(SS Fotos). An extensive lot of private photographs and mementos from the estate of SS-Hauptsturmführer Ernst Zaske, an early SS member (#1338) on the staff of the Reichsführer-SS and a recipient of the NSDAP Golden Party Badge. The group consists of:
1. A mixed lot of 18 loose private photographs, many showing SS and NSDAP personnel in uniform (including one shot of Zaske wearing the Golden Party Badge), with press photos of NSDAP officials at events, most notable among the private photographs is a studio portrait of SS-Standartenführer Johann Maier, depicted in an early uniform with an SS kepi and medal bar featuring decorations for First World War and Freikorps service, with the reverse bearing a handwritten dedication from Maier reading “MEINEN TREUEN MITARBEITER, EIN KLEINES ANDENKEN, WEIHNACHTEN 1932, HH!” (“MY LOYAL COLLEAGUES, A LITTLE MOMENTO, CHRISTMAS 1932, HH!”), featuring a stamp from 1st SS-Standarte, a fascinating compilation of NSDAP and SS imagery in overall extremely fine condition.
2. A large portrait depicting Untersturmführer Willi Neif, depicted in an early SS uniform with kepi and bearing a signed dedication for Christmas 1933 at the lower left corner, situated within an intact glass face which doubles as a frame with leatherette-style tape, the reverse retaining an intact card stock liner featuring a handwritten dedicated for a 42nd birthday on 19 January 1934, closing with a number of unidentified signatures, measuring 25.5 cm (w) x 31.5 cm (h), demonstrating minor deterioration to the leatherette reinforcement, in near extremely fine condition.
3. A group of eight postcards, all featuring reverse handwritten dedications to the Zaske family and relations, in overall extremely fine condition.
4. A scrapbook compiled by Zaske’s wife Betty, constructed of a card stock binding with beige paper stock interior pages pasted with postcards and flower samples (notably from the family’s time at Obersalzberg in 1934), importantly featuring an AH postcard displaying the Führer’s handwritten signature which Betty obtained in person, followed by postcard sent from her husband during his time in captivity as a prisoner of war (POW), measuring 14 cm (w) x 19.5 cm (h), with some age-appropriate material fatigue evident, a personalized and historically-significant compilation in near extremely fine condition.