10 most expensive sold artifacts of World War II

Military antiques are always in demand among collectors. Artifacts of the Second World War in this sense is the best example.

Awards, weapons, personal belongings and documents of famous people: only be sold or purchased at various auction sites. After all, every year the prices for such items keep coming and coming up. Fortunately, the Soviet awards famous generals and heroes of the war on the western auction - an extremely rare guests, because to take them legally abroad is very difficult, let alone to be auctioned is almost impossible due to legal restrictions. Therefore, they do not exist in a given material.

Below shows the 10 most expensive auction lots, which are directly related to the events of 1939-1945.

The Fighter Hawker Hurricane

Cost: $ 2, 1 million - $ 2, 6 million

Major military equipment - an infrequent visitor to the auction: firstly, the bulk of the surviving tanks and aircraft at the disposal of museums; Second, potential buyers scared off the difficulties associated with the transportation and storage of purchased lots. Whatever it was, Bonhams expects to sell more than $ 2 million British single-seat fighter Hawker Hurricane 1942 release. Equipped with 12 machine-guns, the aircraft belonged to the Royal Canadian Air Force and, apparently, was patrolling the East Coast, where there was activity of enemy submarines. Now Hawker Hurricane is fully operational, and as a bonus attached to it permission to fly.

Edward Kenna Martial awards

Price: $ 990 000

In 2011, with a hammer left set of medals and decorations Private Edward Kenna - Australian origin. Buyer to be discreet, but to all who have followed the auction, it was obvious that it tends to take hold in the first Victoria Cross - Britain's most prestigious military award, which is awarded for outstanding heroism on the battlefield. At the Victoria Cross auction is extremely rare: usually it is either stored as a family heirloom, or sent to the museum. However, the descendants of Edward Kenna ordered inheritance otherwise. His Victoria Cross Kenna received for being in Papua in May 1945 - New Guinea under heavy fire alone attacked the enemy bunker and destroyed the calculation of the Japanese gunners.

Writing Hitler device

Price: $ 423,000

Whatever repulsive nor was Hitler the person is willing to purchase a lot of items belonging to him. Great interest among collectors caused the Fuhrer's desk set for sale by auction house Alexander Autographs. It consisted of a massive bronze pedestal decorated with the emblem of the Third Reich, the two inkwells and paperweights. The artifact has been taken out of the US Army Lieutenant Jack Makkonen from Hitler's residence at the end of the war. Many years later, a man saw a television documentary footage of the signing of the Munich Agreement of 1938 on the partition of Czechoslovakia. Recorded McCone saw a war trophy. Only then veteran realized that his hand was a very expensive item.

Letters of Anne Frank

Price: $ 328,000 ($ 165,000 net of inflation)

Although the number of victims of the Nazi regime in the millions, the symbol of their suffering serves traditional figure of Anne Frank: the fate of individual children embodied the tragedy of all humanity. Today it seems sacrilegious even the idea that objects connected with the girls personality, may be involved in commodity-money relations. Nevertheless, in 1988, we put on sale two letters and a postcard sent by Frank sisters his American girlfriend during the war. Rose serious hype: in the auction, among others, attended the actress Whoopi Goldberg - though the owner of the treasured letters she did not. Acquired their people wished to remain anonymous; valuable item he gave Simon Wiesenthal Center.

cipher machine "Enigma"

Price: $ 208,137 (£ 133,250)

The first samples of cipher machine "Enigma" went on sale in 1920, but is widely used for military needs this device had already begun during the Second World War. Most of the time, issued by the "Enigma" was at the disposal of the Third Reich. Although the probability of crack the code is equal to more than 150 000 000 000 000 000 000 by one, the British code-breakers still found the approach to this bastion of secrecy. After the fall of the Nazi regime soldiers defeated the armies began to export large quantities of "Enigma" from Germany, and now buy rare cipher machine does not take much. The one that was sold at Christie's in 2011, the weight of the added fact of participating in the filming of "Enigma", which he wrote the screenplay for Tom Stoppard.

Set-winning Robert Dennis Gay

Price: $ 71,289 (£ 45,000)

The name of the British Army Sergeant Robert Dennis Gay known only in narrow circles, although his feat, certainly deserves to go down in history. In September 1944, within the framework of the Dutch Gay operation was in Arnhem, where he soon began a fierce battle between the forces of the Allies and the Nazis. In the next attack the road 156 Battalion of the 4th Parachute Regiment blocked the enemy tank. Do not hesitate a second, Gay rushed to intercept him, to take the fire itself and to save his comrades. He miraculously survived - though seriously wounded in the leg. Subsequently, Gaye was in a POW camp, where courting contused soldiers. In 2011, at Sotheby's earned them awards were bought by a private collector.

Helmet American paratroopers

Price: $ 68,621 (€ 46,000)

The greatest demand at the auctions often are items related to specific historical personalities: for snuffbox Churchill or Hitler paperweight collectors are willing to pay much more than the shape of the unknown soldier. However, any rule there are exceptions: in 2009 with a hammer left helmet American paratroopers, whose identity has not been established. Labeling has learned that he belonged to the 502 Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. This unit of US troops known participation in the Normandy operation. There, in Normandy, in the town of Sainte-Mère-Église in 1960 and the helmet was found. Bidding for him began with a modest level of € 3500, which eventually turned out to be exceeded by 13 times.

Peter White Archive

Price: $ 59,790 (£ 30,000)

A great help in the study of World War II, historians are eyewitnesses diaries. They are valued by collectors and in June 2007 at Christie's auction for nearly $ 60,000 was sold Archive Peter White, includes several thick notebooks where young American infantryman meticulously described his misadventures from January 1938 to August 1944. White was not only a brave warrior, but also a talented artist: his observations, he was accompanied by illustrations. More than 730 sketches made with ink, pencil, and sometimes even the colors are considered to be the most important part of the archive. The lieutenant tried to sketch literally everything that surrounds him, beginning with the enemy aircraft devices and finishing details of a soldier's life in the trenches.

Letter from Dwight Eisenhower,

Price: $ 38,837, 50

Dwight Eisenhower was one of the key figures of the American command in World War II. At first, he took the strategic decision in the army headquarters and then went to the front, where the supreme commander led the Allied forces in North Africa, the Mediterranean, Normandy. The authority of the future president was huge. Not surprisingly, the letter sent to them June 13, 1945 to General Hoyt Vandenberg US Air Force, appointed a high price. Any confidential information it contains: Eisenhower lush expressions pays tribute to the achievements of the American army and shares the joy over the fact that Europe is finally liberated from the Nazi yoke, which is completely "contrary to democratic ideals."

Logbook Douglas Bader

Price: $ 37,300 (£ 23,500)

If Russian children are raised on stories of the heroism of Alexei Maresiev, then for the British synonym for "heroism" is the name of Douglas Bader. The pilot of the Royal Air Force in the early 30's had an accident and lost both legs. After passing a series of medical tests, Bader was restored in the service and participated in World War II on par with healthy pilots. He knocked over two dozen German aircraft and was instrumental in the outcome of the Dunkirk evacuation. Even he was captured by the enemy, Bader did not lose courage, and after several years of imprisonment back home alive. Any item that is held in the hands of this outstanding military leader, is among the British with awe and highly prized by collectors.