U-boat Signature Collection

You are correct. Herr Topp was extremely open with his life and house. He would invite anyone who knocked on his door in to talk. A true gentleman as I said before.

Unfortunately, on one occasion he did go to answer the telephone and had some precious items stolen. His navy honor dagger, the Swords to the Oakleaves RK award document signed by Hitler, and his 'shipboard-made' RK that was given to him by his crew. (I have a replica that was made for me by an associate after finding a photo of Topp wearing it. I'll get a photo made and posted of it.)

These have yet to turn up on the open market...probably because the whole militaria collecting world is aware of the story.

Actually, I am surprised that you have yet to run across a Herbert Schultze. He is a fairly 'common' find. I'll check around and get back with you if I come across anything.

 

Quite welcome and, thanks for the reminder of Weddigen-hes another top favorite of mine. A long time ago-about 7 or so yrs- almost came away with a Manfred von Richthoffen sigen calling card and two original pics-pics not sighned but all framed rather nicely. The asking price then was $1,200-but all I could scrape up was $800. I told the seler i'd give him all I had and he thought about it for awhile but then some other collector with deeper pockets happened to step in the gunshow before closing and bought it for he $1,200 mentioned. Mn I was sore about that for quite some time. I still feel singed for it but-because of that, I was able to buy a near mint Uboat badge and a nice EKI with brass core that came together as a small grouping. I still walked away with $500 in my pocket and decided to go looking at guns and wound up spending $400 for a very nice Walther P-38 and $5 extra for an unmarked wartieme brown police P-38 holster that another dealer had who didnt know what he had. I spent the remainde of that money $45, on my then-Girlfriend, that evening when we went out.

 

Speaking of Topps stolen goods. I used to be in touch with one of his sons-Michael, about this stuff. Im always keeping eyes peeled fo rthis stuff but know that whoever the crud was that pinched them, is most likely not dumb enough to try selling these things and they most likely will never again see the light of day-unfortunately.

 

Here is the photo of Topp wearing the crew's RK. Also added is info added by Topp on the back.




Here is a photo of the replica a friend made for me from the above photo. So this is the best approximation of what the real one looks like. It's about five inches tall/wide.

 

Here is another 'one of a kind' photo from Topp.
The added info on the back of the picture is priceless.

 

I love that periscope photo, I have one signed but not with the story of the girl, that is so funny

 

Gentlemen, a couple of days ago i strolled around in london and i came by frasers autographs, they got a nice collection of ww1 uboat autographs for consigment. What i saw were autographs of Walther Schwieger (as far as i understand it was a postcard adressed to a german student, showing his boat U20), a logbook (Kriegstagebuch) of UC22 written by Heino von Heimburg, Autographs of Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière ,Walter Forstmann and Hans Rose. I was told these items are up on auction in april. As i am broke and there is no chance for me at all to buy one of these items, i thought i share these informations with other uboat enthusiasts.

Red

 

Hello,

There is mine autograph from OTTO WEDDIGEN....
Helgoland July 1914.

 

Gentlemen, a nice autograph of Otto Weddigen is up for auction 11.Dezember on Frasers Autographs. Very interessting not only because it was signed in front but also written by weddigen on the backside! Link to the auction: https://dreweattneate.infinitebidding.com/index.cfm?method=getLotInfo&lotref=846A4CC3F1&seq=231

RED

 

Thank's for this interesting information!

:ffzonewhore:

 

Wanted to share some of my collection here as well to continue this nice thread..

Hans-Rudolf Rösing (28 September 1905 – 16 December 2004)



Kapitänleutnant Rolf Mützelburg (23 June 1913 – 11 September 1942)



Karl-Friedrich Merten (15 August 1905 – 2 May 1993)

 

where/when did they autograph pics??