Auction 85 Part 1 Historical Militaria and Autographs - Day 1
Oct 28, 2020
USA
 98 Bohemia Ave., St. 2, Chesapeake City, MD 21915
Nearly 1,600 lots of historical militaria from all conflicts; historical autographs and ephemera from all fields of collecting.
The auction has ended

LOT 1:

ADOLF HITLER GIFTS HIS SIGNED PORTRAIT TO GAULEITER OTTO HELLMUTH

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Sold for: $5,000
Start price:
$ 2,000
Estimated price:
$4,000 - $6,000
Auction house commission: 30% More details
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ADOLF HITLER GIFTS HIS SIGNED PORTRAIT TO GAULEITER OTTO HELLMUTH
ADOLF HITLER (1889 - 1945) Fuhrer of Germany and Nazi Party leader, Hitler's bloody rise to power, his military seizure of most of Europe and North Africa and his genocidal racial policies culminated in suicide in his Berlin bunker as Russian troops approached. Impressive, fine association I.S.P., 8.25 x 10.75 in., an original Hoffmann portrait showing a brooding, standing Hitler in a waist-up pose. At bottom, Hitler inscribed and signs the photograph for OTTO HELLMUTH (1896-1968), Gauleiter of Lower Franconia from 1928 to 1945 and a member of the Reichstag following the 1933 Nazi seizure of power. Hitler writes in full: 'My old comrade, Gauleiter Dr. Otto Hellmuth, with sincere happiness and best wishes for your marriage', adding the date 'June 13, 1936' at bottom-left. The bottom-right corner of the verso bears a faint purple studio stamp from Hoffmann's photography studio in Munich, while the top-left bears the pencil inscription 'Hellmuth', almost certainly added later. The margin bear trivial creases and tiny tears not intruding on the image itself, one such fold at the bottom-left affecting the date and one fold at bottom-right affecting Hitler's signature. Tiny spots also affect the photograph, though most are nonintrusive to the image and inscription. Overall in very good to fine condition. In 1934, one year after Hellmuth's entrance into the Reichstag, he became Regierungsprasident (Government President) of Lower Franconia, uniting under his control the highest party and governmental offices in his jurisdiction. Despite his high stature, Hellmuth was not an impressive personality; according to Joseph Goebbels's diary entries, Hellmuth was 'a most retiring unassuming Gauleiter in whom one had not too much confidence.' This image is typical of those Hitler presented in his massive sterling silver initialed gift frames.

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