Adolf Hitler’s desk set for sale in Nazi military memorabilia
He is one of the most dreaded rulers of our times. His name has gone down the pages of history and will continue to be painted in black, forever. However, when it comes to banging the gale on Adolf Hitler’s memorabilia, there is hardly any dearth of takers. We ahve earlier told you about the most expensive Adolf Hitler’s memorabilia; right from his desk to his pistol- items belonging to Hitler’s personal collection have fetched big bucks at auctions. And now, in a one of its kind militaria auction in the US, a desk set and table lamp from Hitler’s Munich apartment is expected to lead the sales.
The lot comprises of a blotter, a marble desk set and a matching table lamp. The collection will also be accompanied by a letter of provenance from Hermann Esser- the widow of a Nazi party member. Mr Esser was reportedly the party’s first chief of propaganda and would often visit Adolf Hitler over political meetings. The desk set was primarily used on these occasions, Mrs. Esser noted in the letter of provenance.
The desk had adorned Hitler’s private apartment in Munich before being acquired by Mr. Esser and his family. Judging from its design, construction and color, the desk had, in all likelihood, been a part of the living room, salon or Hitler’s utilitarian office, put to use only occasionally.
The desk set is made out of a rose and white marble slab and set atop four brass plated feet. The table and blotter are both crafted from matching marble, thereby demonstrating the Fuhrer’s eye for style. The set, which goes under the hammer on May 8, is expected to fetch $30,000-40,000. Considering that very few photos of the interiors of Adolf Hitler’s apartment exist today, buyers have nothing but letters of provenance from trusted sources to rely on.
Nazi memorabilia, it is worth noting, has, over time, experienced a string of controversies in countries like UK and France. In recent past, a tray which was presented to the dictator as a fiftieth birthday gift irked the moral police. The sale was hugely condemned by Members of Parliament in Britain, who described it as “profiteering on items promoting and glorifying hatred and violence”. A similar controversy surfaced in 2011, when a France based Human Rights Group protested the sale of Nazi memorabilia on Yahoo auctions.
Leading auctions houses, however, seem to have a different take on things. In an exclusive interview, the head of an auction house revealed that, items reaching their table are classified solely on the basis of historical value.
While the prospect of having Nazi memorabilia up for sale at auctions may not go down well with certain factions in UK and France, the US, by far, has remained free of such pressures. Hence, the current auction can at least be hoped to enjoy a smooth run. Apart from Nazi memorabilia, the sale will also feature an astonishing collection of militaria belonging to different nations. Among others, the list includes a Japanese naval pilot’s personal photo book, featuring images of the Pearl Harbor attack. All said and done, in a world that is getting more and more crowded with tanks, bombs and guns, whether such pieces will serve to bring back snippets of a dreadful past or be valued solely for their historical legacy, however, remains a big question mark.
Via: Art Fact
