Germany, Wehrmacht. A War Merit Cross I Class with Swords and Case, by Wilhelm Deumer

(Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern und Etui). Constructed of silvered zink, consisting of a Maltese Cross with crossed swords piercing the centrepiece, the obverse with pebbled arms and a central wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse with a block hinge and banjo-style pinback meeting an atypical round wire catch, maker marked with Präsidialkanzlei code “3” for Wilhelm Deumer, Lüdenscheid, measuring 46.98 mm (w) x 46.50 mm (h), weighing 20.3 grams, accompanied by its period original presentation case, constructed of a light wooden frame with a faux black leather exterior liner, the lid bearing a silvered depiction of the award, the interior with a white rayon lid liner and intact hinge cover, with a slotted black felt medal bed, closing with a functional metal spring catch with exterior stud release, unmarked, measuring 68 mm (w) x 70 mm (l), with moderate loss of finish and minor oxidation evident to the decoration, in overall very fine condition.