WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

A Very Good MK IV D-Day Pattern Camouflage Helmet, With Original WWII Camo Netting. From a 1st Battalion The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, Korean War Veteran

A nice example of a Camouflage MK IV Helmet, which were used by both Canadian and British Forces late in World War II and into the post war era. The helmet exhibits an overall “salty” appearance, with all its original textured paint poking through its camouflage net. The steel rim exhibits some minor paint loss which is common with these helmets. Net almost completely intact. This Camouflage Mk IV Helmet is complete with its original liner that exhibits somewhat stiff leather pads. The liner is also worn in appearance and is affixed by a replaced bolt. The helmet liner is double stamped, the first is CCL III 1952. The maker monogrammed CCL, is for either Charles Collett Ltd -- London, or, Christy & Co Ltd England. Liner makers from 1940 – 1945. {there is a debate as to the certainty of CCL representing which limited company}
They entered production in April 1944, meaning the helmets were designed for D-Day issue. This is a very nice British World War II Camouflage Mk IV Helmet that displays an honest “been there” combat appearance. These Mk IV helmets are hard to come by, especially with original camouflage net present and fully intact.

Historical Description: The Mk IV Helmet was based off its predecessor, the Mk III helmet, which was first developed for the British Army in 1941 by the Medical Research Council. Although designed in 1941, the helmet was not manufactured until late 1943 due to production issues. The Mk III helmets were first issued to troops in April 1944 and then worn in combat for the first time by both British and Canadian soldiers on D-Day. Mk III helmets were designed to provide better protection for the side of the head than its predecessor, the iconic Brodie helmet, which were worn by Commonwealth forces throughout both World Wars. Mk III and Mk IV helmets are sometimes referred to as the “turtle” helmet by collectors, because of their vague resemblance to a turtle shell. The Mk III gradually replaced the Brodie helmet from 1944 onwards and was itself replaced by the Mark IV helmet, which it closely resembled. The differences were that the rivets attaching the chinstrap to the helmet were placed much lower down on the shell and the use of a “lift-the-dot” fastener for the liner. These modifications allowed the Mk IV to be utilized for carrying water. The Mk IV helmet was finally replaced In 1985 by the nylon fibre Mark 6 helmet which ended this iconic design in the British military.

The 1st Battalion The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, stationed in Minden, Germany, had been warned off for service in Korea in early 1952. Preparations and training was carried out in Minden and Pontefract, Yorkshire, before the Battalion sailed to Korea, aboard HMT Devonshire, on 22nd September 1952, landing at Pusan on 30th October 1952.

The Battalion joined the 29th Brigade and, on 16th November, 1952, the Battalion went into the line at Yong Dong, relieving the 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. After a month in this ‘quiet sector’ the Battalion moved to Naechon, relieving the Durham Light Infantry, just as the harsh Korean winter descended over the country, which made patrolling uncomfortable and difficult. The first casualty was suffered on 20th December, when Pte Kirkpatrick died of wounds. There was much more action in this sector, with fighting patrols clashing in No Man’s Land at night and a major raid to destroy a Chinese tunnel was conducted on 24th January, 1953.

At the end of the month, the Commonwealth Division was pulled out of the line and a hectic round of training and field exercises was conducted.

In April the Division once more went into the line and on 12/13th May the ‘Dukes’ took up positions on ‘the Hook’. A feature of great tactical importance as it controlled the entrance to the Samichon valley and through that to Seoul. It was a hotly contested feature and it had been known for some time that the Chinese intended to capture it. On 17/18th May the enemy began bombarding the position and on the 18th May a Chinese deserter brought information that a large attack was to be launched imminently. The Brigadier decided to leave the ‘Dukes’, who now knew the position and the defensive plan well, on the feature and a great deal of preparation, including bunker construction and strengthening, wiring and mining, the reconnaissance of likely enemy forming up points and many listening patrols, was carried out.

On 28/29th May the final enemy bombardment fell on the Hook position and a series of fierce enemy assaults managed to get into the positions held by D Company, and the entrances to many of the bunkers were destroyed with satchel charges. However, the Chinese were caught by the well planned artillery, tank and machine gun Defensive Fire (DF) tasks and the following waves were all but wiped out. A counter-attack by the Battalion reserve Company restored the situation and the Hook was declared clear of the enemy at 0330 hours.

There were many examples of bravery on that night, including the tenacious defence of his section position by Private Connor, for which he was awarded a posthumous Mention in Despatches, notified in the London Gazette on 14th August 1953. This honour is signified by the wearing of a bronze oak leaf on the ribbon of the relevant medal.
The ‘Dukes’ suffered three officers and 17 men killed, two officers and 84 men wounded, with 20 men listed as missing, most of these taken prisoner, during the battle. Estimates of the Chinese casualties were 250 dead and 800 wounded, largely as the result of over 38,000 artillery shells from the Divisional artillery and 1st US Corps Artillery Group.

For this action the Battalion was awarded the Battle Honour ‘The Hook 1953’. Later the 1st Battalion’s Headquarter Company was renamed ‘Hook’ Company.

At 2200 hours on 27th July, 1953, the fighting in Korea came to an end, with the formal declaration of a truce. The war between North and South Korea, though, continues to this day, with occasional flare ups and casualties on both sides.

Sir Michael Caine began his National Service with the British Army on 28 April 1952. A year into his National Service, Caine was given the option of either completing two further years standard National Service or completing only one year of Active Service in Korea. Caine chose to do the latter and set sail from Liverpool to the East Asian Theatre on the Empire Halladale. When he reached East Asia, he was based at Kure, the Southern Japanese mainland, for training. As part of the 1st Battalion of Royal Fusiliers, A Platoon, C Company, Caine was sent to the front line of the conflict - the 38th Parallel.

In an interview with the Daily Mail in 1987, Caine recounted some of his experiences while serving in the Korean war:
“...attack after attack, you would find their bodies in groups of four”-commenting on the human wave tactics employed by the enemy, which often involved groups of soldiers sharing a single weapon.
“We heard them talking and we knew they had sussed us…Our officer shouted run and by chance we ran towards the Chinese. Which is what saved us; in the dark we lost each other”. Explaining how while on patrol in a paddy field, Caine and the men he was with were nearly caught by enemy forces.

Finally, Caine’s national service was concluded by marching out of the Tower of London to the regimental march while wearing demobilisation clothes.
Later, Sir Michael Caine would draw upon his military experience in films such as A Hill in Korea, which tells the story of a group of British soldiers being cut off by Chinese forces.  read more

Code: 25617

The Spectacular, Elizabeth Taylor, 'Million Dollar' Gold, Diamond And Ruby Rolex 'Mystery' Watch, With a Diamond & Ruby Bracelet. Described As, Probably, The Most Spectacular, Beautiful and Unique Rolex Watch in the World

What an incredible idea for a special occasion.
A unique, bespoke, Rolex ‘mystery’ watch, probably one of the most spectacular ‘statement watches’ ever to be seen anywhere in the world today, that once belonged to one of the greatest movie legends of them all, Elizabeth Taylor.

The concealed Rolex watch movement is hidden within the spectacular, gold diamond and ruby set 'belt and buckle' bracelet, and when worn, the watch movement is entirely concealed, and hidden, and can be viewed by simply lifting the end of the belt tab.
The current cost of a 1970's Bulgari Serpenti 'Mystery' Watch, available on the market today, is anything up to £170,000. But the fabulous Bulgari mystery watches hold not a candle to this simply unique and exquisite piece..

This extraordinary watch is as close to a Million Pound watch as you can get. Its provenance is as follows;

In the middle of October 1970, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton arrived in Brighton for the location filming of Burton's latest film, Villain. During the filming they toured The Lanes in Brighton and visited our shop in Prince Albert St, in order to discuss with David Hawkins snr, the purchase of a mansion David had recently bought in Hove. During their hour long visit to our store some extraordinary business was transacted, between Elizabeth and Camilla Hawkins, Mark and David's mother, and wife of their father David snr. Camilla bought from Elizabeth, this most spectacular custom made, Rolex movement, gold and diamond bracelet 'mystery' watch that Richard had somewhat recently bought for Elizabeth.

It was the culmination of a conversation that Elizabeth had with David and Camilla concerning the purchase of a Hove mansion, that David and Camilla owned in Hove, that Michael Wilding {a very famous British actor and another former husband of Elizabeth Taylor} was attempting to buy from David Hawkins snr, for Michael Wilding's 'other' ex wife, Susan Wilding. Elizabeth had been asked by Michael to intercede on his behalf, and convince David to sell the Hove mansion to Michael, that, so far, he had thus refused to do.

That most curious conversation, and negotiation, obliquely developed into an entirely disconnected heated discussion between Elizabeth and Richard, concerning a ring that Elizabeth had seen in a neighbouring jewellers in the Brighton Lanes that very day, and that Elizabeth was determined to buy for herself. However, Richard had ‘forbade’ her from buying it. He strongly protested, and loudly argued, that he was the only one allowed to buy her Jewellery, and Elizabeth, took great exception to this affront to her status and independence. Bearing in mind, Elizabeth had, and always was, paid far more for her performances than Richard was for his. Richard’s talent and fame was world renown, but Elizabeth’s fame and status was positively stratospheric. This was the uncomfortable element to their relationship, that Richard never truly overcame.

In high dudgeon, to his unwanted rebuke, Elizabeth removed this fabulous Rolex watch from her wrist, and immediately offered it for sale, and duly sold it, to Camilla, most likely, simply in order to frustrate, anger and annoy Richard, and very possibly to also demonstrate her indifference of his opinions and wishes. which it certainly did. So, the upshot was, Camilla gained this magnificent watch that October, from Elizabeth, and subsequently, just a few years later, gave it to Mark her son as a wedding present, in May 1978.

Mark { the elder partner of The Lanes Armoury} was in fact present in the shop when the entire argument between Elizabeth and Richard took place, and thus personally witnessed exactly how the watch was offered and purchased from Elizabeth, within the shop, on that grey but significantly eventful October day in 1970.
It was, he says,
"certainly one of the most curious, momentous and unforgettable days I had ever experienced in the shop during the past 50 plus years".
It is certainly not every day one is personally witness to two of the most famous and talented movie stars in the world, having a full blown, somewhat high decibel, hour long marital discourse, within just a few feet.

Bearing in mind Elizabeth and Richard were true, original ‘superstars’ in the truest sense of the word. No celebrities today could even touch the fame that those two fabulous actors enjoyed in their day.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor had another, very similar quality diamond and gold 'Mystery' watch, and she was indeed photographed wearing it on the set of Cleopatra in 1962 {see the gallery photos}. It was a serpent 'mystery' watch with a very similar watch movement encased and hidden within the head of a diamond and gold coiled snake, acting as its bracelet, made by Bulgari. That watch was sold in December 2011 for over $974,500, however it did have the benefit of a photograph of Elizabeth wearing it, and so far we have never found a photograph of Elizabeth wearing our far superior example.
It is said that to custom hand-make and replicate this unique, finest quality gold, diamond and ruby bracelet watch, with the manual 'fold-out' movement by Rolex, would likely cost over a million dollars today.
Over the past near 40 years we have combed the world of photographs of Elizabeth Taylor to find her wearing it, sadly without success, and when she created her magnificent book on her world famous jewel collection, as it was thirty years after this magnificent Rolex had been sold to Camilla.

A photo in the gallery is of Richard and Elizabeth arriving at Brighton Station on the 16th October 1970, and she may well have been wearing it then, but her arms are obscured by her jaguar print pant suit. We also show views from her famous jewel collection book,' Elizabeth Taylor, My Love Affair With Jewellery' published in 2002, that we also include with the watch. The watch is being sold in part to benefit Mark and Judy's {Mark's beloved late wife} favourite charities, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and The Guide Dogs for The Blind Association.
10.5 inches long x 1.4 inches wide at the buckle, 130.8 grams. Bears Swiss .750 hallmark, set with 24 diamonds and 40 rubies. There was once a small personal calling card with it from Elizabeth that doubled as it's receipt, but sadly it was lost many decades ago.

After meeting on the set of Cleopatra in the early '60s, actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011) and actor Richard Burton (1925-1984) began one of the most publicized and turbulent love stories of all time, captivating millions with their on-again, off-again relationship. Despite the drama, they shared a love that was deep and fierce, the kind of love that can often be as destructive as it is beautiful. According to TIME, Burton admitted he was making movies due to his desire for money, not a love for the art. However, he thought quite highly of his talented wife. He once wrote, "You are probably the best actress in the world, which, combined with your extraordinary beauty, makes you unique. When, as an actress, you want to be funny, you are funnier than W.C. Fields; when, as an actress, you are meant to be tragic, you are, tragic."
We recommend this watch is professionally serviced before wearing, which we can undertake if required. Over the decades we have sold many watches, of course, mostly of a military nature, but we have never seen another watch so beautiful as this. A true work of the finest object d'art, as well as a piece of useful and functional jewellery. It will be accompanied with a signed statement from Mark Hawkins detailing its full story, but sadly there is no longer any surviving paperwork from Elizabeth Taylor.
However, if one wished for Rolex to create such a fabulous bespoke watch today it would very likely cost up to a million pounds.
We offer it set within a fine Cartier watch box .

Another photo in the gallery is of Elizabeth's other 'Mystery Watch' by Bulgari, which she was photographed wearing on the set of Cleopatra. It sold in 2011 for $974,500.

The bespoke watch case and bracelet of our watch was likely originally custom made for Elizabeth by an exclusive, finest Parisian or Swiss jeweller, such as, for example, Van Cleef & Arpels or Boucheron, and was then fitted with its fold-out ‘hidden’ Rolex movement.

The watch is an amazing 10.5 inches long x 1.4 inches wide at the buckle, and it weighs over 4 ounces {130.8 grams}. It bears a Swiss .750 18ct hallmark and contains 24 diamonds and 40 rubies.

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading  read more

Code: 22793

A Rare Aeronautical Medal, Dated 1912, Of The Zeppelin Z3 {AKA LZ12}, Count von Zeppelin Friedrichshafen to Hamburg Flight. Showing The Flight Over The Bismark Memorial

Original, 40.5mm scarce zinc medal of the 1912 flight of the zeppelin Z3 {also known as the LZ12} over Hamburg. The airship is shown sailing over the Bismark Memorial with the city view in background. Another, the more common bronze version sold in the Dr. Kallir auction for $360 in 1999.

Another example in the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Medal, Count von Zeppelin Friedrichshafen to Hamburg Flight Commemorative Medal of Count von Zeppelin's Friedrichshafen to Hamburg Flight; Obverse: relief profile bust of von Zeppelin depicted, embossed text "GRAF FERDINAND VON ZEPPELIN"; Reverse: relief of a Zeppelin airship over Hamburg cityscape depicted, embossed text "FRIEDRICHSHAFEN - HAMBURG 700 KoM. IN 10 STUNDEN 31 5.19.1912".  read more

Code: 25601

A Very Rare, Near Mint Condition Aeronautical Table Medal for The Graf Zeppelin LZ 4 Dirigible Test Flight To Strasbourg. Hallmarked Silver, {990} Plaque. Dated August 4th 5th 1908, For The Crew Of The Zeppelin That Exploded On Its Test Flight. By Lauer

Graf Zeppelin LZ 4 Dirigible 2 day Test Flight to Strasbourg Silver medal plaque August 1908. Hallmarked 990 silver on the edge, and maker marked by Ludwig Christian Lauer within the frontal design.

Silver plaque medal for presentation of the flight, but the flight was interrupted by several serious issues, which grounded the Zeppelin mid flight, but whereupon it was blown from its mooring, caught fire, and exploded.

The trial flight finally started on 4 August 1908, when the LZ 4 lifted off at 06:22 in the morning, carrying 12 people and sufficient fuel for 31 hours of flight. The flight to Zürich had excited considerable public interest, and large crowds gathered along the route to witness the flight, which took it over Konstanz, Schaffhausen, Basel and Strasbourg. Shortly after passing Strasbourg the forward engine had to be stopped since the fuel tank in the engine gondola had been exhausted, and needed to be refilled. At this point the airship was flying light due to the heat of the sun having caused the hydrogen to expand, and was being held at a low altitude by dynamic downforce generated by flying in a nose-down attitude: with the loss of the power of one engine, it rose to an altitude of 820 m (2,690 ft), venting gas from the relief valves as it did so. At 1:58 p.m the aft engine had to be stopped for refuelling: this time the airship rose to 884 m (2,900 ft), with a further loss of hydrogen. Two further engine stoppages caused further loss of gas: by now LZ 4 was only being kept in the air by dynamic lift generated by flying with a nose-up attitude, the resultant drag reducing its speed to 16 km/h (9.9 mph), and at 5:24 pm a landing was made on the Rhine near Oppenheim, 23 kilometres (14 mi) short of Mainz. All superfluous items and five crew members were unloaded, and the flight was resumed at 10:20. Mainz was reached half an hour later, and the ship turned to begin its return journey. Further engine problems followed: a crank bearing in the forward engine melted at 1:27 am, reducing airspeed to about 32 km/h (20 mph) and it was decided to land to have the engine repaired by engineers from the Daimler works at Untertürkheim. Accordingly, LZ 4 was set down at 7:51 am at Echterdingen.

The airship was tethered and engineers removed the forward engine to make repairs, but during the afternoon LZ 4 was torn from its moorings by a gust of wind. The soldiers present as a ground handling party could not hold it down, but it was brought to earth by a crew member who had remained on board. Unfortunately, the ship came into contact with a half-dead pear tree while landing, which damaged some of the gasbags, and it immediately caught fire. The cause of ignition was later ascribed to a static charge being produced when the rubberised cotton of the gasbags was torn.

The disaster took place in front of an estimated 40 to 50 thousand spectators and produced an extraordinary wave of nationalistic support for Zeppelin's work. Unsolicited donations from the public poured in: enough had been received within 24 hours to rebuild the airship, and the eventual total was over 6 million marks were donated, at last providing Zeppelin with a sound financial base for his experiments.

Made by Ludwig Christian Lauer was a medal maker in Nuremberg, Germany. He began his business in 1848. He expanded his business and in 1860 renamed it ‘coin mint L. Chr. Lauer’. He died in 1873 and the company continued under the supervision of his wife and three sons.
He was a leading 19th-century German manufacturer of medals

55mm x 36mm, 43 grams of 990 silver  read more

Code: 25602

8th Punjab Indian Army Regt. Officer's Cap Badge

Single pin mount. The 8th Punjab Regiment had its origins in the Madras Army, where its first battalion was raised at Masulipatam in 1798. Four more battalions were raised in 1799-1800. In 1824, they were designated as the 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd Regiments of Madras Native Infantry. In the early 19th century, these battalions were engaged in fighting the Marathas and took part in a number of foreign expeditions including the Anglo-Burmese Wars. Between 1890 and 1893, they were reconstituted with Punjabi Muslims and Sikhs as Burma Battalions and permanently based in Burma to police the turbulent Burmese hill tracts. Under the Kitchener Reforms of 1903, they were redesignated as the 89th, 90th, 91st, 92nd Punjabis, and 93rd Burma Infantry. They were delocalized from Burma before the First World War The 8th Punjabis have a most distinguished record of service during the First World War. Their long list of honours and awards includes the Victoria Cross awarded to Naik Shahmed Khan of 89th Punjabis in 1916. The 89th Punjabis had the unique distinction of serving in more theatres of war than any other unit of the British Empire. These included Aden, where they carried out the first opposed sea-borne assault landing in modern warfare, Egypt, Gallipoli, France, Mesopotamia, North-West Frontier Province, Salonika and Russian Transcaucasia. All battalions served in Mesopotamia, while 93rd Burma Infantry also served in France. The 92nd Punjabis were made 'Prince of Wales's Own' in 1921 for their gallantry and sacrifices during the war During the Second World War the 8th Punjab Regiment again distinguished itself, suffering more than 4500 casualties. It was awarded two Victoria Crosses to Havildar Parkash Singh and Sepoy Kamal Ram, besides numerous other gallantry awards. The regiment raised a further nine battalions. Two of its battalions, the 1st and 7th, were captured on Singapore Island, when the British Commonwealth Army surrendered there to the Japanese on 15 February 1942. Four battalions fought in the Burma Campaign, while others saw service in Iraq, Iran, Italy, French Indochina and the Dutch East Indies. Two men from the 8th Punjab Regiment received the Victoria Cross: Havildar Parkash Singh in Burma and Sepoy Kamal Ram in Italy. By the end of the war, the Regiment consisted of 14 Battalions.  read more

Code: 19938

Royal Scottish Clan Glengarry Badge 'In Defence' Lion Rampant, Gilt

WW1 period. A very nice Glengarry badge of the Scottish Royal crest. The glengarry bonnet is a traditional Scots cap made of thick-milled woollen material, decorated with a toorie on top, frequently a rosette cockade on the left side, and with ribbons hanging down behind. It is normally worn as part of Scottish military or civilian Highland dress, either formal or informal, as an alternative to the Balmoral bonnet or tam o' shanter. The Royal Regiment of Scotland wears the glengarry with diced band and black cock feathers as its ceremonial headdress. Traditionally, the Glengarry bonnet is said to have first appeared as the head dress of the Glengarry Fencibles when they were formed in 1794 by Alexander Ranaldson MacDonell of Glengarry, of Clan MacDonell of Glengarry. MacDonell, therefore, is sometimes said to have invented the glengarry - but it is not clear whether early pictures of civilians or fencible infantry show a true glengarry, capable of being folded flat, or the standard military bonnet of the period merely 'cocked' into a more 'fore-and-aft' shape. The first use of the classic, military glengarry may not have been until 1841, when it is said to have been introduced for the pipers of the 79th Foot by the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Lauderdale Maule.

It was only in the 1850s that the glengarry became characteristic undress headgear of the Scottish regiments of the British Army. By 1860, the glengarry without a diced border and usually with a feather had been adopted by pipers in all regiments except the 42nd (Black Watch), whose pipers wore the full dress feather bonnet. In 1914, all Scottish infantry regiments were wearing dark blue glengarries in non-ceremonial orders of dress, except for the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) who wore them in rifle green, and the Scots Guards, who wore peaked forage caps or khaki service dress caps. 2.25 inches high  read more

Code: 21054

Part of a Superb WW1 Machine Gunner's Collection, British and German. An Incredibly Rare WW1 German Machine Gunners Abteilung Marked Utility and Combat Axe and Cradle Leather Belt Holster Regimentally Marked

steel axe head stamped with standing lion makers mark and “G. LEWELT”, waved wooden haft. Housed in brown leather cradle with stud fittings, stamped to the inside “1 M.G.A” 1st Maschinengewehr Abteilung and the axe block with “BA II 1917” Issued to Bekleidungsamt Armee Korps Stettin. Split to leather by brass stud. Used by the machinegunner to cut down trees or wood that thus enabled a machine gun to be placed at its best advantage point, preferably concealed by wood or thicket. It was also the perfect trench warfare close combat weapon. The German army had been a late convert to the potential of machine guns, but its tactical employment of them in 1914 proved superior to that of its enemies. German machine gunners exploited the weapon’s long-range accuracy, and the fact that the guns were a regimental (rather than battalion) asset allowed them to be grouped to achieve maximum effect. This efficiency created a myth that Germany deployed far more machine guns than its opponents in 1914.

Following the onset of positional warfare, machine guns gained notoriety as highly effective direct-fire weapons. They could theoretically fire over 500 rounds per minute (rpm), but this was not normal in combat, where "rapid fire" generally consisted of repeated bursts amounting to 250 rpm. The effectiveness of these bursts of between ten and fifty bullets was enhanced by exploitation of ballistics and the precision offered by firing from adjustable mounts. At ranges of 600 metres or less, machine guns could create fixed lines of fire which would never rise higher than a man's head, with deadly results for those attempting to advance across them. Or the gun could be traversed between bursts to offer what the French called feu fauchant (mowing fire). At longer range, their bullets fell in an elliptical "beaten-zone", giving them an area-fire capability.

Groups of guns could interlock their fire. In favourable circumstances, such as at Loos on 26 September 1915, or on the Somme on 1 July 1916, this could prove devastating. But although this is how machine guns are now best remembered, new methods of using them were developed from 1915 onwards.

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us  read more

Code: 23343

A 1933 Original German NSDAP Propaganda Piece by Walter Wolff. A Large Cast Iron Relief Portrait Bust ‘Ehren-Plakette Des Führers’ With Famous German Speech Quote. A "Fuhrer's Plaque of Honour"

Third Reich Adolf Hitler Plaque, rectangular cast iron plaque with profile relief of Adolf Hitler. This is a particularly fine, original and early cast iron example, the later and somewhat lesser ones were often in cast aluminium.

‘Ich glaube an Deutschland und kampfe dafur heute und morgen und in der Zukunft bis unser der sieg ist’ being one of Adolf Hitler’s famous speeches which translates too ‘I believe in Germany and will fight for it today and tomorrow and in the future until ours is the victory'
Signed ‘W WOLFF 33’

Wolff was represented with busts at Berlin Academy exhibitions and at major German art exhibitions in Munich in the 1930s and 1940s. His portraits of musicians (Walter Gieseking, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Paul Graener, Alfred Cortot, Otto Klemperer, Hans-Erich Riebensahm) became well known. He also portrayed the scientist Max Planck. He created a bronze bust of Hermann Göring in 1936 and an iron relief with a portrait of Adolf Hitler, which was distributed as a "Führer's plaque of honour" for propaganda purposes, as early as 1933. A copy of the latter is in the collection of the German Historical Museum Foundation. Alongside Arno Breker's Hitler busts, those by Wolff were among the best-known "Führer" heads; they shaped the public image of Hitler iconographically, for example in reading books, and appeared almost simultaneously during the National Socialist era. In later years, in addition to portraits, he mainly created animal sculptures and landscapes.

Walther Wolff’s specialty, however, became portrait busts of political leaders, top musicians and leading scientists. Among them Hitler, Hindenburg, Hermann Göring, pianist Alfred Cortot, theoretical physicist and Nobel prize winner Max Planck, composer and conductor Paul Graener, composer Wilhelm Fuhrtwängler and pianist and composer Walther Gieseking.
In 1933 he became famous when he created the ‘Ehren-plakette des Führers’ (‘Honour Plaque of the Führer’). This iron relief was a commissioned work, depicted the head of Hitler with the text. This was instituted as an official iron portrait and was installed in public spaces, schools and official institutions throughout Nazi Germany; Wolff’s famous reliefs were made by the hundreds, but after 1945 they were also destroyed just as abundantly.

Walther Wolff displayed his works at all the major Berlin exhibitions; at the Preussische Akademie der Künste (i.a. ‘Frühjahrs-Ausstellung’, 1940 and 1941), ‘Herbst-Ausstellung’, 1941 and 1942); at the exhibitions organised by the ‘Verein Berliner Künstler’ (i.a. ‘Herbstausstellung’, 1938, 1939, 1940 and 1941), and at the ‘Grosse Berliner Kunstausstellung’, i.a. 1942). In 1941 Wolff took part in the exhibition ‘100 Jahre Verein Berliner Künstler’, Berlin, and later in that year in the exhibition ‘Malerie-Graphik-Plastik’, in Berlin from 6 December 1941 to 31 January 1942.

Reverse stamped ‘ges gesch’ and with a ‘H’ to the bottom corner. Original bar fixing to the reverse.
32 cm x 22cm

A bust of Hermann Göring, created by Wolff in 1936, is in the possession of the RAF Museum Henden, Londen (Battle of Britain Hangar).

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us  read more

Code: 25589

A Scarce WW2 Japanese Jungle Sword Cutlass, ‘Heiho’ Made From a Captured Dutch Cutlass After The Japanese Invasion By The Imperial Japanese Army in 1941. Re-Captured By The US GI's

In superb condition overall for age with stunningly well patinated original leather scabbard with its rare original belt mount frog

Under German occupation itself, the Netherlands had little ability to defend its colonies in the pacific against the Japanese army, and less than three months after the first attacks on Kalimantan the Japanese navy and army overran Dutch and allied forces, ending 300 years of Dutch colonial presence in Indonesia. A lot of their weaponry was captured, and some were converted for use by the Imperial Japanese Army.

This Dutch cutlass, or klewang, was one such weapon. These Japanese adapted weapons have very distinctive features and can easily be identified by such as the original fitted cutlass bowl hilt being removed {just as this example} and the swords were then re-issued to the imperial Japanese forces for use in the Jungles of Burma etc.

It is a Dutch Naval 1911 model “Klewang” cutlass, made by Hemburg, which was cut down by the Japanese during WW2 to use as a machete and jungle sword. These swords were often issued to IJA forces to hunt down any remaining Dutch forces, and the Japanese Imperial occupying forces found them to be a most useful jungle cutlass. The overall condition is excellent, and the cutlass comes with the the original dutch leather scabbard and frog with belt loop and has metal re-enforcing strip to the top. Three rivet wooden grip and steel crossguard

When the US re-captured the Japanese occupied islands they took these re-captured 'Heiho' and re-issued them {for the second time in their service use} to their GI's and Marines. They are very scarcely seen rare items these days and highly sought after.

See photos in the gallery of GI's using and carrying their re-captured 'Heiho' cutlasses.

There is a near identical example to be seen in the British Royal Maritime Collection.

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us  read more

Code: 25588

A Superb M42 German Combat Helmet With Rare, Original, Classic 'Normandy Pattern' Two Colour Green , Camouflage, Original Liner & Its Three Original Perfect Liner Rivets Intact. Waffen SS/Heer Issue

Well maker stamped and numbered on the rear neck piece. SE - Sachsische Emaillerwerk, Lauteran. Later in the war their stamp mark changed to HKP. This is an absolute beauty, with obvious signs of combat service, just as to be expected, but with its completely untouched original features, and it is totally 100% original, unmolested since the 1945 surrender of the Third Reich.
For the benefit of our Christmas WW2 collector regulars we are offering this most historical piece at a nominal profit, so if you have interest, act fast, this most scarce original camouflage helmet will surely not be available for long.

The German helmet of World War II is often broken down for distinction in three different models. The M35, M40 and M42. In truth according to the German high command there was only one model, the Model 35, so called because the first years of production was in 1935. The other models, the M40 and M42 do not exist in German military records. The reason for this is simply because the German military did not consider the later two versions to be new models, just modifications of the original design. The reasons for these modification were the result of a massively expanding war that required helmets as quickly as the factories could turn them out.

The German military had been experiencing helmet shortage since the 1930s. Part of this was due to the decision to sell over 220,000 brand newly produced M35 helmets to the Nationalist Chinese government between 1935 and 1937, not to mention smaller numbers of helmets being sent to Spain and Finland. The shortage was also due to the fact that the Germany military was going though massive growth during the same time frame. In addition on February 2nd of 1940 the German military ordered that all German armoured troops be issued helmets, where as before that date they were not issued one.

Starting on 28 August of 1943 an order was issued to the helmet factories that decals for the Heer, Luftwaffe, Kreigsmarine were no longer be applied. SS decals would continue to be applied at the factory level until another order was issued on 1 November 1943 requiring that the practice stop. The most likely reason the decals were dropped is likely for the exact same reason that Luftwaffe blue-gray painted helmet production ceased. The application of decals for five different branches of service was both costly and time consuming. With the war going badly the use of decals was no longer a luxury that could be afforded. By late 1944 a plane slate gray helmet would be issued to all branches of the service till the end of the war.

The panzer and panzergrenadier divisions of the Waffen SS were caught up in the strategic discussions, slowing their orders to Normandy in response to the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944. That delay ultimately contributed to their destruction. In the meantime, however, the SS panzer and panzergrenadier divisions that did confront the Allied lodgement in Normandy in the summer of 1944 fought hard and long, impeding the advance of the British and Americans, but paying a terrible price. Once committed these divisions were true to their reputation as fierce, fanatical combat formations dedicated to Nazi ideology and men willing to die for their Führer.

And they did die, thousands of them, under a relentless storm of artillery, air attacks, naval gunfire, and the thrusts of Allied ground troops toward the frontier of the Third Reich. Nevertheless, the Waffen SS exacted a heavy toll in lives and equipment while sacrificing its strength to halt the enemy in Normandy. Highly motivated and led by dedicated veteran officers, the Waffen SS soldier was deployed with the best weaponry available. From early June to late August 1944, no fewer than six Waffen SS divisions—1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich, 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen, 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg, 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, and 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen—were joined by the 101st and 102nd SS Heavy Panzer Battalions in the death struggle.

The SS panzer divisions were equipped with tanks that had been proven superior to Allied types in tank-versus-tank combat. The 29-ton PzkPfw. IV medium tank, workhorse of the German formations, mounted a 75mm cannon, while the 45-ton PzKpfw. V Panther, perhaps the best all-around tank of World War II, was outfitted with the long-barreled high-velocity 75mm cannon, and the 56-ton PzKpfw. VI Tiger mounted a deadly 88mm high-velocity cannon.

The German guns generally possessed greater range than those of Allied tanks, and the heavier armour protection of the German armoured fighting vehicles offered enhanced survivability. The panzergrenadiers, or armored infantrymen, were equipped with the reliable Mauser K98k bolt action rifle, squad level automatic weapons such as the MP-38 and MP-40 submachine guns, the first-generation assault rifle known as the Sturmgewehr 43, and the superb MG-34 and MG-42 machine guns, which possessed cyclical rates of fire well above those of any Allied weapon.

Roughly 100,000 German troops were trapped in the Falaise Pocket at the end of August, but 60 men of the 12th SS fought to keep the escape route open north of Argentan. After three days, four of them were captured alive. The battered Hitlerjugend and Leibstandarte fought desperately to keep the gap open, allowing up to 40,000 soldiers to elude capture. The Leibstandarte held the southern shoulder and conducted a fighting withdrawal. On the nights of August 13 and 14, the remnants of Das Reich filtered through the Leibstandarte to a new defensive line at Champosoult. On the 16th, the Leibstandarte began its final retirement as fog cloaked the withdrawal across the River Orne.

The SS divisions in Normandy were shattered, and their losses were tremendous. The Leibstandarte had suffered 5,000 casualties and abandoned nearly all its remaining tanks and artillery during the retreat at Falaise. The 9th SS Panzer Division lost half its strength, about 9,000 men, and the 10th SS Panzer had been reduced to four battalions of infantry.

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us  read more

Code: 25587