Desk Top Luftwaffe Cigarette Case - Prisoner or German Made? Training Workshop 1943

[mds308]

I believe the lid's inside translates to Christmas 1943 The Training Workshop. Would this have been a prisoner or a German worker? Excellent workmanship. The eagle looks to have been done using a repousse. Thanks for your opinions.

[Kilian]

In my view this is an Arts and Crafts style box, that predates WW2 by at least 20 years. And I think it is odd that this workshop has not identified itself further, by a unit designation or location or so.

[Danmark]

I dont understand the above 'predates by 20yrs' comment??

1923 is 12 years BEFORE the luftwaffe was formed?

[Kilian]

Yes, that is exactly my point. The Arts and Crafts style was in fashion between roughly 1880 and 1920. This box made of hammered brass/copper in my opinion is made in the Arts and Crafts style. So either someone made the box with the luftwaffe adler in a style that was at least 20 years out of fashion, which is possible of course. Or someone took an older box and added the eagle later.

[Adrian]

I quite like it. I can see it being made in down time as a gift between comrades, maybe from spent shell casings.
Yes it's arts and crafts style but if you have spare time, a hammer and some brass, why wouldn't it be made as such? It's perfectly reasonable in my opinion.
A unit designation isn't mandatory, it's entirely up to the individual and how they want to make something.
Christmas 1943 Training Workshop.
If trainees were there at a workshop before being assigned to units or if they were from different units, they would make a generic item as a gift or for themselves.

[Gerry C]

I like it. IMHO it has a "tramp art or POW", feel to it. True, it does have an arts and crafts look to it. But I believe it's possible the producer might have been influenced by the movement. Maybe they carried it over from what they saw growing up or from items sitting around their house. In reality, the arts and crafts time span movement was not that far removed from the outbreak of WW2. If I saw this in the wild, I'd try and scoop it up as fast as I could.

Regards,

Gerry C

JustMeinKC!

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