Description
Here’s a rare Reich Chancellery serving dish. The dish is untouched and the patina shows it. It is roll stamped with the party eagle clutching an oak wreath with a swastika. The “R” and “K” flank the sides of the wreath. The bottom is stamped Wellner 53 and is of the quality you would expect from Wellner. It measures 18 1/2″ from handle to handle, 9 1/2″ wide by 2 1/4″ deep. Reich Chancellery silverware is much rarer than the Adolf Hitler pieces you come across. I personally prefer the patina, but this particular piece would clean up very nicely if you so desire.
The Reich Chancellery was extremely significant. It was Hitler’s official residence, office and bunker; from here he planned the war and here it ended with his death.
Any Chancellery item is extremely rare because the complex was badly damaged during the Battle of Berlin in April 1945. It was almost destroyed. Only walls remained, riddled by countless shrapnel, yawning by big shot-holes from shells. Ceilings survived only partially. The last defense took place inside the Chancellery. After World War II ended, the remains were demolished by orders of the Soviet occupation forces. I would imagine the veteran who brought this item home had to barter with the Russians to obtain it.
