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WWII leather flight jacket from the U.S. 23rd Bomb Squadron, estimated at $800-$1,200

Historic arms and militaria command attention at Bruneau, Sept. 29

Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Sheila Gibson Stoodley
WWII leather flight jacket from the U.S. 23rd Bomb Squadron, estimated at $800-$1,200
WWII leather flight jacket worn by a member of the U.S. 23rd Bomb Squadron, estimated at $800-$1,200

CRANSTON, R.I. – A World War II leather flight jacket from the U.S. 23rd Bomb Squadron, a worsted wool tunic worn by a brigadier general who was a commanding officer at the legendary Tuskegee Army Advanced Flying School, and a Polish pre-World War II VIS-35 Radom pistol are expected top lots in Bruneau & Co.’s Historic Arms & Militaria auction on Thursday, September 29. The online-only auction, beginning promptly at 6 pm Eastern time, contains 265 lots of historic objects from World Wars I and II and the modern era, including flags, uniforms, bayonets and an array of iconic arms of both World Wars. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

The World War II A-2 leather flight jacket from the U.S. 23rd Bomb Squadron features a 5th Bomb Group painted insignia on the left chest depicting a skeleton in a flight cap holding a bomb, and a banner marked “23RD BOMB./IN HOC SIGNO VINCES.” The jacket is shown in Jon A. Maguire’s book Art of the Flight Jacket: Classic Leather Flight Jackets of World War II (Schiffer Military/Aviation, 1995), and has an estimate of $800-$1,200.

Gen. Frederick Von H. Kimble's WWII summer-weight, worsted wool tunic, estimated at $300-$500
Gen. Frederick Von H. Kimble’s WWII summer-weight, worsted wool tunic, estimated at $300-$500

General Frederick Von H. Kimble’s summer-weight, worsted wool tunic has SMILO brigadier general stars on each epaulet, a U.S. insignia on the collar, a sterling Myers command pilot pin back wing on the left breast with a two piece sew-on WWI victory and American defense bars, marked on the inside right front “Vo. H: 7267. K”. The lot comes with a research folder on Kimble and is estimated at $300-$500.

Kimble (1895-1978) graduated from West Point on June 12, 1918. He became an infantry instructor at Camp Benning, Georgia, and in 1922 he entered the air service. He served in various commands until 1942, when he became the commanding officer of the Tuskegee Army Advanced Flying School in Alabama. He retired as a brigadier general in 1953. He is mentioned in the book Black Knights: The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen (Pelican, 2001).

Polish pre-World War II VIS-35 Radom pistol, estimated at $1,000-$1,500
Polish pre-World War II VIS-35 Radom pistol, estimated at $1,000-$1,500

The Polish pre-World War II VIS-35 Radom pistol, produced circa 1938, is a 9mm weapon, serial #11039, with black checkered Bakelite grips marked FB, a blued finish, marked on the left side of the slide with a Polish eagle and “F. B. RADOM/1938r/VIS-WZ 35/pat. Nr. 15567,” with a slotted back strap for a shoulder stock. Its estimate is $1,000-$1,500.

Canadian Ross M-10 straight pull rifle and bayonet, estimated at $400-$600
Canadian Ross M-10 straight pull rifle and bayonet, estimated at $400-$600

A circa-1916 Canadian Ross M-10 straight pull rifle and bayonet, .303 caliber, having a walnut stock with a round cartouche on the right side of the butt marked QUEBEC and also marked “III./3/1916/KZ”, with a blued finish, marked on the receiver ring “ROSS RIFLE CO./CANADA/M-10/PATENTED” with proof marks and a sharpened bayonet and scabbard, is estimated at $400-$600.

WWII Japanese flag with 2nd Marine Division insignia painted on red center, signed by 45 marines, estimated at $200-$400
WWII Japanese flag with 2nd Marine Division insignia painted on red center, signed by 45 marines, estimated at $200-$400

A cotton World War II Japanese flag with a Rising Sun graphic, with the 2nd Marine Division insignia painted on the red center and marked “U.S. MARINE CORPS/1st Battalion – 2nd Marines/Guadalcanal/Tulagi/Tarawa” and “Saipan/Tinian/Okinawa/Second Division,” signed on the white background by 45 marines with various duty stations and areas served in the South Pacific, has an estimate of $200-$400.

Finnish model 39 bayonet and scabbard, estimated at $200-$400

Finnish model 39 bayonet and scabbard, estimated at $200-$400

A Finnish model 39 bayonet and scabbard with walnut grips, a steel guard marked with an S, a steel blade marked on one side of the ricasso “SK.Y,” with maker’s mark on the other side, and a leather scabbard marked “SK.Y” with steel reinforcement, has an estimate of $200-$400.

German WWII Z.F.41 sniper scope, estimated at $300-$500
German WWII Z.F.41 sniper scope, estimated at $300-$500

Also up for bid will be a German WWII Z.F.41 sniper scope marked “Z.F.41” and “cxn/83084,” with a mount marked “6511/duv” (estimated at $300-$500); and a U.S. Johnson model 1941 bayonet and scabbard, having a Parkerized steel bayonet with lead in the cutout numbered “8827” and a leather scabbard (estimated at $200-$400).

U.S. Johnson model 1941 bayonet and scabbard, estimated at $200-$400
U.S. Johnson model 1941 bayonet and scabbard, estimated at $200-$400

To contact Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers about consigning a single piece or an entire collection, email info@bruneauandco.com or phone 401-533-9980. To learn more about Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers, please visit www.bruneauandco.com.

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