Lot 868
A bronze eagle statue for pilots of the Imperial Navy as a prize of honour for victors in aerial combat, dated 1917
Orders and Military Collectibles until 1918 | A102m | Live auction | 258 Lots
Description
Bronze with brown patina. Three-dimensional, detailed sculpture of two fighting eagles, as depicted on the goblet of honour. Two-piece bronze (the upper eagle slightly rotatable), mounted on an octagonal wooden base lacquered in black (somewhat rubbed), on the obverse the silver dedication plaque surrounded by laurel branches and engraved (tr.) "To the victor in aerial combat 16th June 1917 Flugmeister Nöthen". Traces of use and age. Overall height 26 cm. As a pilot of the Naval Airforce ("Marine-Landflieger-Abteilung") Nöthen had already been awarded the Navy Observer Badge. His formal rank "Flugmeister" is equivalent to the rank of Navy staff sergeant. He was awarded the prize of honour by the Navy's Chief of Staff for the destruction of an enemy aircraft on November 21, 1918. The respective "Order of the day No. 221" is also listed in Carsten Baldes' standard book on WW1 German orders and decorations of the Imperial German Air Forces, "Abzeichen und Ehrenpreise der Fliegertruppe 1913 - 1920". By December 31, 1917, only 96 such awards had been issued. With only 126 confirmed aircraft downings and 9 sinkings by the end of the war the total number of awards will hardly exceed 100. This lot is thus one of the very few known originals and exceedingly rare.Condition: II Questions about the lot?
