Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 86

The Manuscripts, Collectibles & Space Auction

World Wars

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 685		New York City Police Department War Bonds Poster. Vintage poster, 29 x 20 in., illustrated by "Geo. M. Unger", A. E. Richardson Printing Co., for the Metropolitan Canvass Committee / Liberty Loan Committee, c. 1918. Bold artwork and graphics. The war efforts were expensive and money was needed to support them. Dramatic, patriotic themed posters such as this were used to effectively advertise war bonds. During World War I, the New York City Police Department pledged $50 million to the war efforts, as depicted in this poster, encouraging everyone to support this ambitious endeavor and support their country in the war. Decades old conservation linen backing. Light age toning. Some minor chips and tears along top border, minor creasing in bottom 3". Very good condition. Estimated Value $500 - 700. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 686		It Will / That's Our Job - Ordnance Department, US Army. Patriotic WWII motivational work poster, this issued by the Ordnance Department of the US Army "Keep'em Shooting" campaign. Colorful, period illustration by Harry Meyers, inspiring workers to do their best job. Superior poster 28" x 40", originally folded as issued; however, archivally mounted on linen with scarcely any touch up to folds necessary for optimum presentation. Near mint. Estimated Value $200 - 400. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 687		Iwo Jima Photo Signed by the Three Survivors. Glossy 9 5/8 x 9" photo signed and inscribed by the three survivors of the battle of Iwo Jima known for raising the flag over Mt. Suribachi : Ira Hayes, a Puma Indian; Rene A. Gagnon; and John Bradley (father of James Bradley, who wrote "Flags of Our Fathers"), no place, no date. The photo is of American artist Felix de Weldon's 20-ton statue, based on Joe Rosenthal's memorable photograph, taken on February 23, 1945, of U.S. Marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima. Rosenthal's historic photograph won him a Pulitzer Prize and became a powerful victory symbol for the war-weary American public. Felix de Weldon began work on his statue in 1946 and completed it nine years later. It stands at the edge of Arlington National Cemetery and was dedicated in 1954 to all Marines who died for their country, past and present. Lest we forget, Franklin Sousley, Michael Strank, and Harlon Block were the three flag-raisers who did not survive the battle. Rosenthal's photo actually documented the second flag-raising on Iwo Jima. On the morning of February 23, Lt. Harold G. Schrier, executive officer of Easy Company, volunteered to lead a 40-man combat patrol up the mountain to raise an American flag. Upon successfully reaching the top, a flag from the battalion's transport ship, the USS Missoula, was attached to a pipe and raised by Schrier, with the help of platoon guide Sgt. Henry Hansen. This flag-raising was photographed by Sgt. Louis R. Lowery but the flag was supposedly too small to be easily seen from the nearby landing beaches. A second, larger flag was raised and today, it is the one remembered because of Rosenthal's iconic photo. Lt. Schrier received the Navy Cross for volunteering to take the patrol up the mountain and raising the American flag; Schrier would also receive a Silver Star Medal while commanding another rifle company on Iwo Jima. Estimated Value $300 - 500. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $3,120
Lot 688		MacArthur, Douglas. Typed letter signed, 1 page, 10½ x 8 in., New York (June 1960). To Mrs. Ruth Dunavan in San Antonio, Texas, thanking her for her "cordial letter" and expressing his appreciation. With transmittal envelope. Boldly signed. Estimated Value $250 - 300. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $168
Lot 689		Merrill's Marauders - World War II Archive of Lt. Robert Finkel. In September of 1943, the 5307th Composite Unit, better known as "Merrill's Marauders" (lead by General Frank Stilwell) and consisting of 3,000 volunteers, was formed as a Special Operations Jungle Warfare Unit, its mission to penetrate deep behind Japanese lines in the China-Burma Theatre. At the beginning of World War II, Robert Finkel enlisted in the Army Signal Corps, joined The Marauders, and soon earned a field commission as a Second Lieutenant. During the mission, this 3,000 man force survived harsh weather, difficult terrain, and an enemy that greatly outnumbered them. For his service in this campaign, Lieutenant Finkel received a Unit Citation and two Bronze Battle Stars. This archive consists of the following items: (1) Lt. Finkel's Officer's dress uniform jacket, Officer's dress cap, and Officer's garrison cap----all in excellent condition (2) a series of five medals consisting of an American Campaign Medal and Ribbon, an Asian-Pacific Campaign Medal, a Good Conduct Medal and Ribbon, a Burmese Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal (3) Finkel's 2nd Lt. Bar, the 181st Signal Repair Company pin, and the Merrill's Marauders Meritorious Service Award (4) enclosed in lucite, a second 2nd Lt. Bar and Signal Corp pin along with campaign ribbons. (5) three small flags sewn together consisting of The Republic of China (Taiwan), the American flag, and the U.S. and China flags together mounted and framed with a brass plate inscribed "Americans Who Came To China To Help Win The War. Soldiers And Civilians United Together To Save And Protect" (6) A map of the Ledo-Burma Road drafted and signed by Lt. Robert Finkel. (This road was built so that the Western Allies could supply the Chinese an alternative to the Burma Road that was cut off by the Japanese in 1942).The Chinese Government later gave Lt. Finkel their Citation Medal for his service in World War II. The movie "Merrill's Marauders" was produced by Warner Brothers Studios and released June 13, 1962. Robert Finkel went on to have a long and distinguished career in television as a writer, producer, and director spanning the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, winning three Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award along the way. He passed away April 12, 2012. Estimated Value $2,000 - 4,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,938
Lot 690		[Patton, George] Album of 860 Photographs From Co. F, 1303rd Engineer General Service Regiment. United States Army album, 12½ x 14½ x 4¼ in., with some 860 photos taken by Bill Wolf, who was a member of Co. F, 1303rd Engineer General Service Regiment. The 1303rd was activated on July 15, 1943 at Camp Ellis, Illinois. The Regiment played an important role during World War II, with campaign credit for Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. The Regiment was inactivated on January 31, 1946 in Japan. The 1303rd was attached to George Patton's Third Army and built the bridges Patton needed as he raced across Europe after the retreating Germans. Patton called the engineers of the 1303rd his "Mighty Midgets" because he said that he had never seen so many little men do such a big job. They built pontoon bridges, Bailey bridges (made from prefabricated panels with crossed steel braces) and trestle bridges. Bridges were often built on the debris from bridges the Germans had destroyed as they retreated. Bill Wolf, who took the majority of the photos in the album, had been deferred from military service because he was employed in defense work at Bell & Howell and he was also married. After three months of working twelve-hour days and dealing with his in-laws, he decided he preferred to be in the Army and he enlisted. The photos he took range in size from 2½ x 3½ in. to 4½ x 6½ in.; some have the white borders removed, and most are affixed to the album pages. Company F's progress is documented in photos, with the cities and rivers identified, as well as numerous men in the unit. The photos begin with Camp Ellis and other locations in Illinois, then go to England, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Manila, and Japan. From the places named, we can track the movement of Patton's Army. In France, Wolf identifies photos from Rennes, Avranches, Paris, Pithivier, Chalons, St. Mihiel, Toul, Pont à Mousson, the Moselle River, Neufchâteau, Pont-Saint-Vincent, Verdun, Nancy, Château-Salins, and Metz. There are nine photos of General George Patton, four of them standing on a bridge over the Saar River by a sign which says: "Gen. Patton**Bridge Built by the Mighty Midgets. Co. F 1303 Engr." Four other photos show Patton walking amidst rubble; several one and two star generals are visible in one of them. Another photo of Patton is a small copy of a known larger signed photo. Other photos include many destroyed buildings and bridges, new bridges being built by Co. F, dead cows in a mine field, bodies of people in an open trench, beautiful chateaux, a German tank, an American tank turned over in a river, American and German planes, Dragon teeth from the Siegfried Line, the engineers posing and clowning around, a German train in a river on a downed bridge, pictures of the German assault gun (AK47 modeled after it), war trophies, and an effigy of Hitler's head at the Patton bridge opening. One hundred forty-two of the photos were taken after the 1303rd left the European Theater of war and embarked for the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. When the atomic bombs ended the war, the regiment was sent as an occupation force in Japan, then slowly began to go home. Photos include bombed out Manila, the men landing in Tokyo Bay, the Japanese stacking their arms, six photos of the Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri, Tokyo US GHQ, the Diet, and other landmarks, as well as pictures of damage from the US firebomb air raid on Tokyo. Additionally, there are 41 reunion pictures of the 1303rd from the 1980s, and a copy of Patton's 1944 Christmas greeting to the Third Army, with a prayer asking God to stop the incessant rain so they could defeat the enemy (which they did at the Battle of the Bulge), and a brochure from Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. The front cover of the album is loose and a small area at the top of the spine is missing. A fascinating up-close-and-personal record of Co. F and the 1303rd's very important contribution to the war. Estimated Value $3,000 - 5,000. From the daughter of Bill Wolf, a member of Co. F, 1303rd Engineer General Service Regiment.* View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 691		Provocative Enlistment Poster by the War Production Board. During World War II, any number of US agencies created enlistment posters or work ethic campaigns with a variety of approaches. Many conveyed heroism, patriotism, and revenge among other themes. And then there were a handful that dipped into provocation and guilt. Here a young man is photographed kicking back on his porch with a beer, smoking, reading the paper and listening to music--possibly a day off or as of yet, not enlisted? A not-so-subtle reminder that when he procrastinates or slacks off in his duties, he is aiding the Axis Powers. Poster measures 40" x 28", originally folded as issued; however, has been archivally mounted on linen with only the most minimum touch ups along fold lines. An unsual piece. Near to mint. Estimated Value $200 - 400. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $120
Lot 692		Save Freedom of Speech - Norman Rockwell War Bond Poster. Norman Rockwell, one of the most popular and acclaimed artists of his generation, created this work originally for The Saturday Evening Post. Co-opted for the bond campaigns of World War II, this is clearly the most popular of Rockwell's contributions. Poster measures 40½" x 28½" and has been archivally mounted on linen with discreet touch-up to fold lines for optimum presentation. Very Fine. Estimated Value $200 - 400. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $338
Lot 693		Save Rubber, Check Your Tires - WWII Division of Information Poster. During World War II the Division of Information for The Office For Emergency Management engaged in numerous domestic campaigns to encourage Americans to conserve resources. Here a fantastic example featuring American soldiers "They've got more important places to go than you! Save Rubber, Check Your Tires Now." A reminder not to waste resources needed by our soldiers. Great period illustration by Walter Richards, poster measures 40" x 28", originally folded but now archivally mounted on linen with discreet touch up along fold lines for optimum presentation. Very Fine. Estimated Value $200 - 400. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $120
Lot 694		United We Stand - World War II Vintage Original Banner. From the Division of Information, Office for Emergency Management, Washington D.C. comes this impressive horizontal banner issued during WWII. Paper banner measures 16" x 120" and has been mounted on linen for display. Overall in fine condition with one fold in center and staple holes limited to linen backing. Fine. Estimated Value $300 - 500. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $240