December 10, 2019 Edged Weapon, Armor & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2019
A large framed sheet of heavy paper measuring 12" X 22-3/4" on which are attached to following: a printed note reading "Here's a Real Souvenir. The piece of flag shown here is a part of the white flag of truce, attached to the automobile which carried the German delegate Count von Winterfield across the Allied lines on November 8. It is now the property of First Lt William E. Bown, of Groupe Robinson. Lt. Bown obtained it at La Capelle, the first town in the allied lines at which the German peace delegates stopped. Lt Bown is seen in the picture below standing in front of the German automobile with the chauffers who drove the delegates through the lines. The picture was taken on November 11, when Lt. Bown was in La Capelle with a convoy"; Printed photographs of the complete flag and Lt Bown; The white cotton piece of the flag measures approximately 2" X 3"; Printed on the large sheet of paper "A Piece of the Original German Armistice Flag, This interesting souvenir was presented to Mr. F.E. Lee by Lieutenant W. E. Bown, A.E.F., who was at the point in the lines through which the German ambassadors came to attend the armistice negotiations. Its peculiar value lies in the fact that it is a piece of the original flag which heralded the first time in the history of the German nation a plea for mercy, and presaged the ending of the greatest war the world has ever known. Lieutenant Bown's letter follows"; Attached is Lieutenant Bown's two page inked letter which reads in part "Their cars which were four Benz and Mercedes, all wonderful equipped cars, each one with a large white truce flag - firing was stopped the point from 2 pm until 12 o clock midnight to assure their safe arrival and return if necessary. I am enclosing a piece of the armistice flag which I took from one of the cars as a souvenir. I consider this piece of white cloth signifies the first time the Germans have ever asked for mercy". CONDITION: Both of letters pages are stained, one is fragmented. The remainder in very good condition.
Condition: (Good - Very Good).