An art deco style wood and plaster presentation desk piece depicting LZ127 Graf Zeppelin airship flying through a circle inscribed +U.S.A. + FRANCE + GERMANY + RUSSIA + IBERIA + JAPAN + U.S. OF AMERICA

Details

An art deco style wood and plaster presentation desk piece depicting LZ127 Graf Zeppelin airship flying through a circle inscribed +U.S.A. + FRANCE + GERMANY + RUSSIA + IBERIA + JAPAN + U.S. OF AMERICA
the rim decorated with the Eiffel Tower, rocks, buildings, a bear, the sun and St.Basil's Cathedral, the base, of round form with panel inscribed Presented to the Tidewater Oil Company by Dr Hugo Eckner in appreciation of assistance and cooperation during the Round the World Flight of the Graf Zeppelin 1929, finished in 'gilt' (some old damages and repairs) -- 20in. (51cm.) high; and a folio of copies of documents relating to Vezdol oil.
See Illustration

Provenance

Dr.Hugo Eckner to A. Ernst and thence by descent.

Lot Essay

The Tide Water Oil Coy supplied Vezdol lubricating oil for the engines of the Graf Zeppelin during the Round the World Flight in 1935. The contract was negotiated by Alfred Ernst, to whom this presentation piece was given.

Hugo Eckner (1868-1954) was a friend of Count Zeppelin, becoming a director of his airship company in 1911. In 1924 he piloted the ZR3 (later Los Angeles) from Friedrichshaven to Lakehurst, New Jersey, on the first direct flight from Europe to America across the Atlantic. He built the Graf Zeppelin in 1929 in which he circumnavigated the world, amongst many other notable flights.

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