Knight's Cross Award Document on E-Stand

[TP Alexander]

Knight's Cross Award Mappe of Peter-Eckhardt Gilow-1st Lieutenant /1. Panzer-Division
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=735111

I did a search to see if this has been discussed on here and I haven't found anything. Either I didn't look hard enough or no one has seen fit to have it discussed.
The seller has zero posts on the Forums. This means nothing in and of itself. The fact that he paid to become an Association Member does indicate a seriousness about selling said item.
There was a Peter Gilow and he was awarded the KC on 14 Sep 1942.
I believe this gentleman is seeking in excess of $10,000 for the purchase of the document and case.
He doesn't seem to be interested in sending it to Europe, becasue of the issue of it's safe arrival at the destination.
Does anyone care to comment on the article's authenticity or whether the price is in line with the current value of RK award documents?
Thanx,
Tim

[WalterB]

Knight's Cross Award Mappe of Peter-Eckhardt Gilow-1st Lieutenant /1. Panzer-Division
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=735111

I did a search to see if this has been discussed on here and I haven't found anything. Either I didn't look hard enough or no one has seen fit to have it discussed.
The seller has zero posts on the Forums. This means nothing in and of itself. The fact that he paid to become an Association Member does indicate a seriousness about selling said item.
There is a Peter Gilow and he was awarded the KC on 14 Sep 1942.
I believe this gentleman is seeking in excess of $10,000 for the purchase of the document and case.
He doesn't seem to be interested in sending it to Europe, becasue of the issue of it's safe arrival at the destination.
Does anyone care to comment on the article's authenticity or whether the price is in line with the current value of RK award documents?
Thanx,
Tim

Mappe looks righteous. I can't comment on the price, but the item is real as real can get.

[Tom B]

Mappe looks righteous. I can't comment on the price, but the item is real as real can get.

Correct IMO Tom

[sdesember]

The price looks to be very attractive. I've noticed that prices for these formal documents are pricier in Europe than in the US. This said, some factors to consider would be:

1. Originality (provenance [+])
2. Condition:
- Mappe Morocan leather-how much scuffing;
- Gilding on the Hoheitsabzeichen
- Tie string-whether still intact because it broke very easily, especially when in an already dry-rotting condition;
- The white paddings-whether still included)
- Parchment (yellowing [-], letterings gilding)
3. Recipient's other higher awards (EL and upward recipient commands higher prices.)
4. Rank & branch of service (Stuka Pilots & Tankers are very attractive to have.)
5. Familial importance (eg, nobility, royalty commands higher prices.)
6. Historical importance (e.g., Nuernberg Trial War Crime Figure, 20. Juli 44 are sought after.)
7. Extras: Packing cartons, Einschreibungssendung paper.
8. Hitler's signature: original ink; inked autopen; or stamp.

Lastly, I'd recommend storing the parchment detached from the red string inside the Mappe. Or, if not, try opening with the spine of the Mappe towards the ground, never upside down as the latter would guarantee a detachment of the red string!

[BastianG]

Let me introduce myself...

Dear Wehrmacht-Awards Community,

First of all, let me introduce myself.
My name is Bastian Greupner and I am from Berlin-Germany.

I became a member of your association to meet SS Pz Rgt collectors here in the US and have a really nice piece of history, the Ritterkreuz-Mappe of Peter Gilow - a well-decorated Panzer officer, 1st Lieutenant, Führer 2. / Panzer-Regiment 1 / 1. Panzer-Division (he also won the German Cross in Gold and has a brilliant war record) to offer to interested SS-Pz Rgt paper material collectors.

I am actually involved into collecting SS Pz Rgt material through my father. But I am not living in Germany at the moment, and since he and all of his contacts are back in Germany, I chose your E-Stand to make my Ritterkreuz-Mappe available to US collectors.

I am living in Texas, USA at the moment with my relatives. Through them I got my Ritterkreuz Mappe of Panzer officer Peter Gilow.
Their Grandfather was a professor of history on a private school in New Jersey for over 50 years. Since this was a private school which was only attended by very wealthy families, he got numerous historical pieces to buy and often even as a present, for his outstanding service as a teacher. He died 10 years ago, but my relatives gave me his Ritterkreuz Mappe, which he kept all his life in his office and showed it to students and interested collectors. He got it from a family that emigrated from Germany to the US and whose boy attended his history classes - they wanted to honor him by giving him the Mappe with Hitlers ink-signature.


If I can give this Ritterkreuz Mappe into good hands, I am willing to drop my price, so if you would be interested in the Knights Cross award of a really interesting 1st Lieutenant of the 1st Pz. Div. just write me a mail, to:

bastian.g91@web.de

Of course, I was in contact with SS Pz Rgt collectors (a lot of the contacts of my father were interested) back in Germany/Netherlands and got numerous offers at 15.000 Eur (= 20500 USD), but I do not want to send it or fly back to Europe.

Sure, the profit would be worth it, to visit my country for a weekend and sell the Mappe to the collectors I personally know through my father, but I actually really believe, that this valuable piece of history should stay in the US and hopefully find a decent place over here.
The Grandfather of my relatives that gave me this Mappe was such an ambitious and full-hearted history professor (teaching history was his life - just the insane amount of books we still have here of his legacy fills our whole library) and he was so proud of especially this document, that he showed it to all of his students and colleagues over all these years, he believed to make history touchable for his students and do not lock his treasures up for himself.
And also, I am absolutely convinced that the german family that gave him this document were the Gilows themselves - what history this document went through when they managed to immigrate to the US and bring the awards of their fallen father Peter Eckhardt with them after the war - I believe I should not bring it back to Germany and hope that this Ritterkreuz Award stays honored and in good hands of an appreciating SS Pz Rgt collector here in the US!


I am a teacher and our vacation just started, so I have enough time to deliver the Ritterkreuz Mappe safely and hand it over to you personally!


Or if you could draw the attention of other serious SS Pz Rgt collectors on my offer, I would highly appreciate it.

Thank You.

Best regards,

Bastian Greupner

[InfanterieSammler]

Hello Bastian,

This is a fine original document. I think the issue for collector's here in the US will be more related to the condition. I have discussed this piece with another collector and though not shown your sales thread, the edges of the document are coming apart. You will need to find the right collector who can look past the condition towards the history of the solider.

I'm of the mindset that the history of the soldier, having photos, knowing this RK deed are far more important deciding factors on whether to buy a Formal RK Urkunde. However, I believe I am in the minority opinion though, as most collectors start (and end...) with the condition of the document.

One point of clarification as you mentioned the document having "Hitler's ink signature." The signature, while indeed that of Hitler, was not actually ink-signed by him. The signature was executed by autopen.

Best Regards,
John

[Ludwig]

A very nice and 100% original document (and Mappe)! IMO. I also think it´s a fair price for a Panzer officer´s Mappe.

[BastianG]

For history's sake

Dear Community,

first, for history's sake, a little correction: I do not know how I mingled the word "fallen" in my little text that expressed my appreciation, how Gilow and his family managed to bring his KC Mappe with them to New York, when they immigrated just after the war.
Of course, when I got this KC Mappe I was researching for the recipient and told my father (who is especially interested in collecting Panzer material) to find out a little more. First of all, it was very interesting that Gilow was born in the same area of Germany as my family. But a couple of weeks later, my father called me, when he found a record of his arrival in NY, which was the clue that led me to the assumption, that it was the Gilow family themselves, that gave the grandfather of my American relatives his Ritterkreuz Mappe in New Jersey.
But there was something about his name, that I still could not comprehend, somehow it felt familiar to me. Then, just a few weeks ago, my father send me scans of old Spiegel Magazines (German News Mag) from the 1960's and it made finally perfect sense, how I could have heard his name besides mentions of KC recipients.
Peter Gilow was advertising executive, Chairman and CEO of the German speaking area of the J. Walter Thompson Company (world's best-known and oldest marketing communications brand), so I must have heard his name while studying communication design/ marketing in Germany. I have scans and pictures of newspaper articles about him and my father sent me various published quotes of him about politics/social legislation and more and I must say that he was an outstanding intelligent and foreseeing person.

Peter-Eckhardt Gilow died November 8th, 1992 in Königstein im Taunus


Now back to the KC document:

There is no doubt, that this Ritterkreuz Mappe is original.

For detailed pictures of the condition of the Mappe, just send me a mail or PM with your mail-address.

Further information / award-history: http://en.ww2awards.com/person/5112

To the price: I believe that my offer is exceptionally low. I asked around, and no one of the collectors I know of saw a Ritterkreuz Mappe sold in the past years for less than 10.000 Eur, which is just under 14.000 USD. Limit prices (starting bid) of auctioneers start often at 15.000 Eur (=20500 USD), often of less desirable recipients.
I have seen documents in much lower condition going for astonishing prices, that had seen a lot of abuse of the parchment (as water stains and yellowing / damaged calligraphic gold letters).

The parchment of my Ritterkreuz Award is in very good condition.
The folder, as it is made from leather, got rub-off in the common places on the edges / sides, but the gold, embossed national eagle and the artist's signature "FRIEDA THIERSCH" are intact.

I dropped my price only, because it is more important to me at the moment, that the document get into good hands, since I do not plan going back to Germany anytime soon, but on moving around here in the US and visiting South America in the near future, so I can not take this Mappe with me and take decent care of it.


Thank You for your interest!

Bastian Greupner

[BastianG]

Concerning the many questions to the condition of my KC Mappe, here a few more photographs and I will send you more in higher resolution via mail, just send me a short PM with your mail address.