Memorabilia

Russian WWI Saint George Cross IV Class, Photo, & Family Form Letter Lot

These materials were not specifically related to one another, but display nicely together.  Features a Cross of St. George IV Class: a silver Cross Pattée with obverse displaying raised depiction of St. George slaying a dragon, the reverse bearing a central raised disc with Cyrillic characters “СГ” (“SG”) as the saint’s monogram, the three and nine o’clock arms etched with an accountability number of “516062”, the six o’clock arm bearing an inscription of “4 СТЕП” (“4th CLASS”), the twelve o’clock arm with an integral loop connecting to a suspension ring with a pentagonal backplate and period original ribbon, unmarked, measuring 34.15 mm wide x 40.84 mm high.  Has a dark age-toned patina; ribbon and backer mount are correct but condition would indicate that they are likely replacements to this medal.

Includes a 16.5 cm tall x 10.5cm wide cabinet card image of an Imperial Russian soldier wearing a complex pack arrangement, posing with his Mosin-Nagant rifle with fixed bayonet, and a bayonet scabbard on his belt.  (The use of bayonet scabbards in the Imperial army was not the norm.)  Also includes an illustrated pre-printed form letter home, for the use of illiterate or semi-literate Russian soldiers.

$200 - $300

Swedish M96 Mauser Rifle

6.5x55mm, has thinning blued finish on the barrel, blued receiver and bolt finished bright, receiver marked "Carl Gustafs stads Gevärsfaktori" with "1911" manufacture date.  Stock is dark with normal light service and storage wear and dings, range table on the buttstock and circular accountability number disc remains.  Receiver is marked with serial number "290638".  Bore is dark but has strong rifling.

The Swedish Model 1896 (M96) Mauser rifle was adopted by Sweden in 1896 for use with the 6.5×55mm cartridge, a round developed in partnership with Norway. Initially produced in Germany and later in Swedish state arsenals, the M96 replaced the Remington rolling block as the standard infantry weapon. Known for its precision engineering and high-quality steel, the M96 embodied Sweden’s tradition of military preparedness, even while maintaining a policy of neutrality through both World Wars. Though it never saw major combat, the rifle served as the primary arm of the Swedish infantry, supplied to Finland during World War II for second-line use, and continued to be valued for military training and marksmanship long after its introduction.

$200 - $300

Swedish Mauser M1894/14 Carbine

The Swedish Model 1894/14 Carbine represents an updated version of the m/1894 carbine originally adopted for cavalry and other mounted troops. Produced at Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori and by Mauser in Oberndorf, this refined bolt-action carbine was chambered for the 6.5×55 mm cartridge, noted for its excellent ballistic performance and moderate recoil. The 1914 modification added a bayonet lug and front band to allow mounting of the m/1914 knife bayonet, bringing the carbine in line with evolving support and specialty troop requirements. Compact, accurate, and finely finished, the M1894/14 exemplifies Sweden’s emphasis on precision engineering and craftsmanship in its early twentieth-century small arms development.  This example has nice strong blued finish throughout, bolt finished bright, receiver marked "Carl Gustafs stads Gevärsfaktori" with "1903" manufacture date.  Side has serial number "20620". Stock shows normal light service and storage wear and dings.  "Has range table on the buttstock, with the circular accountability number disc no longer present.  Complete with leather sling.  Bore is dark but has strong rifling.  Barrel has a ~8mm unrifled extension added to the muzzle (to meet US import requirements).  

$500 - $600

Turkish WWI Gallipoli Star & (reproduction) Pilot Badge

Lot was displayed with a commercial photo postcard of Oberleutnant Richard Falke, the famed aviator from Flieger-Abteilung 300 wearing his Prussian observer badge, 'Gallipoli Star', and Turkish pilot badge. 

Includes a very nice original example of the Turkish award: presented to German and Turkish troops for gallantry at Gallipoli and other campaigns in the Middle East, commonly referred to as the Eisener Halbmond (Iron Half-Moon) or 'Gallipoli Star'.  German made example; star shaped silver planchet has red enamel over a guilloche background; silvered crescent moon and tughra of Sultan Mehmed Reshad V with date "1333" (1915).  Nice warm patina, and no enamel damage.  Reverse has flat pin attachment, no markings.

The Turkish Pilot badge I believe to be a nice high quality reproduction.  

$100 - $200

Turkish Bayonet Lot: Three Ersatz Bayonets, One Shortened S.98/05 and One M1903 Mauser Bayonet

Includes two shortened ersatz bayonets, one shortened S.98/05, and one rather nice Turkish M1915 ersatz bayonet for M1893 and 1903 rifles.  That example is nicely marked with a star and crescent moon on the crossguard, in it's proper steel scabbard, with both the bayonet scabbard and hilt retaining the same traces of feldgrau painted finish blending with dark patina.  M1903 bayonet has fullered quillback S.98 style blade with star and crescent on the spine, and pommel marked with the Sultan's tughra.  Includes black leather scabbard with steel throat and drag. 

$200 - $300

WWI Allied Medal Lot: Belgium, France, & Italy

Belgian medals include a WWI Victory with heavily worn ribbon, Yser Medal with ribbon, and Yser Medal planchet only without ribbon.  French medals include a WWI Victory Medal with modern replacement ribbon, Croix-de-Guerre with 1914-1918 reverse and palm device symbolizing mention in Army dispatch.  Also includes two WWI Grand Guerre commemorative medals, one with a heavily worn ribbon, and a pair of artillery branch collar tabs for the overcoat, with "219" unit numerals.  Italian medals include a WWI War Merit Cross and two examples of the 1915-1918 War Medal.

$100 - $150

WWI Iron Cross & British Tank Motif Trench Art Desk Display made by German Soldier

20cm x 8.5cm (7-3/4" x 3-3/8") clipped corner wood base is home to a rather elaborate trench art model of a British tank with fired copper artillery shell driving bands for tracks, fitted with small muzzles protruding from side sponsons and decorated by German coins on both sides.  Front has a copper plaque worked with an Iron Cross motif and "WORLD WAR 14 / 18".  The tank has inscription "GEFREITER / FRITZ OPPERT / JR 1/66".  10cm (4") tall overall.  

$50 - $100

WWI Era Steel Plate With Mounting Brackets

4.04mm (5/32") thick rectangular concave profile steel plate is roughly square - 23mm (9-1/8") tall and wide, with clipped corners at the top, fitted with brown leather billet straps that appear to be set up to pass over the user's shoulders, cross at the back, and are then secured to short buckle straps fitted to either side at the base with roller buckles.  Steel plate retains a portion of black painted finish blending with dark oxidized patina overall.  Interior is fitted with a brown leather cushion.  No visible markings.  It has two rectangular mounting brackets attached to the upper center portion. I did not find this in Bashford Dean's reference.  My initial thought was that it might be Italian.  Our consignor believes it to be a part of French WWI engineering equipment. 

$100 - $200

WWI Private Purchase Body Armor

32.5cm x 30.5cm (13" x 12") concave steel armored plate is profiled to accomodate the wearer's neck, left arm, and firing arm.  This is encased in an ocher brown cotton covering with darker ocher brown web neck and waist straps with "PARIS" marked two-prong vest buckle fittings.

I was unable to identify this specific armor piece in Bashford Dean's Helmets and Body Armor in Modern Warfare, a period study of such equipment, but the originality of the armor itself and its genuine purpose are not in doubt.  However, just a bit of artifact phrenology reveals that the armor plate inside this covering has a pitted texture and some flaking material, which leads me to believe that it is an original armor plate, but the covering and straps are a later restoration.  That said, it displays very well and is a nice piece to illustrate the story of private purchase body armor in the trenches of WWI.  

$100 - $200

Western Front Battlefield Relic Lot Including Lebel Rifle

Lot includes two 12" x 16" collector display frames and one 8.5" x 12" frame, filled with shell fragments, bits of corrugated sheet metal from trench walls, the base of a minenwerfer shell, recovered Bavarian and Prussian spike helmet wappen, barbed wire, etc., much (but not all) of it labeled as to where it was recovered.  Also includes a battlefield relic Imperial German S.98/05 bayonet, and features a battlefield relic French Lebel rifle which has been dramatically twisted, likely by the effect of a shellburst.  The force from artillery explosions can be much like a tornado, turning the once-formidable implements of war into mute testimonials to the effect of being downrange amid the sudden and violent arrival of high explosives.  In this case, we can see that the bolt was open at the time that the shell arrived.  It is interesting to think that as that last fired cartridge was being ejected, a shell landed that not only bent the barrel in multiple directions, but also the back end of the bolt!

Though from a logical, practical perspective this rifle is clearly now lethal only to someone not up-to-date on their tetanus shots.. it is in the eyes of the law still a modern rifle, and must transfer via an FFL as a -nsn- (no serial number) post-1898 firearm.

$400 - $600

WWI Canteen, Mess Gear, & Gas Mask Mixed Lot: Austria-Hungary, Britain, & France

Mixed lot of gear features an Austro-Hungarian Enameled Canteen With Cup & Carrying Harness.  Green enameled iron canteen and cup both have 1917 dated maker stamps, with chips in the enameled finish as is normally the case.  This set is complete with the original stopper, captive end stopper cord, and a brown leather carrying harness with iron adjustment buckle rather than the field gray cloth carrying strap.  Leather strap is very fragile and mostly broken on one side.  This system was abandoned later in the war in favor of carrying the canteen inside a pocket of the breadbag that was sewn exclusively for that purpose.  We seen canteens regularly, we see even see cups on occasion, but finding the whole rig does not happen often.

Far more often (or rather nearly always, in fact) is the very crispy, relic condition of a French ARS Gas Mask.  These rubberized fabric masks just do not survive in anything that resembles pliable condition, and are normally found soldified into the same collapsed and compacted form that they take when stuffed into the carrier.  These are no exception.  The fragile eyepiece lenses have self-destructed as well.  Lot includes two masks, one complete with the metal carrying canister, and the other on the loose.

Lot further includes a tinned iron French M1852 mess kit which has lost most all of its tinned finish and is now oxidized and lightly rusted, complete with lid, as well as one of the interior trays and an extra lid, and a French Issue Cup.

Lastly, the lot includes a British Pattern 1903 Water Bottle in the skeletal brown leather carrier as is commonly associated with mounted troops.  Carrier is unmarked; canteen has BroadArrow and other stenciled markings on the khaki wool covering.

$100 - $200

WWI Mess Gear Lot: Russian Mess Kit & Canteen, Austro-Hungarian Canteen, & Imperial German Cup
Imperial Russian Model 1909 Infantry pattern kidney-shaped copper mess kit has an attachment strap loop, iron wire bail handle, and Cyrillic maker's stamp.  Shows age with dark patina, normal dings and dents.  The Imperial Russian aluminum flask canteen is uncovered, with 1904 dated maker stamp on the neck just below the lip.  Austro-Hungarian WWI canteen has field gray enamel finish with just a few small dings, nicely marked with 1916 maker stamp and complete with stopper on a chain.  Imperial German M.15 issue drinking cup has extensive wear and chips with dark oxidized patina below on both the top brim and around the base.  Base has crossed swords maker logo stamp with "18" date. 
$100 - $150

WWI Mess Gear Lot: Russian Mess Kit & Canteen, Austro-Hungarian Canteen, & Imperial German Cup
Imperial Russian Model 1909 Infantry pattern kidney-shaped copper mess kit has an attachment strap loop, iron wire bail handle, and Cyrillic maker's stamp.  Shows age with dark patina, normal dings and dents.  The Imperial Russian aluminum flask canteen is uncovered, with 1904 dated maker stamp on the neck just below the lip.  Austro-Hungarian WWI canteen has field gray enamel finish with just a few small dings, nicely marked with 1916 maker stamp and complete with stopper on a chain.  Imperial German M.15 issue drinking cup has extensive wear and chips with dark oxidized patina below on both the top brim and around the base.  Base has crossed swords maker logo stamp with "18" date. 
$100 - $150

WWI Mess Gear Lot: Russian Mess Kit & Canteen, Austro-Hungarian Canteen, & Imperial German Cup
Imperial Russian Model 1909 Infantry pattern kidney-shaped copper mess kit has an attachment strap loop, iron wire bail handle, and Cyrillic maker's stamp.  Shows age with dark patina, normal dings and dents.  The Imperial Russian aluminum flask canteen is uncovered, with 1904 dated maker stamp on the neck just below the lip.  Austro-Hungarian WWI canteen has field gray enamel finish with just a few small dings, nicely marked with 1916 maker stamp and complete with stopper on a chain.  Imperial German M.15 issue drinking cup has extensive wear and chips with dark oxidized patina below on both the top brim and around the base.  Base has crossed swords maker logo stamp with "18" date. 
$100 - $150

WWI Mess Gear Lot: Russian Mess Kit & Canteen, Austro-Hungarian Canteen, & Imperial German Cup
Imperial Russian Model 1909 Infantry pattern kidney-shaped copper mess kit has an attachment strap loop, iron wire bail handle, and Cyrillic maker's stamp.  Shows age with dark patina, normal dings and dents.  The Imperial Russian aluminum flask canteen is uncovered, with 1904 dated maker stamp on the neck just below the lip.  Austro-Hungarian WWI canteen has field gray enamel finish with just a few small dings, nicely marked with 1916 maker stamp and complete with stopper on a chain.  Imperial German M.15 issue drinking cup has extensive wear and chips with dark oxidized patina below on both the top brim and around the base.  Base has crossed swords maker logo stamp with "18" date. 
$100 - $150

WWI Mess Gear Lot: Russian Mess Kit & Canteen, Austro-Hungarian Canteen, & Imperial German Cup
Imperial Russian Model 1909 Infantry pattern kidney-shaped copper mess kit has an attachment strap loop, iron wire bail handle, and Cyrillic maker's stamp.  Shows age with dark patina, normal dings and dents.  The Imperial Russian aluminum flask canteen is uncovered, with 1904 dated maker stamp on the neck just below the lip.  Austro-Hungarian WWI canteen has field gray enamel finish with just a few small dings, nicely marked with 1916 maker stamp and complete with stopper on a chain.  Imperial German M.15 issue drinking cup has extensive wear and chips with dark oxidized patina below on both the top brim and around the base.  Base has crossed swords maker logo stamp with "18" date. 
$100 - $150

WWI Canteen Lot: French 1915 Era One Liter Canteen & Canadian Canteen Lot

French WWI 1915 Era One Liter Canteen & Issue Cup: Early war one liter tinned iron canteen has original horizon blue wool cover dating it to the equipment transition era in 1915.  Early in the war, the French Army elected to drop the one-liter canteen in favor of the M1877 two-liter canteen that had previously only been issued to troops in hot climates such as North Africa. The horizon blue wool cover on this one is appropriate for that 1915-1916 transition era.  This example has the original cork stopper, and a dark brown leather sling which shows wear but is pliable, intact and Pecard-free, fitted with a swivel snap attachment on one side.  The horizon blue wool cover shows wear and stains but no mothing.  Includes a nice issue cup.

Canadian pattern watter bottle is complete with its khaki wool felt covering, web sling and harness.  Cover has some areas of mothing.  These were produced by the Canadian Aluminum Goods Supply Co. in 1914 and 1915.  Author Chris Pollendine notes "They were often issued with the Pattern 1914 leather equipment, although they were a poor fit in the bottle carrier, also sometimes with the Pattern 1908 equipment, which was even worse."  $200-$250

British WWI MK IX Trench Periscope & Quick Focus Rifleman Telescope

British MK IX trench periscope is 59cm ~(23-1/4") long with the wood handle installed, brass tube retains 50% olive finish and is marked "PERISCOPE / MK IX / 1918 / R.&J. BECK, Ltd."  Optics are just a bit dark but not cloudy.  Lacks carrying case.

British two-draw field telescope has a rather elegant brown leather carry case with captive end caps and adjustable sling.  Brass tube is marked "QUICK FOCUS RIFLEMAN / J.H. STEWARD Ltd. / 406 STRAND / LONDON".  Optics are a bit cloudy.  Exterior of the case is inscribed "G.M. Walker / 2 Whitby Ave. / Seaburn / Co. Durham"  Closed and capped length is 32cm, (~12-1/2"), drawn length is 62cm (~24-1/2")

US WWI Trench Periscope is a 5.3cm (~2") square wood box periscope which measures 36.7cm (~14-1/2") long with 90% olive drab finish, side with folding wood attachment stake and belt clip. Interior mirrors are present and functional.  Storage wear only, much nicer than usually encountered. 

$150 - $200

Imperial Russian Display Headgear Lot

Includes a cossack papakha with diminutive orange and black oval cockade and brass Imperial Russian bicephalic eagle insignia.  White crown has yellow lace trim, sides bounded in black fur; interior has black velvet band and wine red velvet crown and body lining.  It is our assessment that this is more than likely a papakha made as a quality prop for a traditional cossack dance troupe rather than an original Imperial era item.

Second item is an early Soviet era peasant's soft visor cap, of khaki linen, displaying an original Imperial enlisted cockade on the front.  Interior has an unmarked white cotton lining and a very 1930's Soviet faux leather sweatband.  It is interesting as a period civilian hat, and functions well enough as a display analog for the Model 1907 furashka on a mannequin.

$100 - $200