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Lot 1417:Scarce Imperial German Parade Set for a Berlin Garde-Fusilier Ve

April 30th, 2016|Rock Island, IL
  • /Auctions...
  • /Catalog...
  • /Lot 1417

Lot 1417:Scarce Imperial German Parade Set for a Berlin Garde-Fusilier Ve

April 30th, 2016|Rock Island, IL
Estimated Price$6,000 - $10,000
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Scarce Imperial German Parade Set for a Berlin Garde-Fusilier Veteran Group, Including an Impressive Embroidered Unit Flag with Pole and Carrier

With the exception of a pair of Order of the Black Eagle themed sashes, all items in this lot bear the markings and decorations of the "Verein Ehemalinger Garde-Fusiliere Charlottenburg" the association for veterans of the Guards-Fusilier Regiment located in Charlottenburg. Formerly a town outside of Berlin and a noted recreational center for the elite of the city, urban growth made it a part of the city proper. The most famous landmark of the area is the Royal Palace of Schloss Charlottenburg, established in 1699 by then-Elector of Bavaria Frederick III, future King Frederick I of Prussia. Residence to multiple kings and queens over it's life, the Schloss was extensively damaged during World War II but survived and was rebuilt; currently the largest palace in Berlin it also serves as host to art displays and museums. The Guards-Fusilier Regiment was established in 1826 as a Landwehr (reserve) regiment, being redesignated in 1856 and stationed in the Maikaefer (scarab beetle) Barracks in Berlin for most of their existence. During peacetime, they served as one of the security units for the Imperial Palace in Berlin and had a reputation for having an officer corps heavily staffed with noblemen. The unit would see action in the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian Wars as well as World War I, and elements would continue to exist as Freikorps after the post-Versailles reduction of the German standing army. The centerpiece of the lot is the large parade pole, approximately 11 feet in height, turned hardwood construction with brass furniture, topped with a black and silver painted brass rendering of a World War I era Iron Cross, and with the upper half of the pole adorned with approximately 31 reunion/field badges, dated from 1906 through the 1920s. Among the cloth items, a recurring theme is yellow or cream colored silk mounted to linen backings, with extensive multi-colored embroidery and a recurring scarab beetle motif, hearkening back to the old unit barracks. The rectangular flag measures 55 1/4 inches wide and 48 inches tall, with bullion trim, bearing a Prussian eagle with Order of the Black Eagle ornament on one side, surrounded by an oak laurel and the association name, and battle honors for Koeniggraetz (3.7.1866), Gravelotte St. Privat (18.8.1870), Sedan (1.9.1870) and the Siege of Paris (19/9-3/6 1870/71), and the reverse bearing a royal cipher in a laurel wreath, surmounted by a ribbon marked "Dem Vaterland getreu bis in den Tod!" (The Fatherland, Loyal Unto Death!) and "1826. 30 marz" in a ribbon below, with the Charlottenburg coat of arms in the upper left corner, the scarab beetle in the upper right, "27./Januar/1897" in the lower left and "12./Mai./1906." in the lower right. A large "1906" dated ribbon, 45 inches in length, hangs from a spring loaded clip on the front of the pole just below the head, marked on one side to the association, and on the other side marked as a dedication to the wife of "Oberleutnant Krafft"; no information on Oberleutnant or Frau Krafft is available at this time. The pole carrier and a parade sash are similarly dedicated to the wives and daughters of the unit, as well as the unit itself, and a brass parade gorget bears a polychrome enamel badge for the association and is hand engraved "Gew.v.R.Ritter/Fahnen fbk." and "Berlin, Elsasser St.11." on the front, presumably the manufacturer. An additional pair of parade sashes are included, one adorned with a bright nickel finished Order of the Black Eagle and an embroidered maltese cross, the other unadorned but showing the imprint from where the Order would have been.

Rating definitionThe pole is in fine original condition overall. The cloth items are fair and showing their age, with sections of material detached or absent from their backings, and some areas of loose embroidery. That said, most of the decoration is solid and the embroidery shows the level of quality and detail one would expect from Imperial-era parade kit. Virtually an entire color guard worth of parade gear, rare in any condition, and while no longer field-ready, could be used to build a fantastic display.
Details
TypeOther
ClassOther
Item LocationRock Island, IL
Views2312
Catalog page213
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