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)
Alan Shepard Memorabilia American Legion Plaque
Or best offer
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)
Saint Barbara Skoda Sculpture
Or best offer
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
Dahlgren Bowie Knife Bayonet
The Dahlgren bowie knife bayonet is a Civil War era Union US Navy bayonet designed by Admiral John Dahlgren for use with the Plymouth/Whitneyville Model M1861 Rifle, and made by the Ames Manufacturing Company of Chicopee Massachusetts. The Dahlgren Bowie bayonet's new design's intention was to replace the then-standard sword length bayonet with a more maneuverable bayonet for Navy purposes such as close quarters combat in ships, boarding actions, shore landings, and others and for use as either a traditional bayonet or a hand held edged weapon bulky enough to defend against swords and the heavy rifles used at the time.
This Dahlgren Navy bowie bayonet is one of only 1800 produced between 1861-1864, and this item is marked as produced in 1862.
Comes with an unoriginal scabbard.
Markings:
On ricasso:
Side 1: USN D.R 1862. "D.R" initials are of the military inspector at the Ames plant, Daniel Reynolds.
Side 2: Ames Mfg Co./Chicopee/Mass
Specifications:
Total knife length (without scabbard): 43 cm
Blade length: 30.8 cm
Hilt: 12 cm
Total knife with scabbard: 44.5 cm