Germany, Luftwaffe. A Silver & Glass Box Given To Flight Instructor Ludwig Weber By His Graduating Student Hermann Göring In 1915

While Hermann Göring may be more synonymous with the events of the Second World War as well as his prominent political position in the Third Reich, his rise within the German military began many years earlier as a distinguished fighter pilot in the newly formed Luftstreitkräfte. Having been inspired by friend and pilot Bruno Loerzer, Göring enthusiastically applied for a transfer to the Imperial German Army Air Service. Despite this application being rejected, he managed to enlist as an air observer with Loerzer in Feldflieger Abteilung 25, taking part in reconnaissance missions over Verdun and other fortifications. Following this initial taste of air combat, Göring entered pilot training in June of 1915 at Freiburg under the instruction of Vizefeldwebel Ludwig Weber. After successfully completing the course that September and subsequently obtaining his pilot's badge in early October 1915, Göring presented this gift of thanks to Weber. 

Manufactured by German silversmith H.Lodholz and presenting the Reichsmark crescent moon and crown as well as marked "800", this solid yet simple box was likely designed for tobacco. That being said, according to research Weber was a notorious wartime collector of "kill" souvenirs and such a box may also have been used as a small display case. Importantly, the toned silver lid is dedicated via jeweller engraved capital letters "S. TÜCHTIGEN FLUGLEHRER WEBER / GÖRING 1915" ( (“TO MY FLYING INSTRUCTOR WEBER Göring 1915). Measuring 8.7 cm (w) x 8.7 cm (l) x 7.8 cm (h), the box is composed of 0.8 cm thick glass making it durable and heavy. The glass presents only minor scuffing and no cracking or chips. The silver lid is pleasingly toned, having been cleaned perhaps once during the mid 20th Century. Fitting securely over the glass container, the lid has only a single small corner split in the silver, otherwise it remains extremely fine.

Footnote: Ludwig Weber, born October 31st 1895 in Breisgau, distinguished himself as a fighter pilot in Jagdstaffel 3 (Jasta 3). Following the war, he became a notable designer of both cars and motorcycles for the Junkers company. He would later become the personal pilot of the Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, a flight instructor for the Portuguese Air Force and head of the Brazilian transport company Viação Aérea São Paulo (VASP).