German Soldier’s Souvenir Wallet?

[SDIceMan]

I had kind of a neat find the other day at a yard sale. I fished this old wallet out of a box of miscellaneous. One side has an image of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, and the other side has...a Nazi helmet! I can’t figure out exactly what this wallet is all about? A WWII German soldier’s wallet? Does the metal helmet have any meaning as an insignia? I believe the helmet has been attached to the wallet for years, because there is wear to the wallet’s interior from whatever mechanism secures the helmet to the wallet. If anyone has any thoughts I’d love to hear them. Thanks!

[GregK]

It is exactly as you describe it. A souvenir wallet. Likely picked up while in Paris. The helmet emblem is a fairly typical emblem that was attached to commercially sold photo albums of the period. Every branch on the Wehrmacht had them available. This particular emblem would have been for Army or Navy as they shared the same design.

[SDIceMan]

Thank you GregK. I appreciate the confirmation that I was on the right track.

[Professor of Engineering]

Very interesting piece!

[Honest Samuel]

What was the price?

[SDIceMan]

What was the price?

It was my favorite kind of sale, the kind where you make a pile and the seller gives you a bundle price for everything. I had maybe a dozen things in my pile, and the seller actually asked me “How does $20 sound, or is that too much?” Lol I have to admit, that kind of took me by surprise, and I didn’t beat them up on the price. I just paid my $20, which I thought was more than fair.

[diggummup]

Nice find. I have a slightly different WW2 era German souvenir wallet. It has a Luftwaffe cap eagle on it.

[SDIceMan]

Nice find. I have a slightly different WW2 era German souvenir wallet.

Thanks Dig. I really like the fact that yours has actual insignia on it. Not only does the historical significance seem greater in that I can picture the airman securing his cap eagle to the wallet, but it would probably command a higher selling price as well.

[SDIceMan]

Here are a couple more finds from the same sale. I really like this “Keep ‘Em Sailing” lapel pin. I found a similar “Keep ‘Em Flying” pin online, but I can’t find another one exactly like this one. It is unmarked on the reverse.

This cap badge has me stumped. It is matte black and unmarked on the reverse. Do the initials mean anything to anyone?

[diggummup]

Found the pin that sold in 2013... https://www.ebay.com/itm/WWI-Navy-Ba...p2047675.l2557


Offhand, the initials aren't familiar on the hat badge. Probably a Military school or something. What markings are on the back? That would at least help date it. Everything else has been WW2 era so far.

[SDIceMan]

Thanks for finding that pin, Dig. You truly do have a black belt in internet research. I’ve always thought I was pretty savvy doing research, but when I am stumped, it rarely fails that you or another forum member come through with flying colors.

Regarding the hat badge, it is unmarked on the reverse. It is stamped out of a really thin, brassy toned metal under the black paint, The whole backside is essentially a mirror image of the front of the badge.