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Nice example of artificial silk (cotton) tally. It cannot be cellon since Graf Spee was no longer in existence when cellon was introduced 1943/1944.
JohnComment
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This is a rarer example as most are in Metal thread for the earlier time period when the ship was commissioned.
Cheers
JustinCComment
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thanks for your kind help. Unfortunately no other items came from this legacy...Comment
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Very nice and desirable piece. Nice thing about this construction is that you won't have to worry about fading or oxidation as with the metal thread pieces.
Good pick up.
Regards,
JustinGComment
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Graf Spee Eagle Recovered
Just what you guys need for your man cave wall
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lif...e-for-uruguay/Comment
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The politically correct Left will see to it that it languishes in a basement somewhere for the next 100 years. Perhaps then, society will see it as a historical artifact and treat it as such.Comment
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By sheer coincidence I had the opportunity to examine Cat. Hans Langsdorff's presentation inscribed Mauser Type 712 Schnellfeuer the other day. This was a walk-in purchase by a gun shop owner I know here in Arizona.
When he purchased this pistol the frame had been cut in half (full auto - unregistered) but was otherwise complete. It has now been restored to operable condition since the new owner is a FFL SOT.
The pistol is nicely engraved and was originally silver plated but the plating on the receiver still has to be restored. The inscription which I hastily translated indicated it was a presentation from his crew.
There was no "story" that came with the pistol, as the walkin was vague about his acquisition and of course it is unknown if the Capt' used this as his suicide weapon. 3 days after he skuttled the Graff Spee the Capt. shot himself well dressed in full uniform.
I will try to get some pictures and post them here as it's quite a striking weapon.
JimComment
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James,
I just can not believe this story. His actual "suicide" weapon is fairly well known with serial number. It was borrowed from the German Embassy by one of his officers and over the years has ended up in a private collection in Argentina.
I have never heard of any presentation weapon given to him by the crew and in fact, as far as I know, no weapons were removed from the ship prior to scuttling. That is why a weapon was borrowed from the German Embassy in Buenos Aires in the first place.
Still, any photos would be interesting of what you have described. I guess anything is possible but we need to see what you are talking about it for further research and discussion.
In regards to the article above, full of historical inaccuracies regarding the stern eagle of Graf Spee. No such eagle would be on the bow of any German warship, Bismarck included.
What was on the bow were plaque like ship's mottos as can be seen from many period photos.
The stern eagle was removed at the outbreak of the war by any German ship still in Germany but Graf Spee was at sea of course. Such eagles were on destroyer sized ships and above I think. At least I have seen the destroyer stern eagles in photos.
JohnComment
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If they want to send it to me, for protection while they work out the details, I will have a building erected to preserve it. I recall seeing an underwater photo of this from divers in River Plate.
Bob HritzIn the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.
Duct tape can't fix stupid, but it can muffle the sound.Comment
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Trophy hunters.
"Her 660-pound, nine foot wide eagle figurehead was recovered from the stern of the ship in 2006 by a team of divers who loosened 145 bolts to free the ornament."
News story from Uruguay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0cM7uaDcYg#t=44Comment
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The stern eagle is called a Heckadler.
Nice photos here:
http://www.deutschland-class.dk/admi...ern_eagle.htmlComment
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Another Graf Spee photo, from December 17, 1939 at Montevideo, UruguayComment
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