*German, 1936, Presentation Motorsport Box, Named to Wolfgang Raeder — with 1935 Night-Orientation Rally Badge*
German inter-war motorsport presentation box with 1935 Night-Orientation Rally badge; engraved “Wolfgang Raeder 1936.” English-made hardware (William Tonks & Sons).
A substantial oak presentation/storage box, approx. 45.3 × 24 × 12.5 cm, plain interior, brass/bronze fittings. The lid carries a cast light-metal rally plaque for a “1. NACHT-ORIENTIERUNGSFAHRT DER FLAR-RFL. LAMU NWZ 26.4.1935” meaning “1st Night Orientation Race of the Motor Sport Club, April 26, 1935”and an engraved plate “Wolfgang Raeder 1936.” The lock bed is stamped “ENGLISH MAKE – SECURE LEVER.” The clasp component is stamped WT&S beneath a sunburst, the trademark of William Tonks & Sons, Birmingham, a major British hardware maker active into the 1930s.
Historical note:
“Orientierungsfahrt/Nacht-Orientierungsfahrt” plaques were common mid-1930s German club rally awards (often ADAC/NSKK-aligned), typically cast in light metal and drilled for mounting to boards, boxes or cars.
The plate reads “Wolfgang Raeder 1936.” The surname naturally invites speculation about a possible connection to Großadmiral Erich Raeder, though no direct documentary link has yet been established.
*Condition*
The oak remains structurally sound with dovetail joints firm, the surface showing attractive age wear and patina. The clasp is complete and functional, with mellowed brass tone. On either side of the clasp there are rectangular recesses where small fittings or escutcheons appear to have been removed, leaving some wear and loss around the openings. The interior is plain and clean. A minor split and section of wood loss is visible along the inner hinge line, but hinges remain tight. Overall, the box presents well as an evocative period piece, its imperfections lending to its authenticity and sense of use. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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