Lot 704:
An Assortment of WWII Axis Militaria and Seven Private Breger Humorous Postcards
Sold for: $250
Description
This lot comprises a diverse collection of World War II-era items, including seven vintage humorous postcards and an assortment of German and Italian military insignia and awards. The ephemera includes seven “Private Breger” comic postcards by Sgt. Dave Breger, copyrighted by King Features Syndicate between 1942 and 1943. These cards illustrate the comedic experiences of a fictional United States Army private and feature titles such as “They ought to see me now…”, “Gee, Dorothy! Now we are sweeties!”, and “Sir, he claims we are making him work like a mule!”
The German (Third Reich) militaria includes a War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse mit Schwertern), a pinback award constructed from a silver-toned alloy, likely zinc-based. Also included is a three-place ribbon bar featuring an Iron Cross 2nd Class and two Wehrmacht Long Service medals indicated by small eagle devices. Metal badges include a Fallschirmjager (Paratrooper) badge with a diving eagle and wreath, an NSDAP Party Badge with red, white, and black enamel reading “NATIONALSOZIALISTISCHE – D.A.P.”, a silver-toned Totenkopf (Death’s Head) pin, an Edelweiss Mountain Troop pin with a gold-toned center, a small Luftwaffe-style eagle pin, and a commemorative “tinnie” pin featuring a vertical sword. Cloth insignia consists of a machine-embroidered Luftwaffe breast eagle on a dark wool backing and a circular technical specialty patch featuring a pink embroidered cogwheel.
The Italian militaria includes a black cloth cuff title with silver-white machine embroidery reading “ANA DEL LITTORIO,” identifying it with the Gioventu Italiana del Littorio (GIL), the youth organization of the National Fascist Party. A miscellaneous yellow circular game piece or token with an orange swastika is also present.
Condition report:
The seven postcards exhibit general age-related toning and minor wear at the corners and edges. The metal awards and badges show varying degrees of oxidation and finish loss consistent with period zinc-base materials. The enamel on the NSDAP party badge remains largely intact and vibrant. Cloth items show light wear, minor fraying, and accumulated dust, but no significant moth damage is visible. Overall, the items display a consistent patina and wear patterns associated with a period-assembled collection.
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