Germany, Wehrmacht. A War Merit Cross I Class, By Karl Gschiermeister Auction Archive A brown painted aluminum canteen

A brown painted aluminum canteen

measuring 44 mm (w) x 58 mm (h)

above five machine-embroidered silver aluminum wire oak leaves with dual acorns

the obverse bears the crowned ciphers of Wilhelm I of Prussia and Franz Joseph of Austria

Germany, Wehrmacht. A War Merit Cross I Class, By Karl Gschiermeister Auction Archive A brown painted aluminum canteen(Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse). Constructed of silvered tombak, consisting of a Maltese Cross, the obverse with pebbled arms and a central wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse with a raised barrel hinge and tapering vertical pinback meeting a flat wire catch, the pinback maker marked with Prsidialkanzlei code 50 for Karl Gschiermeister, Vienna, measuring 48. 32 mm (w) x 48. 28 mm (h), weighing 17. 6 grams, in near extremely fine condition.