USS Maine Memorial Brass Plaque
This U.S.S. Maine Memorial Brass Plaque commemorates the explosion and sinking of the ship in Havana harbor, Cuba, at 9:40 on the evening of February 15, 1898 causing the deaths of 250 out of 355 sailors on board. It is this incident that triggered the Spanish-American war that spread from the Caribbean to the Philippines ending up in American dominance over those regions.
USS Maine memorial brass plaque features the following writing and markings:
"In Memoriam / U.S.S. Maine / Destroyed in Havana Harbor / February 15th 1898 / This tablet is cast from metal recovered from the U.S.S. Maine."
The lower right corner is stamped "© C. KECK Sc. / 1913 Cast By / Jno. Williams Inc. / N.Y."
The bottom edge is stamped 1305.
On the back top left corner: "Tablet No 1305 / Charles Keck, Sculptor / Cast By / Jno Williams Inc. / Bronze Foundry / New York / 1913."
This item will include some unique photos and documents associated with the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine plaque and incident.
Dimensions:
Height: 32.5 cm (12.79 inches)
Width: 45 cm (17.71 inches)
Weight: 3.3 Kg (7.27 lbs)
November 4th WW1 Memorial Plaque By Egidio Boninsegna
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November 4th is celebrated and commemorated in Italy as the end of World War 1, the day of Armistice at Villa Giusti. Italy lost in WW1 over 500,000 soldiers. This rare bronze plaque was sculpted by one of Milan's most famous sculptures in the early to mid 20th century: Egidio Boninsegna. The memorial plaque depicts an angel carrying to a tomb a half-draped male soldier accompanies by his mourning wife and two children bidding him a final farewell and another man holding the ends of the drape. Both the angel and the fallen soldier show deep, hollowed-out eyes, indicating the suffering and grief caused by the war. The angel is sitting on a slab with the writing Ignoto Militi, the unknown soldier. In the background is a great memorial tomb complete with fluted columns and another frieze of mourning figures. The artist Egidio Boninsegna is best known for the creation of numerous tombs for the Monumental Cemetery and the Musocco Cemetery in Milan. He also sculpted the monument dedicated to the Milanese painter Filippo Carcano in 1915.
This November 4th Italian memorial cast bronze plaque is rare in this excellent condition. It is fastened to a heavy wooden frame.
Dimensions:
Height: 48 cm (18.9 inches)
Width: 39 cm (15.35 inches)
Weight: 7.4 Kg (16.31 lbs)
Saint Barbara Skoda Sculpture
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Saint Barbara was an early Christian martyr worshiped by mainly Catholics who face danger of sudden and violent death at work. She is the patron saint of artillery and explosives professions, armorers and gunsmiths, military engineers, miners and tunnelers. This statue of Saint Barbara features the main items associated with her story: the three windowed tower, a cannon and a branch.
This statue of Saint Barbara is one of two known to be made as a special commissioned work for the Czech Skoda company. Skoda started in 1859 as an arms manufacturing company, later a producer of bicycles, motorcycles, cars and trucks. During World War 2 and Nazi Germany's occupation of Czechoslovakia, the Skoda factory was under control of Reichswerke Hermann Göring and served as producers of artillery parts, aircraft, firearms and ammunition components. This statue is thought to be presented to the Nazi officers who controlled the company in 1942. The statue is said to be made of artillery grade metal.
The small plaque at the base reads: Skodawerke Pilsen, Kreigsjahr 1942.
It is in excellent condition.
Specifications:
Height (with base): 51 cm
Width (total): 16.5 cm
Width of base: 14 cm
Weight: 13.1 Kg
Alan Shepard Memorabilia American Legion Plaque
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This is a piece of Alan Shepard memorabilia that has not been seen for decades. It is probably a one of a kind plaque commissioned and presented to astronaut and naval pilot Alan Shepard Jr. for his amazing accomplishment of being the first American and the second human after Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagerin to orbit the earth. On May 5, 1961, Shepard piloted the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission and named his spacecraft, Mercury Spacecraft 7, Freedom 7.
As a show of appreciation and admiration for his incredible achievement in the height of the Cold War and the start of the space race, the American Legion decided to present Alan Shepard with this plaque as an award.
Dimensions:
Height: 49 cm (19.29)
Width: 35.5 cm (13.97 inches)
Weight: 7.9 Kg (17.41 lbs)
French World War One Commemorative Plaque
A rare and unique piece of history featuring a commemorative plaque presented to Marshall Ferdinand Foch, the Supreme Allied Commander during the First World War, and Georges Clemenceau, Prime Minister and Minister of War during the war. The plaque shows all of the characteristics of World War One such as the trench warfare, airplanes and zeppelins first used in battle, firearms, helmets and digging tools. In the center is a French soldier holding a flag that is being kissed by a woman, maybe representing the gratefulness of the French nation to its brave fighters.
The plaque was presented as part of the Law of November 17th 1918, that was established to pay national tribute to the armies and their leaders who participated in World War One, the war to end all wars.
The writing in the center translates to:
The Law of November 17, 1918
To the armies and their chiefs
To the government of the Republic
the citizen Georges Clémenceau
President of the Council
Minister of War
Marshal Foch
Supreme leader of the allied armies
From a well deserved Fatherland
This commemorative World War One plaque in appreciation to George Clémenceau and Marshall Foch is a one of a kind piece of history and is in museum quality significance.
I am open to best offers for price.