Condition: Excellent
Maker: V
Base Material: Aluminum
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Product Description: German WWII Trolley Eagle, This is an extremely impressive, rare and very desirable German WWII Trolley Eagle. It measures 15 1/2 inches from wing tip to wing tip, and is made of aluminum. It has crisp detail, and is very clean, with only extremely minor age toning. The front of this gorgeous eagle retains its original smooth green paint finish. On the back, nearly all of the red paint used on the bus or trolley to which this was affixed, is present. Also the factory-applied green paint is noticed on the reverse edges, along with paint drips on the back of the eagle. The German WWII Trolley Eagle is nicely marked “V.” This eagle was neatly removed from the trolley by unscrewing the bolts on the reverse, these original bolts were screwed back in to the eagle. These are almost always gone; these are rare to find complete. Included with this eagle is a cigar box from Berlin, that was used by the veteran who captured this souvenir to send it home to the US. The collector who had this piece before us had purchased this eagle directly from the veteran in 1981. This German WWII Trolley Eagle is a very hard to find and extremely striking train eagle variant, loaded with eye appeal, and would make a fantastic centerpiece for a collection display.
Historical Description: During the Third Reich, all rail transport was nationalized and organized under the German Reichsbahn. Reichsbahn rail cars were state property and included everything from the locomotives used for transporting freight, to passenger cars, street cars and trolleys. In the Nazi era, and during WWII, the Reichsbahn adorned their locomotives and passenger rail cars with large metal decorative German eagle and swastika national emblems. These were made in various sizes and had a variety of finishes to suit different purposes and vehicle types. Generally, these eagles were manufactured from aluminum or zinc alloy, with integral threaded studs on the reverse that were used to affix these to the fronts of rail cars. These eagles had a striking and imposing appearance and were an iconic part of Nazi regalia. After the war, Allied denazification policies required these to be removed. Many were destroyed, though these were eagerly sought after by Allied troops hunting for souvenirs. They are extremely collectible and desirable artifacts today.
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