Germany, Wehrmacht. A Mixed Lot of Combatant Awards

(Auszeichnungen). A mixed lot of awards for Second World War combat service, including:

1 A War Merit Medal, constructed of bronze,on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, the obverse bearing a raised Maltese Cross with pebbled arms and a central wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse bearing a raised inscription of “FÜR KRIEGSVERDIENST 1939” (“FOR WAR MERIT 1939”), unmarked, measuring 32.15 mm in diameter, weighing 14.0 grams, demonstrating minor tarnishing, in near extremely fine condition.

2. A War Merit Cross II Class with Swords, constructed of bronzed zink, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, consisting of a Maltese Cross with pebbled arms and with crossed swords piercing the centrepiece, the obverse bearing a central wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse bearing a central wreathed date of “1939”, the suspension loop maker marked with Präsidialkanzlei code “107” for Carl Wild, Hamburg, measuring 48.68 mm (w) x 49.60 mm (h), weighing 19.5 grams, demonstrating significant loss of bronze finish to the base metal and minor oxidation, in very fine condition.

3. A second War Merit Cross II Class with Swords, constructed of bronzed zink, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, consisting of a Maltese Cross with pebbled arms and with crossed swords piercing the centrepiece, the obverse bearing a central wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse bearing a central wreathed date of “1939”, unmarked, measuring 49.16 mm (w) x 49.59 mm (h), weighing 20.6 grams, accompanied by a remnant of its package of issue, constructed of light brown paper stock, bearing a maker’s mark of “ROMAN PALME, GABLONZ-NEIßE”, measuring 58 mm (w) x 70 mm (h), in better than very fine condition.

4. An Eastern Peoples Bravery Decoration, II Class in Gold, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, the obverse consisting of an eight-pointed starburst, bearing a central raised rosette, situated within a circular laurel leaf wreath pierced by crossed swords, unmarked, measuring 39.71 mm (w) x 45.67 mm (h), weighing 13.6 grams (inclusive of ribbon), in better than very fine condition.

5. A 1939 Iron Cross II Class, constructed of iron and silver, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, consisting of a Cross Pattée with a blackened magnetic iron core within a ribbed silver frame, the obverse with a central mobile swastika, the six o’clock arm with a reinstitution date of “1939”, the reverse six o’clock arm with an initial institution date of “1813”, unmarked, measuring 44.38 mm (w)  48.13 mm (h), weighing 18.8 grams, demonstrating significant oxidation to the frame consistent with age and storage conditions, in fair condition.

Footnote: These examples were retrieved by a United States serviceman in the field during the Second World War, and hail directly from his estate without previously being available on the collector market.