Deutsche Reichsbahn Large Oval Serving Tray from Adolf Hitler’s Executive Dining Wagon 10 ‘242’
A quite Superb Large oval serving tray, made from German heavy silver plate ‘Alpaka’ produced by Bruckmann for the Deutsche Reichsbahn Sonderzugs.
The tray carries designation marks for Adolf Hitler’s Fuhurersonderzug ‘Amerika’, and in particular carriage number ‘242’ which was Hitler’s Executive dining wagon from 1937 to 1940.
The tray is accentuated with a raised rounded band edge to the obverse and features a spectacular and finely detailed Deutsche Reichsbahn Eagle with wreathed Swastika straddled by the letters D and R all in relief to the center top rim. To the reverse is found the stamped Bruckmann ‘train’ makers mark, followed by ’ALPAKA’ indicating heavy silver plate, and then the impressed number ‘242’ indicating the wagon number.
The outstanding highlight of this tray is the huge Deutsche Reichsbahn Eagle and Swastika motif, which is a whopping 2, 1/2 inches by 1, 1/2 inches (6.4cm x 3.8cm), much larger than the standard motif found on ‘normal’ train wagons, like Göring’s.
This tray also contains a higher content of ‘silver plate’ weighing almost an extra 150g more than ‘normal’ trays.
The ‘242’ tableware was relocated to its replacement cars, ‘244’ and ‘245’ in 1940, this magnificent piece would have continued in service untill the end of the war, and would have been utilised in the presence of Hitler whenever he was on board his train.
Interestingly, these trays are referenced in Traudl Junge’s book ‘Hitler’s Last Secretary‘, She described “a small table had been laid for about six people in the Fuhrer’s saloon car. We were all standing in what little space the table left free. It was quite cramped, and the staff had to push their way past behind the chairs. It was all simple and casual. The orderlies and Linge (Hitler’s Valet) immediately brought in trays of dishes and platters. Linge served the Fuhrer creamed potatoes and fried eggs and put a glass of Fachinger mineral water by his plate. Hitler ate crisp-bread with his meal” (Text courtesy of James A. Yannes, from his book,’The Trains of Hitler, Göring et al‘).
Please check out our gallery photographs for this piece, we have included some actual images of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, along with their respective entourage, on the platform outside wagon number ’10 242’, it is quite extraordinary, or maybe creepy, to know that the tray we present here was on that train wagon at that time.
Without doubt this is one of those ‘If it could talk‘ pieces!
