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Sale 24
Manuscript and Collectibles Auction
| Lot |
Photo |
Description |
Realized |
Lot 532 |
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(USS North Carolina). Elevation and Deck Plans for the battleship USS North Carolina, December 1941. Two massive sheets, 8 feet x 18 inch paper with schematic of the battleship with red "Approved Dec 1941" stamp on each sheet, Navy Yard, New York. "U.S.S. North Carolina BB-55, Corrected Working Plan Examined and Found Correct…2 Dec. 1941." With complete list of all fittings with corresponding number. Fine. Also present is the scheme for the "Maine & Half decks Compartment & Access and Deck Supports…Finished Plan Taken From Work examined and Found Correct…21 Aug 1941." Fine. Plus a soft-cover book entitled USS North Carolina (BB55), 32pp, 10½ x 8 inches, Leeward Publications / Ship's Data 1, 1973. Illustrated throughout. Commissioned April 9, 1941, five years after her authorization, the battleship was in New York when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7. Her training was accelerated and she sailed out of Norfolk on June 5, 1942, spending 40 months in the combat zone and, according to "Tokyo Rose," was sunk six different times. She was involved in the landings on Guadalcanal and Tulagi, the battle of the Eastern Solomons, the invasion of the Gilbert Islands, Tarawa, and Making, the invasion of the Marshall Islands, Kwajalein, Majuro, Roi and Namur; task force strikes on Truk, Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Palau, Yap, Ulithi, Woleai, Satawan, and Ponape; landings on Western New Guinea, Aitape, Tnaahmeral Bay, and Humboldt Bay; the invasion of the Marianas Islands, Saipan, Guam and Tinian; and the battle of the Philippine Sea. She is now a ship's museum at Wilmington, NC. A very nice naval collection.
Estimated Value $500 - 750.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$345 |
Lot 533 |
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Spy Stuff -- Low Tech-style! United States, World War II Period. Forget James Bond, this is how it used to be done! This display contains the mundane, everyday "devices" employed by agents to confirm one another's identities.
Six decades ago America was fighting the Axis Powers ("Evil Empires"). Security and surveillance were in the hands of the War Department and the OSS, with the FBI providing an important adjunct. Many agents worked on the same operations yet never knew, or even met each other before their assignments. Special codes were developed, along with simple, non-attention attracting "devices" so that agents could confirm the identities of the other agents, or to check if operations might have suffered any compromise.
"Confirmation Coins" were issued to deep cover agents so they could recognize, with a degree of certainty, each other upon the need to make contact. Thirteen silver dollars were issued to key military intelligence agents involved in "Operation Golden Gopher" right here in Southern California. A particular Nazi spy ring was obtaining classified information from the Lockheed plant in Burbank. Agents infiltrated this ring, and the coins were part of a simple two-question protocol to confirm the identity and status of the operation, even under the watchful eyes of the "prey" or potential "captor." For example, if one agent asked the other if he had change he could borrow, and he replied that he only has small change, that ment there was a problem. The smaller the change, the bigger the probable. However, if his reply was, "I have an old U.S. silver dollar." That meant that from the other agent's perspective everything was ok.
The lot is comprised of three silver dollars the consignor purchased from the estate of an agent involved locally in these war time operations. A notarized affidavit to that effect is attached to the nicely framed display, along with two subsidiary accoutrements (recent) included as "period flavor" to the dollars. Framed size: 18" x 14".
Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,250.
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| Unsold |
Lot 534 |
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Korean War Safe Conduct Pass. Paper pass, 3¾ x 5¼ in., issued by "The Chinese People's Volunteer Forces" and probably dropped on U.N. forces in Korea, the pass guarantees that if the soldier puts down his weapon and says "Tow Shong" (Chinese for "surrender"), he "will be escorted to the rear--to safety…get medical treatment…and…get home in one piece." Text on the back says, "No one believes this bunk about a 'United Nations' war. How many British, French and other troops are here? Just enough to make propaganda about. It's an American show and you are the sacrifice…." Light soiling and a little ragged around the edges.
Estimated Value $50 - 75.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$58 |
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