Goebel ceramic models used on Nazi sand tables

[Battle For Berlin]

I have 6 models created by German manufacturer Goebel during WWII. They are made of ceramic. These were produced by order of the German Army to be used on sand tables to plot the tactical distribution of various units on the field of battle. That is all I have been able to find out about them from google searching.

I obtained them from a POWs relative. The POW was captured by the Germans and imprisoned at Stalag XIB and when he was liberated from the camp by the advancing allies he took 6 models from a planning table before he left. Apparently Stalag XIB was also a training camp for various military units so he perhaps took it from their training table.

They are pretty small, about 1/100 scale, for instance the Panther tank (not including barrel) is only 7cm long. They are all roughly that size.

Does anyone know anything about them? I am hoping to sell them, but they appear to be incredibly rare and I'm not sure about price etc, or whether to keep them.

The group photo shows a Panzer / Sturmgeshutz / Tiger and some sort of armoured carriers halftrack and fulltrack. The single picture shows the underside of the Panther and the Goebel mark.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

What you have found is correct.

I have seen some of these before in the past.

I cannot put a value on them and if I were you I would certainly keep them. But I know they would sell easily.

Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian]

I agree with Ade, nice items and seldom seen due to the nature of their construction material and how they were used. Personally I would keep them and display them. Think how good they would look on a period campaign map or if room prohibits this, with a folded map, mapcase, pencils and other planning table paraphernalia alongside them.
And welcome to the forum from me too!

[Battle For Berlin]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies and welcome. Yes, I thought about buying some wargaming terrain and making up a sort of sand table, one for an Afrika Korps campaign and the other for France perhaps and getting a vintage craps stick to put beside it. Add in a few other vintage WWII items like you said and I think it would be make quite a nice display. I've quite a bit of space in my room to put a large table.

The only thing is I'm in need of a bit of cash at the minute, as I'm out of work. I bought these looking to sell them on again quickly but I want to keep them now. Decisions, decisions!

Regards.