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WWII GERMAN RING COMMEMORATING THE AWARD OF OAK

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:800.00 USD Estimated At:1,600.00 - 2,200.00 USD
WWII GERMAN RING COMMEMORATING THE AWARD OF OAK

LEAVES FOR THE KNIGHT’S CROSS TO MAJOR ERICH RUDORFFER & PRESENTATION TROPHY TO MAJOR ERNST-HEINRICH THOMSEN.
1) RING. A solid silver ring with an octagonal face that displays the Finnish rampant lion. The interior of the ring is stamped, “P.THINNES (half moon)(crown)800”. The interior is also engraved, “Rudorffer 11.4.1944” & “130 Sieg P.K.C.”. The ring is housed in a period gray German ring box with an interior pillow that reads, “G. Schloemp JUWELIER BERLIN 15 KURFURSTENDAMM 237”. Major Rudorffer was the 7th most successful fighter pilot in military history. He flew throughout the war posting over 1,000 combat missions & achieved 222 confirmed victories. He received this ring on April 11, 1944 to commemorate receiving oak leaves for the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. He was awarded the oak leaves on the occasion of his 113th air victory. He was shot down a total of 16 times but survived each & every encounter. After the war he flew DC2s & DC3s in Australia & even worked for PanAm. Rudorffer was the last surviving recipient of the Knight’s Cross with oak leaves & swords, dying on April 8, 2016 at the age of 98. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: copies of information about Major Rudorffer & his career. CONDITION: ring & box show light overall wear.
2) TROPHY. This trophy was awarded to Major Ernst Heinrich Thomsen & measures approx. 8" x 6 3/4" at its widest point. It depicts an eagle perched on a rock on a 3 3/4" black marble base. The base has a 2" x 3/4" plaque that reads, “Zum 200.Feindflug -Hptm. Thomsen- Der Kommandierende General und Befehlshaber im Luftgau Kiew”. The eagle appears to be of pot metal with a gilded finish. Major Thomsen was a naval flyer & flew 216 combat missions managing to sink a total tonnage of over 46,000 GRT & damaging an untold number of ships. On June 9, 1942 he was awarded the German Cross in Gold & on October 24, 1944 he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: copies of information mentioning Major Thomsen. CONDITION: trophy base shows light wear. Eagle has some wear to the gilded finish & 2 1/2" of the tip of the right wing was broken but was repaired. PROVENANCE: Lifetime Collection of Dennis Ottaway. (02-16019/BF). $1,600-2,200.