertical angles, used by artillery units to precisely set the direction and elevation of guns, mortars, and other heavy weapons. These robust, opto-mechanical devices often incorporate a built-in compass for orientation and employ optical systems for accurate reading of scales, allowing for rapid and precise aiming in dynamic battlefield conditions

Huet was an optical firm that began in business in 1892, and that made instruments for the French military during World War I.

Superb as a gentleman's desk piece, or for a military trench warfare instrument collector.. Beautifuly made  read more

Code: 25893

A Fabulous & V.Rare Example of Original Large Art Deco Art. 1929 Original Movie Poster. of "The Lost Zeppelin". The Hollywood Production, Original Swedish Language Version Poster,

In superb condition, a stunning example of original, 1920's Art Deco Hollywood movie artistry. This stunning piece would look amazing in any location.

The Lost Zeppelin [Den Forsvunna Zeppelinaren] Tiffany-Stahl Productions (Los Angeles)

This film, had the association with Frank Capra, and directed by Edward Sloman, distributed by Tiffany productions is based on the crash of the airship Italia, flown by Umberto Nobile, around May 25, 1928 near the North Pole, and the international rescue effort that cost early polar explorer Roald Amundson his life. The pilot who rescued Nobile also crashed when returning to rescue more survivors and had to be rescued himself.

This movie was starring major leading Hollywood stars in their time, including Conway Tearle, who was considered the highest paid Hollywood movie star, during his prime, for several years

Conway Tearle as Commander Donald Hall
Virginia Valli as Miriam Hall
Ricardo Cortez as Tom Armstrong
Duke Martin as Lieutenant Wallace
Kathryn McGuire as Nancy
Winter Hall as Mr. Wilson
Richard Cramer as Radio Announcer (voice)
Ervin Nyiregyhazi as Pianist (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien as Radio Operator (uncredited).

Virginia Valli was an established star at the Universal studio by the mid-1920s. In 1924 she was the female lead in King Vidor's southern gothic Wild Oranges, a film now recovered from film vault obscurity. She also appeared in the romantic comedy, Every Woman's Life, about "the man she could have married, the man she should have married and the man she DID marry."[citation needed] Most of her films were made between 1924 and 1927, and included Alfred Hitchcock's debut feature, The Pleasure Garden (1925), Paid to Love (1927), with William Powell, and Evening Clothes (1927), which featured Adolphe Menjou. In 1925 Valli performed in The Man Who Found Himself with Thomas Meighan.[citation needed]

Her first sound picture was The Isle of Lost Ships with Jason Robards Sr. and Noah Beery Sr. in 1929. Her last film was in Night Life in Reno, in 1931

Conway Tearle turned to Hollywood in 1914 where he would find considerable success playing romantic leads. His first film was The Nightingale, a story by Augustus Thomas about a slum girl (Ethel Barrymore) who rose to be a great opera star.[9] His last was in a 1936 film adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet with John Barrymore. Tearle appeared in some 93 films over his career and at one point was thought to be the highest-paid actor in America. On December 16, 1931, Conway appeared with co-star Kay Francis at the grand opening of the Paramount Theater in Oakland, California, which hosted the premiere of their film The False Madonna, released by Paramount Pictures.

The following year Tearle scored a major hit on Broadway in the original 1932 production of Dinner at Eight, creating the role of fading screen idol Larry Renault, a role that would later be played on film by John Barrymore. His last two Broadway appearances were in short productions of Living Dangerously in 1935 and Antony and Cleopatra two years later

Ricardo Cortez appeared in over 100 films. He began his career playing romantic leads, and when sound cinema arrived, his strong delivery and New York accent made him an ideal heavy. While his main focus was character acting, he occasionally was able to play leading men. He played opposite Joan Crawford in Montana Moon (1930), and was the first actor to portray Sam Spade in the original pre-Code version of The Maltese Falcon (1931); the latter film was later overshaded by the 1941 remake with Humphrey Bogart in the lead. He co-starred with Charles Farrell and Bette Davis in The Big Shakedown (1934), and with Al Jolson and Dolores del Río in Wonder Bar (1934). In 1936, Cortez replaced Warren William as Perry Mason in The Case of the Black Cat.

We never normally comment on the investment potential of any collectable, but the potential for all movie posters is now huge.This early 1920s original poster represents, potentially, incredibly good value. For example an original 1933 poster for King Kong can today command a price in excess of $244,500 [the last example sold for this was in 1999] and the previous record for the most valuable poster sold at auction was held by a movie poster of the 1931 film 'Dracula', which was sold for US $525,800.The current record-holder, the “international” version of the Metropolis poster – the same Heinz Schulz-Neudamm design as number 3 minus the German writing. The clean lines and delicate shading make this a wonder to behold. It sold for $690,000 in 2005 allegedly by Leonardo diCaprio A one-sheet poster for the 1931 Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff, which went for a then-record of $198,000 in 1993. the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers dance film Flying Down to Rio from 1933, which fetched $239,000 in 2008. The Bride of Frankenstein from 1935, which fetched $334,600 in 2007, The Mummy from 1932 and when it sold for $435,500 in 1997

Sotheby's Auctioneers, have a current poster auction. Here are a few estimated price examples; Lawrence of Arabia poster estimated as £8,000 to £12,000, a French version of Dr No poster is £5,000 to £8,000, Star Wars £7,000 to £10,000, The Danish language version poster of the Invisible man [1935] £4,000 to £6,000 King Kong re-Release poster 1956 £5,000 to £,8,000, Breakfast At Tiffanys 1961 £5,000 to £8,000, the Dutch language poster of Flying Down to Rio 1933 £7,000 to £10,000, The French Re-Release poster, 1931 of Buster Keaton's The Navigator £5,000 to £8,000, and Kill Bill Vol 2 [2004] £2,000 to £3,000.

We show in the gallery another current record holder for the movie poster of Metropolis this one was bought for $690,000 in 2005. Another of the same sold in 2012 for $1.2 Million

Our poster is sold unframed for delivery, for collection though it has a very good frame at present. Some reflections in the photos are due to the glass in the current frame]

Poster size approx 29 x 42 inches  read more

Code: 24615