Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler Silver Plate Platters - Value???

[pjr202]

Hi Guys,

New to the forum and first post here, thought the wealth of knowledge out there might be able to help with this.

I amazingly came across four Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (silver plate I believe) platters in the basement of a junk shop, although at the time neither I or the shop keeper knew that's what they were.

Story goes that they were brought into the shop about 10 years ago by a German couple whos relatives escaped the Jewish persecution and came to the UK before the beggining of WW2. They were bought in with a load of other metal tableware which was bought by a dealer but for some reason he didn't want these. So for the last 10 years they've just sat in the basement.

All four platters were made by the German manufacturer Wellner and stamped with the monogram 'LAH'. I originally bought them believing that the stamped monogram was just for a family and that the faint date of 1914 stamped above the makers mark suggested a WW1 connection. It was only after researching the manufacture and the monogram that I discovered that they had originally belonged to the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler regiment.

Three of the platters are apparently earlier and maker stamped to the rear '1914' 'Sachs Metallw Fabrik, AUG. WELLNER Sne, AULiS'. The number 29 in a circle below the makers stamp according to my research determines that the platters are 29% silver plate. The monogram 'LAH' is stamp on one side of the front.

The forth platter is I believe later, made sometime after 1926 and maker stamped 'ORIGINAL WELLNER', 'AUG WELLNER SOHNE', 'A-G', with again the number 29 displayed in a circle underneith. Again with the monogram 'LAH' stamped on one side of the front.

There are small dings, dents, and scratches on all of the platters consistant with use over the last 70 or so years, especially around the edges. There is also what looks to be knife cutting marks. Luckily though there are no areas where the plating has worn through.

I've included a few pics of the platters.

Has anybody an estimation on whats these are each worth? From what I have found online prices of LAH tableware seems to vary between £40 - £60 for a spoon in the UK, to $250.00 in the USA for spoons and forks. I did find two platters the same as these for sale in the USA, granted one was slightly larger than the other, for $1000.00! Can't believe they are worth that.

So if the experts out there could give me a realistic valuation it would be most appreciated.

Thanks guys.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

These are nothing to do with the "LAH". What they are is Hamburg Amerika Line shipping company tableware.

I have three items myself. Sadly value is nothing like what you were hoping for.

Cheers, Ade.

[Scout]

welcome to the forum

[douglas2496]

Adrian is absolutely correct, this is Hamburg Amerika Line tableware. This exact same confusion was discussed at length in 'The Armourer' magazine a year or two ago. The items have dates which could not possibly match with LAH items, (LAH existed only between 1933-1945 I believe, whereas Hamburg Amerika Line was founded in 1847) and the HAL shipping line monogram is unfortunately very similar to the LAH one. Such is the level of confusion that it is very likely you can find other HAL examples being passed off as LAH tableware.

[Walkwolf]

What Ade and Douglas said - These are not 'LAH', they are
the 'HAL' = Hamburg Amerika Line tableware.........

[pjr202]

Thanks for the info guys. Only paid £2.00 for the four so still a bargain.

When did the Hamburg Amerika Line stop using just the HAL monogram then? I've just discovered another forum that was discussing this topic and one post said the HAL monogram was used pre-WW1 but post WW1 they changed to a shield logo displaying HAPAG due to having to reinvent the company after the war. One of the platters with the HAL monogram as I noted was stampted 'ORIGINAL WELLNER'. This according to an indepth website 'ascasonline' says that this dates the platter somewhere between 1926 and 1944 when the company transferred to a new name. Shouldn't the platter display the HAPAG shield instead?

[Adrian Stevenson]

The markings are correct for the dates. Bear in mind replacement items would be made with the older monogram.

At £2 you did great!

Have a look at some of the shipping line collectables dealers to get some ideas on values.

Cheers, Ade.

[ObKrieger]

They are very nice items nonetheless.