Prestigious handcrafted hammered silver frame in the style of Hitler's silver state frames, but in an oversized special format, measuring 44 x 39.5 cm. The frame contains the original etching of Adolf Hitler's birthplace in Braunau am Inn. Artist's signature “Ernst Zippens” at lower left margin. Handwritten inscription at right margin:

“Braunau a. Inn, Geburtshaus des Führers” (Birthplace of the Führer).

On the dedication field of the silver frame below the photo, within a meander band, the applied national eagle (Hoheitsadler) and the initials “AH”.

Maker's mark of the goldsmiths Gebrüder Wandinger “FHW” on the rim, as well as the silver hallmark “925”, crown and crescent moon.

Reverse side with leather stand and backing of dark brown morocco leather.

In prestigious presentation case without national eagle, made of red morocco leather. Interior with red velvet lining. Bookbinder's signature “FRIEDA THIERSCH” on the spine.

Dimensions: 420 x 460 x 40 mm. On the case lid there is a paper label from the 1970s with the inscription “Geschenk des Führers. An Herzog von Windsor” (Gift from the Führer. To Duke of Windsor) (with spelling error), the second line has been removed. Condition 2.

Gebrüder Wandinger produced, in addition to prestigious gift objects commissioned by Adolf Hitler, also the silver state frames as well as the gilt fittings and national eagles for the documents and cases of the higher grades of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Various formats of this gift frame by the goldsmiths Gebrüder Wandinger made of hammered silver with the national eagle flanked by Adolf Hitler's initials were presented by Hitler with his personally signed portrait photograph, usually accompanied by a personal dedication, both to important personalities from the state, Wehrmacht and Party and foreign state guests, as well as to important personalities from culture and society on special occasions.

The overall artistic conception was created by Professor Gerdy Troost, the widow of the architect Paul Ludwig Troost, highly esteemed by Hitler.

Adolf Hitler took personal interest in the design of this type of prestigious gifts and sometimes influenced their artistic design himself.

According to the archives of Professor Gerdy Troost, approximately 100 such silver frames for gift portrait photographs of Adolf Hitler were produced by Gebrüder Wandinger for presentation to high-ranking personalities.

At least one example was produced in silver-gilt finish.

These photograph gift frames were presented in presentation cases made of red morocco leather with national eagle embossed in silver or gold on the lids, manufactured by the workshop of bookbinder Frieda Thiersch.

The standard gift frames have dimensions of 390 x 285 mm.

The present example, presumably made for Adolf Hitler himself, has dimensions of 400 x 440 mm.

To my knowledge, this is the only special format of this artistically extremely elaborately crafted presentation frame that has become known to date.

Also typical of the simplicity of objects intended by Adolf Hitler for his own use is that, unlike the gift frames, the morocco leather case was not provided with a national eagle.

Significant historical collector's piece of imposing size and in this form certainly a unique piece.

In all probability, this is a personal gift from Adolf Hitler to the Duke of Windsor, the abdicated English King Edward VIII, on the occasion of his visit to the Berghof in 1937. The Duke of Windsor was considered until the outbreak of war as one of Hitler's great admirers.

437636

Hitler's Silver Presentation Frame with Etching of the Braunau Birthplace

At the heart of the Third Reich's culture of state gifts stood a distinctive class of objects known among collectors as “formal frames” or “state frames” — hand-hammered silver presentation frames that Adolf Hitler bestowed upon high-ranking personalities from the military, the party, the state, foreign dignitaries, and distinguished figures from art and science. This tradition was not a National Socialist invention: it dated back to Emperor Wilhelm, who gifted state frames as a special sign of thankfulness. The Weimar Republic continued the practice, and after the Nazi takeover of government, it was carried forward in an especially elaborate form.

The object under consideration represents a remarkable variant of this genre. Rather than containing the typical personally signed portrait photograph, this frame holds an original etching of Adolf Hitler's birthplace in Braunau am Inn, the town where Hitler was born on 20 April 1889. The right edge bears the handwritten inscription “Braunau a. Inn, Geburtshaus des Führers” (Braunau on the Inn, Birthplace of the Führer).

Craftsmanship and Production

The silver frames were manufactured by the twins Franz and Hermann Wandinger in Munich. They are fashioned from .925 silver (92.5 percent pure silver), as confirmed by the hallmarks “FH/W” (Franz and Hermann Wandinger, Munich) and the mark of fineness “925” with crescent moon and crown. The Wandinger brothers were also responsible for producing the gilded fittings and national eagles for the certificates and cassettes of the higher grades of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

The frame features a three-stepped hand-hammered design with a characteristic Greek key bordered panel along the bottom, approximately 1¾ inches tall, bearing a raised Nazi Eagle flanked by the initials “AH”. The reverse and frame stand are covered in red Morocco leather.

The artistic concept for these presentation frames was devised by Professor Gerdy Troost, the widow of Hitler's highly regarded architect Paul Ludwig Troost. Gerdy Troost oversaw the interior renovations of Hitler's official and private residences during the Third Reich, including the Old Chancellery in Berlin and the Berghof on the Obersalzberg. Hitler took a personal interest in the design of these presentation gifts and was himself involved in shaping their artistic conception.

The accompanying presentation cassette was produced in the workshop of bookbinder Frieda Thiersch, who was personally commissioned by Hitler on Gerdy Troost's recommendation. Thiersch was also entrusted with binding “works of German genius” for Hitler's private library at Obersalzberg. The cassette is fashioned from red Saffian leather with a red velvet lining and bears the artist's signature “FRIEDA THIERSCH” in its interior.

An Exceptional Oversized Format

This particular example departs from the standard presentation frames in several respects. While the standard format measured 390 × 285 mm (approximately 9½ × 13½ inches), this frame measures approximately 440 × 395 mm, with its cassette measuring 420 × 460 × 40 mm. Another notable feature is that unlike the typical gift frames, which were presented in cassettes bearing a silver-embossed national eagle on the cover, this cassette lacks that embossed eagle.

Documentation confirms that on 21 August 1936, one hundred such frames were urgently ordered and delivered. These objects rarely surface and tend to remain buried in private collections.

Known Recipients and Usage

When used as presentation frames for Hitler's portrait, he personally signed each photograph and usually added a handwritten dedication. These were presented to important personalities of the military, the party, the state, foreign officials, and distinguished figures from culture and science. One documented example is the frame given to Ulrich Graf, bearing the inscription: “To Mr. Ulrich Graf, my old and faithful companion in difficult times, with cordial congratulations on his 60th birthday in old comradeship — Adolf Hitler — Munich 6 July 1938.”

The Duke of Windsor, the abdicated English King Edward VIII, and the Duchess of Windsor met Hitler at the Berghof on 22 October 1937. The object description associates this frame with that occasion, though this attribution is noted in the reference data as unverified.

Postwar Fates

During the denazification process, Gerdy Troost was classified as “less responsible” (Minderbelastete) by the Hauptspruchkammer and sentenced to a fine of 500 DM and a ten-year professional ban (Berufsverbot). At the end of this period she resumed work; she died in 2003 at the age of 98. The true extent of Frieda Thiersch's commissions for the Third Reich may never be known, since most of her works and records were destroyed in 1944. Today, such frames and associated items circulate in collectors' markets and auction houses, where they remain among the most sought-after artifacts of the period.