Germany, Kriegsmarine. A Lot Of Medals And Award Documents To Oberleutnant Otto Keil, 1St Minehunter Flotilla

(Kriegsmarine Abzeichen und Verleihungsurkunden). An extensive lot of awards and documents to Oberleutnant Otto Keil, 1. Minensuchflottille (1st Minehunter Flotilla), including: A Wehrmacht Long Service Medal, IV Class for 4 Years, constructed of magnetic metal, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, the obverse bearing a raised central Heer-style German national eagle clutching a mobile swastika, circumscribed by a raised inscription of “TREUE DIENSTE IN DER WEHRMACHT” (“FAITHFUL SERVICE IN THE WEHRMACHT”), the reverse with a raised central number “4” within an oak leaf wreath, unmarked, measuring 30.35 mm in diameter, weighing 11.8 grams, in near extremely fine condition; accompanied by its award document, constructed of off-white paper with black ink, named to Otto Keil as a Bootsman of 1. Minensuchflottille, issued 2 October 1936, measuring 210 mm (w) x 296 mm (h), with minor material fatigue evident, in overall near extremely fine condition. A Wehrmacht Long Service Medal, III Class for 12 Years, constructed of gilded magnetic metal, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, the obverse bearing a raised central Heer-style German national eagle clutching a mobile swastika, circumscribed by a raised inscription of “TREUE DIENSTE IN DER WEHRMACHT” (“FAITHFUL SERVICE IN THE WEHRMACHT”), the reverse with a raised central number “12” within an oak leaf wreath, unmarked, measuring 29.90 mm in diameter, weighing 11.6 grams, in extremely fine condition.

Accompanied by its award document, constructed of off-white paper with black ink, named to Otto Keil as a Bootsman of 1. Minensuchflottille, issued 1 October 1937, featuring a handwritten signature of Korvettenkapitän Ernst-Felix Krüder (Knight’s Cross [1940] with Oak Leaves [1941]), measuring 210 mm (w) x 296 mm (h), A Sudetenland Medal, constructed of bronze, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon with horizontal pinback, the obverse bearing two raised figures, one of which is clutching a flag and the other a length of broken chain, above a Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse with bearing a central date of “1. OKTOBER 1938”, circumscribed by an inscription of “EIN VOLK, EIN REICH, EIN FÜHRER” (“ONE PEOPLE, ONE NATION, ONE LEADER”), unmarked, measuring 32.04 mm in diameter, weighing 18.6 grams (inclusive of ribbon), with oxidation evident, in very fine condition; accompanied by its award document, constructed of off-white paper with black ink, named to Otto Keil as a Stabsbootsman of 1. Minensuchflottille, dated 20 December 1939, measuring 212 mm (w) x 297 mm (h), with a folding crease and material fatigue evident, in overall very fine condition. A War Merit Cross, II Class with Swords, constructed of bronze, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, consisting of a Maltese Cross with pebbled arms, the obverse with a central wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse with a central wreathed date of “1939”, unmarked, measuring 48.03 mm (w) x 48.17 mm (h), weighing 21.5 grams, in near extremely fine condition; accompanied by its award document, constructed of off-white paper stock with black ink, named to Otto Keil as a Stabsbootsmann, dated 30 January 1942 and issued at Kiel, featuring a handwritten signature of Admiral Günther Guse, measuring 149 mm (w) x 210 mm (h), with minor material fatigue evident, in overall near extremely fine condition.

A Minesweeper War Badge, constructed of gilded and silvered zink, the obverse consisting of an oval oak leaf wreath, joined together at the bottom by ribbon, topped by a Wehrmacht eagle clutching a mobile swastika, with a central depiction of a sea mine exploding, the reverse with a block hinge and tapering vertical pinback meeting a round wire catch, maker marked with the logo of Rudolf Karneth & Söhne, Gablonz, measuring 44.40 mm (w) x 55.12 mm (h), weighing 20.6 grams, with loss of finish evident throughout, in very fine condition; accompanied by its award document, constructed of off-white paper with black ink, named to Otto Keil as an Oberleutnant, issued at sea on 27 May 1944, featuring a handwritten signature of a Korvettenkapitän, measuring 152 mm (w) x 212 mm (h), with minor material fatigue evident, in near extremely fine condition. A cut-off pocket from a Wehrmacht tunic, pinned with a medal ribbon bar featuring four decorations, including a War Merit Cross with Swords, two Wehrmacht Long Service Medals, and a Sudetenland Medal, set on a 62 mm-long magnetic metal bar with a horizontal pinback, the cut-off measuring 155 mm (w) x 210 mm (h), in overall extremely fine condition. A studio photograph depicting Keil in a Kriegsmarine greatcoat and visor cap, with dress dagger clearly visible, the reverse with an unused postcard arrangement and Agfa mark, measuring 90 mm (w) x 136 mm (h), in extremely fine condition.