This is a very large colourized book, titled “Die Deutsche Marine - Vom Dritten Jahrhundert bis zum Dritten Reich/The German Navy - From the Third Century to the Third Reich”. The first eight pages, presumably the introduction to the book, are missing. Notably, there is a handwritten note on the first page, reading “As … (indecipherable) to the Allies confiscated by … (indecipherable) of Echenford Germany, 406 Equipment Squadron R.C.A.F, 1946, March 28. Echenford (Eckernförde in German) is 14 miles north of Kiel, 80 miles from Hamburg, 17 miles south of the Danish border, and … (indecipherable) miles south of Schleswig in Schleswig-Holstein Province, Germany. Presented to Ted Lenard, 1957, with good luck. The signature is indecipherable. With a translation of the first page (page 10) on a sheet of paper between the 10th and 11th page. It is a first edition, published in 1934, with 80 illustrations in colour, painted by Alexander Kircher, of numerous recognizable ships. The book is written in Fraktur letters, also known as Gothic script, and gives an account of the beginnings of German seafaring, Viking ships of the middle ages, and the development of modern navies, culminating in the Imperial of the First war and the rearmament of the fleet in the 1920’s. The exterior is constructed of cardstock, with blue canvassing and golden embossing on the outside cover. With 138 pages, measuring 400 mm x 300 mm, in near extremely fine condition with some minor scuffing and light fading on the exterior from age.
Footnote: Alexander Kircher (1867–1939) was an Austrian-German painter, specialising in marine and landscape paintings. Initially he tried to pursue a career in the Austro-Hungarian Navy, however he was rejected due to a foot injury. Kircher then moved to Berlin in 1888 to study painting at the academy. His study trips led him all across Europe, to Asia, North America, and Egypt. He proceeded to work as an illustrator for several magazines and institutions, among them the German Navy League and the Austrian Red Cross. In 1895, Kircher became a professor at the Art Academy in Trieste, his city of birth, a position he would hold until 1900. His patrons included Emperor Franz Joseph I. of Austria and German Emperor Wilhelm II. In 1909, Kircher received the Spanish Order of Isabella the Catholic, a decoration awarded for services to the arts and science. The pictures in “Die Deutsche Marine” were his final major series, originally consisting of 100 pieces, presented in the Institute and Museum of Oceanography of the University of Berlin. Their current whereabouts are unknown.(C: 45)