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Third Reich tableware

Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2014 7:46 am
by DianaGaleM
I'm a collector of vintage WMF German tableware, so I sometimes run into items claiming to be 3rd Reich. I fully realize most 3rd Reich tableware on the market is fraudulent and, as I'm not a 3rd Reich collector, per se, I usually give such items a wide birth. Still, I'm curious from an historical perspective which, if any, WMF patterns/pieces could legitimately have been produced for 3rd Reich individuals or organizations. So...

I'm wondering what is your opinion of the book by James A. Yannes (2011), The Collector's Guide to 3rd Reich Tableware (Monograms, Logos, Maker Marks plus History).

I've only just scanned the book, but one thing is immediately evident: the work is not "scholarly." However, to the author's credit, he doesn't claim to be an "expert," even describing himself as a "rank amateur." I agree. He seems to have simply gathered up everything he could find and, uncritically, published a compilation.

I guess my question is, is anything in the book reliable? Or, conversely, are there any reliable references as to just what makers and patterns have been legitimately attributed to the Third Reich?