History Buffs!

[The Fugitive]

My wifes cousin was helping clean out an attic. She found a few items from the war. Belts, knifes and such as well as this metal plaque. Any one have any ideas on what it might be and from which war? It's about 7x9 with mounts in each corner. Kinda heavy.

[Lusche]

My first quick shot: late WW1 era, German MG 08 on a Fliegerdreibein (AA-tripod mount)

[Stampf]

Hard to tell when it dates from Fugi, but looks to me like it depicts WWI German infantry or early anti aircraft unit using a elevated water cooled Maxim MG08.

(?)

[The Fugitive]

Any ideas on what it was used as?

[Stampf]

Metal, or stone/ceramic?


Do the mounts on the corners appear to be original and age consistant?

EDIT:  I see where you say it's made of metal.  Very cool item.

[Shuffler]

My wifes cousin was helping clean out an attic. She found a few items from the war. Belts, knifes and such as well as this metal plaque. Any one have any ideas on what it might be and from which war? It's about 7x9 with mounts in each corner. Kinda heavy.

(Image removed from quote.)

Water cooled

[tunnelrat]

Any identifying marks on the back at all?

Looks really cool, awesome find!

I did a Google image search on it, and nothing even close... might be rare!

[The Fugitive]

No holes in it, so I'm not sure what kind of mounts it has, and no writing of any kind. They found it with some pictures of what they think are one of Hitlers houses, maps showing the route her grand father/great grand father took into Germany. I was just wondering if it was something they gave the solders, or something they gave their families.

[morfiend]

 Fugi,

  Look it over carefully with a magnifying glass for any halmarks,if you find 1 do a search for it. much imformation can be had if you have a halmark!



   

[Devil 505]

No holes in it, so I'm not sure what kind of mounts it has, and no writing of any kind. They found it with some pictures of what they think are one of Hitlers houses, maps showing the route her grand father/great grand father took into Germany. I was just wondering if it was something they gave the solders, or something they gave their families.

This makes me think the item was looted from a house belonging to wealthy government official(probably nazi). Very cool find.

[Frodo]

Could it be a pc. of Trench Art? Almost looks too well made, but I have seen some high quality Trench Art. Like Morf said look for any kind of mark/symbol on it. Use a strong light and move it around so it hits it at different angles. Over time marks can be very hard to see and can fill up with dirt and dust, making it even harder. Do not clean it at all!


Very cool pc. and I would guess WWI also.   

[Guppy35]

Fugi, can you get a closer look at the helmet for us?  It's clearly a Model 1916, but those were used into WW2.  They were ultimately replaced by new versions in 1935, 40 and 42 but could still be seen until the end of the war. 

It appears that there is a carved in 'helmet decal' below the vent hole.  I'd guess it's representing what is seen in this image


This is from the mid 30s.

I've seen a photo of a similar pose but can't for the life of me find it in all the books around me.  I'll keep looking.  If memory serves the photo was taken at one of the first big public showings of the new German military after Hitler said the heck with the Versailles Treaty limits.

It would make sense that this was commissioned after that and probably inspired by the photo I saw or one similar.  That would fit with it being found in the home of some party hack at the end of the war.  So figure it's from anywhere from about 1933-37 time frame or so.

[mthrockmor]

Guppy, didn't the Germans finish WW1 with those helmets? I know they started that war with a similar look though with that spike on the top. I am not a WW1 buff but seem to remember those type of helmets from that time period.

Whether late WW1 or 1930's clearly a WW1 era, watercooled maximillian looking thing.

Boo

[Guppy35]

Guppy, didn't the Germans finish WW1 with those helmets? I know they started that war with a similar look though with that spike on the top. I am not a WW1 buff but seem to remember those type of helmets from that time period.

Whether late WW1 or 1930's clearly a WW1 era, watercooled maximillian looking thing.

Boo

It's a model 1916 helmet.  So it's the WW1 version.  They hung on to them as their main helmet until 1935 when a new version was introduced.  Later that was supplanted by the Model 1940 and then the final version the 1942.

It's the symbol under the vent hole in the helmet that tells me it's from the Nazi era as they didn't use those in WW1.  I have a WW1 1916 helmet about 4 feet away on a shelf that my uncle found in a dump back in the early 60s.  Took me until about 1974 to talk him out of it

[Guppy35]

Found it!  Not exact, but similar in that it's a water cooled MG used for anti aircraft and the model 1916 helmets still in use.  Dated 1935