Reichswehr hip flask

[cowseatmaize]

Hi everyone, I was thinking of listing a hip flask I have on ebay. I was wondering about the category though. It's marked "Reichswehr" on the front. and "reg. US. Pat. Off." on the back (all caps). Great design all over and still a lot of whatever it is in it.
According to this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichswehr ...The Reichswehr (literally National Defense or Imperial Defense) formed the military organization of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when the government rebranded it as the Wehrmacht (Defence Force).
I'm thinking it may do better somewhere in Militaria but where. WWI, WWII or just stick with a newer generic 1919-38. Maybe somewhere else all togetther? I'm just not sure it would do well under bottles.
Anyone know more about the production of German goods that would have a US patent at that time? I'd appreciate any input.

 

[bearswede]

Hey Eric...

My net searching proved fruitless... Might it be possible that the U.S. was selling liquor to Germany during our own Prohibition Era...? Couldn't find any documentation on that with a cursory sweep, but it might make sense...


Ron

 

[cowseatmaize]

Oh great, I forgot all about the old 18th and 21st. Now I'm stuck with about a 2 year period or your export idea (very interesting concept). I don't think we accomplished much bombing of factories during WWI so I have a doubt that Germany had to import just the glass... unless there were restrictions against the production of anything after the war that related to the military (Reichswehr).
Thanks for something for me to work on Ron, maybe I'll just keep it.
Love that research!

 

[bearswede]

After some more digging, it appears the Volstead Act prohibited all alcoholic beverage production, altho pre-1920 stocks could still be legally sold... If this bottle contained U.S. manufactured liquor, it could date from 1918 to 1920, or 1933 to 1935 perhaps... The latter probably more likely, especially since the U.S. would want to kick-start that long dormant part of the economy...


Ron

 

[capsoda]

Hey Eric, Those are Imperial markings so it is probably from the early 1920s to about 1933-35. There was an imperalist group in America that were called the Pucnt { I'm not sure what the word means} and changed to the Deutschland/Americanish Bund which means German/American Federation and which was changed in 1940 to the German/American Union. Bund meaning federation or union. {Nazzi's}

They were shut down in 1941 but many had already been called to Germany to join elite military organizations.

It is very likely that the bottle was made for the Punct since they were really into symbolism.