Baldwin & Sons
Auction 90 24 September 2014
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COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS, WORLD MEDALS, Medals of the Axis, Germany, Germany, Rittmeister Manfred Albrecht von Richthofen (1892-1918), The Red Baron, Bronze Memorial Medal, 1918, by Elisabeth [Erzsébet] von Esseö (1883-1954), signed with monogram on reverse, a naked angel with halo of stars, his arms and wings spread, rev legend in six lines, IN MEMORIAM RITTMEISTER MANFR FREIH V RICHTOFEN MGEFALLEN AD MDCCCCXVIII, 82mm (Jones, Dance of Death, fig 34). Very fine and rare.
von Richthofen had transferred from the cavalry to the Imperial German Army Air Service in 1915, soon quickly distinguishing himself as a fighter pilot. At the time of his death, shot down (in circumstances of continuing controversy) over British lines on the Western Front on 21 April 1918, he was officially credited with 80 "kills". It has been suggested that Esseö actually depicts von Richthofen as the angel-like winged figure, half man, half spirit, his head surrounded by stars - a mixture of Classical and Christian imagery.
Estimate: £300-500
von Richthofen had transferred from the cavalry to the Imperial German Army Air Service in 1915, soon quickly distinguishing himself as a fighter pilot. At the time of his death, shot down (in circumstances of continuing controversy) over British lines on the Western Front on 21 April 1918, he was officially credited with 80 "kills". It has been suggested that Esseö actually depicts von Richthofen as the angel-like winged figure, half man, half spirit, his head surrounded by stars - a mixture of Classical and Christian imagery.
Estimate: £300-500