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The gorgets carried by the Standard Bearers of Third Reich organizations are extremely interesting, and good-looking artifacts. They make great additions to a collection of edged weapons. The same organizations that used a unique gorget breast piece to represent the traditions of their service branch also carried a dagger for the same reasons. The two go hand in hand. They also will prove to be great accent pieces with a dagger collection. Hope you enjoy this section.
Gorgets of the Third Reich, by Richard Deeter will greatly educate you on this interesting subject. This book is available in my catalog at the back area under "out-of-print references" section.
GORGETS - 001 - 26493
- VETERANS SECOND STYLE GORGET
This Veterans
gorget can be seen in the Deeter book on Page 158. The gorget
has an aluminum style breast plate which measures about 6½
inches in width. It is a crescent shape and has a rolled border
throughout. The breast plate has a second style Veterans
insignia in the center. This consists of a red enamel shield which
portrays a black Maltese cross having gold border legs and a gold
round field in the center with a black enamel swastika. The enameling
is still in perfect shape to this insignia. Going around the insignia
is a gold wreath of oak leaves. On either side of the oak leaves
are a pair of standartes representing the Imperial period on the
left and the Third Reich period on the right. The standartes from
the Imperial period show a Prussian crown design with the initials
fr within a wreath. This, of course, stands for Frederich
Rex. The Third Reich standartes feature Kriegs type flags having
mobile swastikas in the center with lines running outward. Even
the poles carrying these standartes have proper pole tops, being
the Imperial type on the left and the Third Reich type on the
right. These designs all have a fine, gilded finish that is mostly
all there. There are also two gilded round bosses which retain
the neck chain behind. The neck chain is always a crowd pleaser
on these pieces, as it alternates links featuring raised, immobile
swastikas and raised Iron Crosses. There are a total of 56 links
on this neck chain, but I am sure it could vary according to the
height of the wearer. On the reverse of the gorget, there is a
fitting which retains permanently one side of the chain and on
the other side is a tab where the chain is removable. This tab
is stamped with the number 1". There is a black felt
liner which covers the reverse of this gorget. These gorgets were
worn by Veterans during parades. Only the Veterans who were assigned
to carry the flag, though, were permitted to wear the gorget.
This is a nice example, and, with all of the swastikas on it,
it would be quite amazing to the average viewer. Excellent Plus
Plus. $795.00
GORGETS - 002 - 26822
- POLITICAL LEADERS GORGET
This Political
Leaders gorget is a fine example, having all of its original
finish. The Political Leaders gorget is one of the largest
types worn during the Third Reich. It is a crescent shape and
is about 9½ inches in width. The gorget is finished in
a fine, bronze brass look over probably a copper or zinc base.
The gorget is bordered with raised out, overlapping oak leaves
which run the length. In the center of the breast plate is a great-looking,
open-winged Political eagle which looks to the viewers right.
This eagle is enhanced by factory darkening in all of its recesses.
The bird grasps a large wreath in his claws and in the center
is a vaulted mobile swastika. Other than a few normal wearing
signs on the surfaces of the bronze, this gorget is in choice
condition. It comes complete with a neck chain consisting of 31
links. Each one of the links depicts an alternating mobile swastika
surrounded by oak leaves and a link featuring a half open-winged
Political eagle grasping a swastika. You get a lot of swastikas
for your money on these pieces! The chain of this example is stamped
on both beginning and end links RZM/M1/102". The reverse
of the breast plate is covered in a green felt. There are a few
small moth holes in the felt, but they are nothing and very normal.
There are two tabs which retain the chain links. The tab on the
right is stamped RZM M 1/102" which, in this instance,
matches that of the neck chain. These always do not match and
when they do not, it does not detract. A very fine gorget here.Excellent
Plus Plus. $1,295.00
GORGETS - 004 - 26568
- POLITICAL LEADERS GORGET
This Political
Leaders gorget is in top-notch condition and is identical
to the example shown on Page 128 of the Deeter book. The breast
plate is made of a lightweight metal and measures a little bit
over 9 inches in width. The base metal is coated with an antique
looking bronze finish. The finish is 100% throughout this gorget.
The edges are bordered with raised out, overlapping oak leaves
having outstanding detail. Applied in the center of the breast
plate is an open-winged eagle which looks to the viewers
right. The details to this eagle are extraordinary throughout,
and in the recessed areas, they have been factory darkened to
give a nice antique look. The bird grasps an oak leaf wreath containing
a mobile swastika in his talons. The backgrounds of the wreath
have been pebbled to give further relief to the swastika. This
fine breast plate is equipped with a matching 31 link neck chain.
This neck chain alternates depictions of swastikas with oak leaves
and a half open-winged eagle clutching a swastika. You get a lot
of swastikas for your money on these pieces! The two ends that
attach to the brackets on the gorget are both RZM marked. They
are stamped with double open RZM circles containing the code M1/17".
The reverse of the breast plate is covered in a tan felt. This
felt has quite a bit of moth tracking which is mostly concentrated
on the lower border area. This is commonly seen on gorgets and
must have been an irresistible morsel for period moths. The reverse
of the gorget has two tabs, both of which are marked with an open
RZM circle M5/8". This number does not match that of
the chain, but it is commonly seen with these gorgets where the
chain and breast plate do not match. Looking at the chain versus
the gorget, though, the color tone and plating color is completely
identical. These pieces have always been together. A beautiful
gorget here, which would show great in your collecting room.Mint
Minus. $1,495.00
GORGETS - 005 - 24831 RAD GORGET
This RAD Gorget
is a nickel-plated, heart shaped variety. The nickel plating is
nearly perfect, showing only a little bit of age around the rim
of the edges. The rest of the nickel faceplate is all there, but
does have a couple of minor age stains in the surfaces. This is
to be expected, however. The faceplate measures about 5
in height, and about the same in width. The top of the faceplate
has the RAD slogan done in an arch shape in Gothic lettering.
The lettering is engraved into the gorget and has shading to each
letter. It is engraved, Arbeit adelt. This Gothic
lettering is extremely well done. Applied to the center area is
the insignia of the RAD. It consists of a silvered shovel, which
has a pebbled background. Raised out of the center is a mobile
swastika, which has graining in its surfaces. The shovel rests
between two silvered wheat sheafs. This applied insignia is extremely
nice. The reverse of the plate is covered in a green whipcord
style material. This woolen material has a couple of very minor
moth holes, but it still easily remains at 98%. The reverse plate
has a clip, which is stamped with the maker, JMME &
Sohn. Attached to the Gorget is an aluminum finished, steel
chain. It is the link-style, wider chain, which we see used on
several other types of Gorgets. This Gorget is identical to the
one which is shown on page 146 of the Deeter book. These RAD Gorgets
are not seen very frequently. Excellent, Plus $1195.00
GORGETS - 006 -26997
Political Leaders Gorget
This Political
Leaders Gorget is an outstanding example, featuring the
shield device that is 9 ½ inches in width. This shield
has a fine edge of raised overlapping oak leaves. Positioned in
the center, with a 7 inch wing spread, is an outstanding Political
eagle. This eagle looks to the viewers right and has great
detail to his head, breast feathering, wing feathering, wreath,
and raised out swastika. There is factory applied darkening in
the recesses, to give the bird an antique look. The faceplate
of this gorget shows only the most mild of age. Attached to the
gorget is a 31-link chain. This chain has both of the lower links
marked on the reverse, RZMM1/102. The tab on the reverse
of the gorget also has this same matching RZM number. These links
are composed of half open winged eagles with swastikas, alternating
with single swastika links, having four oak leaves around their
legs. The reverse of this gorget is covered in a fine green felt.
There are two moth holes in this felt. Usually, these are a lot
more mothed, than this particular example. A very
fine piece here, which will display well with your political collection.
Near Mint (26997) $1,395.00