Eva Braun spoon

[bertastan]

I have my doubts, but opinions are welcomed.
Thanks

[bertastan]

two more

[Br. James]

Hi,

Please share your doubts with us! This pattern is not included among the Eva Braun cutlery samples shown by James Yannes or Charlie Snyder, but since there is no solid "register of approved patterns" known to exist, I think anything is at least possible. This spoon is silver-plated and produced by Bruckmann, the same firm that produced both the AH Formal and Informal Services...though in those cases the pieces were of .800 solid silver. In his book, "Treasure Trove," Snyder shows us examples of at least 21 different service patterns, all carrying the "EB" butterfly motif as personally designed for Eva Braun by Albert Speer, and Yannes shows us two additional pattern examples...and none of them are an exact match for this spoon. Does that render this spoon to be a fake? Surely not! Eva Braun had many different silver services produced with her monogram, or she politely accepted gifts of numerous services bearing her monogram, and Jim Yannes shares with us this vignette from Albert Speer that seems to sum up her tastes in silverware: "Eva Braun especially delighted in showing off her new patterns at any opportunity, frequently using a different pattern at each place at the table and asking her guests which patterns they preferred."

So again I say: Please share your doubts with us!

Br. James

[Knight_ridergta]

Going off of what Br. James said I agree. It's not out of the ballpark in my opinion so anyone can have doubts but each to their own!

[Thorsten B.]

From this kind of item I do expect a monogramm or emblem in relief.

Like the AH eagle as one example.

Surely not a blunt engraving like this.

[Jo Rivett]

... so anyone can have doubts but each to their own!

But it does not have to be that way with these, to keep it polite, embellished items. All that is needed with any "engraved" item like this, to be sure if it was engraved a very long time ago, or yesterday, are magnified images of portions of the actual engraving. (► see image ◄) Then you look to see if the surface patina, scrapes etc, have worn over the edges of the engraving, like it would normally have through use, and time.

I imagine that if you looked at the engraving on these spoons, and many other EB embellished items, under magnification, you would laugh.

[Obersalzberg]

EB on her own was the mistress....she followed HIM....she used HIS silverware....she was not in a position to use or own quantites of monogrammed silver....where would or could it be used....? Only Bogenhausen....certainly not at any of HIS residences.
I wouldn't touch any of it with s barge pole....ever.
Berlin flea markets sell these by the dozen every weekend...period plain and monogrammed silver just ready for the ubiquitous Butterfly to be engraved.

[bertastan]

Thanks for the comments. The engraving looks kind of sloppy. That was my reason to doubt it.

[dave peifer]

engraving on eb table ware is fine,but from the looks of this, engraving looks ragged to me.it may be the photo my opinion ......dave

[bertastan]

here is a close up of the engraving.

[Jo Rivett]

What a waste of an otherwise good spoon.

[Jerome Healy]

Eva Braun Spoon

I have my doubts, but opinions are welcomed.
Thanks

You didn't get it from Snyder's Treasures did you? Hes selling her underwear as well!

[CPB]

I would say almost certainly fake.

But, Obersalzberg, to your point - it is well documented that EB did, in fact, receive and order many monogrammed silverware pieces. In fact, in Speer's 'Inside the Third Reich' book I believe he makes mention of her asking people's opinions on her latest designs. There are also too many well documented examples for them to all be fake.

So, yes, pieces did and DO exist. But it all comes down to quality/condition of engraving and provenance. And by provenance I mean either direct from a veteran or from a good collection. Not Charlie Snyder, that's for sure.

[Br. James]

Hi Thorsten,

You've offered an interesting comment, and I suppose from your comment that you have seen examples or photos of examples of Eva Braun flatware displaying "a monogramm or emblem in relief?" I have never seen such a piece; all of the examples I have seen featured an engraved monogram design...which is part of the reason why so many different silverware patterns exist today, IMO. As with many of the "AH" monograms now extant -- and a number of them are indeed from the period and were received as gifts to Hitler from an admiring public and sycophantic underlings who sought to gain favor by having his initials engraved onto the handles of various table flatware patterns easily available from most any fine jeweler -- it is clear from Albert Speer's remark that either Eva Braun liked his monogram design so much (and it is quite compelling) that she went down to Munich, visited her favorite jewelry stores and had the jewelers make up various place-settings bearing her new personal logo, or that there were those present at the Obersalzberg Administration who were willing and even anxious to curry favor with her and had the butterfly design engraved onto various flatware patterns, then given to her as presents.

But silverware featuring "a monogramm or emblem in relief" is another matter, assumedly requiring either factory casting or skilled application. I would be very interested in knowing more about any extant examples. Thanks, my friend,

Br. James

[Thorsten B.]

I think the most interesting - and period - Eva Braun pieces can be seen in the past Hermann Historica catalogues, as you mentioned jewelry pieces are included, of course.
I do not have them on hand right now. It is possible that her personal tableware was not in relief but indeed engraved - I simply cannot say for sure without having a look in mentioned auction catalogues.

Another known fact: Speer designed a special range of personal furniture pieces for Eva Braun´s apartment in the Reichskanzlei - it is mentioned in one of Speer´s books as well as pictured in the book "Design der Macht" written by Sonja Günther.
These pieces were manufactured by the Vereinigte Werkstätten München - lovely pieces by the way.

The Eva Braun logo is a shamrock.