Milestone to Auction Hitler's Wartime Desk, Nazi Physician's 1936 Mercedes-Benz, Komar & Melamid Yalta Conference Painting, Unique Militaria, Jan. 27

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Jan 16, 2018, 08:45 ET

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio, Jan. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- While little good ever comes of war, its outcome shapes the future for generations to come, both on the winning and losing sides of the battlefield. A panoramic overview of America's wartime history, as defined by the memorabilia of its heroes, allies and most reviled enemies, will be the focal point of Milestone's Jan. 27 Historic Military & Firearms Auction.

Adolf Hitler's custom-made oak and leather desk and chair from his Munich residence, a 1929 gift from Mrs. Elsa Bruckmann (nee Princess Cantacuzene of Romania). Accompanied by manufacturer's hand-signed letter to Hitler advising him of the furniture's completion. Provenance: Hermann Historica 2003. Est. $100,000-$1 million

Komar and Melamid (Russian/American, b. 1943 and 1945, respectively), The Yalta Conference, 1982, oil-on-canvas, 72 x 50in. Est. $800,000-$1.2 million

The suburban Cleveland company will present 668 lots of extraordinary rarities, including Adolf Hitler's personal desk and chair. Absolutely authentic and with a background that includes prior sale at the respected Hermann Historica auction house in Germany, the custom-crafted oak and leather desk and chair personally owned by Hitler is expected to make as much as $1,000,000 at auction. The furniture was a gift to Hitler from Mrs. Elsa Bruckmann (nee Princess Cantacuzene of Romania) and was in use at Hitler's Munich residence before its seizure by the US Army. Described in previous media reports as "Hitler's million dollar desk," its auction estimate is $100,000-$1 million.

Another item epitomizing the hedonistic Nazi regime's penchant for luxury and excess is the 1936 Mercedes-Benz 170V two-door coupe that belonged to SA physician Dr. Rudolf Beuring. A scarce and drivable model – one of only two of its type registered in the United States – this early-production 170V has its original bill of sale plus Beuring's Nazi military profile with swastika stamps, and other papers. It has a transferrable Pennsylvania title and is estimated at $40,000-$80,000.

The auction presents an unusual opportunity to own a large and important satirical painting by Russian-born collaborative artists Komar and Melamid. Titled The Yalta Conference, the 1982 oil-on-canvas depicts President Franklin D. Roosevelt – with an E.T.-like head – together with Hitler, and Stalin under a red canopy. The artwork is a commentary on the 1945 meeting at Yalta where Stalin, Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill discussed Europe's post-World War II boundaries. The message conveyed by the artists is that Stalin tricked Roosevelt into allowing the Soviet Union to control the nations of Eastern Europe. Although Hitler was dead by the time of the Yalta Conference, he appears in the painting instead of Churchill, his finger raised in a silencing pose to imply the meeting's secrecy. Roosevelt's extraterrestrial head symbolizes the fact that he was not of the European world and therefore did not understand Stalin's craft and underhandedness. A powerful painting widely regarded as Komar and Melamid's finest, The Yalta Conference is featured in Carter Ratcliff's 1988 book about the duo. Estimate: $800,000-$1.2 million

The World War II section also includes a Nazi infantry battalion standarte captured by US soldiers in 1945, est. $20,000-$30,000; and an outstanding archive of military clothing and paraphernalia belonging to a decorated Nazi German Luftwaffe pilot, est. $15,000-$20,000.

Among the more than 150 firearms are the 19th-century Smith & Wesson handguns of whaling captain Albert Sherman (1849-1914), CSA General John Creed Moore's 1851 Colt revolver, and John Wayne's silver-grip Smith & Wesson revolvers, holsters and spurs. There are many Winchester rifles, antique Colts, 19th-century Gatling guns, Brownings, Remingtons, Mauers, and much more. Edged weapons include 19th-century swords, Tanto daggers, Imperial German swords, an Ames Model 1871 USN Sword, and German hunting swords.

The Civil War portion of the sale features medical staff swords, a surgical set and hospital register; a Hernstein cased surgical amputation set, desirable rifles, tintypes and ambrotypes of soldiers; a Confederate general's telescope, and a Union Army major general's frock coat, $9,000-$11,000.

Additional information: tel. 440-527-8060, [email protected]. Online: http://www.milestoneauctions.com

Media Contact:
Miles King
440-527-8060

SOURCE Milestone Auctions