Gentlemen,

This Eva Braun "Sweetheart Bracelet" is on ebay until May 17, 2008. The buy it now price is $2,500 and the seller says it's worth $3,500!

It was made in USA by DF Briggs Co. Guessing from the dates on the bracelet and the cardboard box I believe it was manufactured between 1907 - 1922. The swastika on the locket's face is most likely a good luck symbol instead of the Third Reich's symbol.

In addition, the seller says he got this from his grandfather who purchased it from someone at Pearl Harbor where the grandfather worked (presumably during WWII). Who knows? Maybe this did belong to Eva Braun, but I can't imagine Hitler buying this bracelet from an American jewelry maker and giving it to her. I doubt that it's really gold and there are no precious stones. It even came in a cardboard box - now that's quality fit for the Fuhrer's first lady

The seller's photos are fuzzy, but you can see similar bracelets from DF Briggs, with better photos, selling for about $50 on the internet.

Caveat emptor.

UPDATE -

The seller of the "Eva Braun Sweetheart Bracelet" has reduced the buy it now price to $1,500. Since he persists on selling it as such, I thought I should persist on debunking it.

Despite what the seller claims in his sales hyperbole, there is no evidence that this bracelet belonged to Eva Braun. Furthermore, it is a myth that Eva Braun owned as many as four of these bracelets.

You have to understand that this bracelet was made in the early 1900's by an American firm at a time when the swastika was known as an ancient good luck symbol and not as a symbol affiliated with the Third Reich. That American firm, DF Briggs, was in the business of making "sweetheart braclets", like the one currently on ebay. They made hundreds of these bracelets in differing designs. Today, you can easily find these for sale at prices between $50 and $100. The swastika bracelets are rarer, because many people understandably got rid of theirs due to the latter association with the Third Reich.

Somehow, this swastika sweetheart bracelet became associated with Eva Braun. In addition to the bracelet now on ebay, I have seen 2 similar bracelets owned by Eva Braun previously for sale on ebay. It could be that these 3 sellers got the association from Charles Snyder's book "TREASURE TROVE: The Looting of the Third Reich."

I do not own a copy of Snyder's book, nor have I seen any documentation about the swastika bracelet in his book, which he claims to be from Eva Braun. Therefore, I can not say anything about it. Though it would be interesting to me to research this particular bracelet more.

Collecting personal items alleged to be owned by Eva Braun, Hitler, Göring and other Third Reich personalities is a specialized field. As a collector you must really do your homework and use your common sense. There are only a few books on the subject such as Thomas Johnson's "WWII German War Booty" series and Mark Griffith's "COLLECTORS GUIDE TO LIBERATED ADOLF HITLER MEMORABILIA." You can supplement these by buying old auction catalogs that feature personality items. Also, buy from reputable dealers with solid guarantees. Otherwise, you might end up with some worthless "Eva Braun" undergarments or other dubious items.

If you still want to buy that Eva Braun swastika bracelet on ebay, then go ahead, but I wouldn't offer more than $100 for it. Caveat Emptor!

I think $100 would be overly generous for that item. I agree with your assessment of that thing.

Mark

If anybody believes that fable.. I have a pair of her pantyhose for sale !!!!

I have a pair of her drawers,but they dont fit!!! Found in a junk shop in London where she pawned them??
Seiler (Yank in UK)

Mark, Lou and Seiler,

When I vent about this dubious stuff, I know that it's like preaching to the choir when it concerns experienced collectors like you. I always hope that by exposing this stuff that I will have prevented inexperienced collectors from wasting their money.

Oh you are I,m sure.Dont stop.
We I think in our own flippant way are
doing/saying the same "BEWARE"
Cheers
Seiler (Yank in UK)

Yep, I get a kick out of seeing stuff like that with the claim's like "my grandfather cornered Himmler and got this (item) in trade for letting him go". I pity the poor souls who have no clue and actually believe things like that are real.

Sad but yet also humorous in a strange way.

Mark

Good work there Carinhall!

I just got done on a part of a little project I've been working on and just recently sold off most of my research material other wise I'd have the line drawing advertisement to show,,,BUT, that exact bracelet can be found in some of the larger merchadise catalogs of the early 1920s and 1930s. I've seen it in an old Sears and a Montgomery Wards.....

Carinhall

Don't stop pointing out this kind of stuff....The hobby needs it...

One thing I liked about eBay before they banned nazi stuff were the stories that were posted with the items.

I think the minimum story was "took it off a dead German" when the truth, if was know should have been "Won it in a crap game".

The best story was about an artificially distressed fake chained SS dagger. The owner escaped to the Argentine by submarine and the widow joined him after the war. Then the guy passed on and the widow moved to the US and had to sell sell the dagger. It was rusted by the salt air on the submarine trip !

Anyone remember that guy selling contents of several trunks belonging to a General with different uniforms and daggers, along with a story for each ?

Dave

Wasn't he from Hawaii....Do Ho-Ho or something like that.....he was a hoot !!!!

Lou,

You are right. I remember the ingenious explanations about the varying daggers and uniforms. What a laugh.

FYI - Tomorrow is the 7th Anniversary of eBay banning Nazi stuff.

Dave

Gaspare,

Thanks for the catalog source info. Yeah, I can see it now, Hitler ordering Eva's bracelet from a Sears catalog

*********************************************

Dave,

7 years later and I still don't understand the ban

Here are the two photos from the ebay auction, just in case the link above becomes dead with the new forum changes.

Photo #2 Bracelet with box

UPDATE -

The "Eva Braun Sweetheart Bracelet" sold!!!!!!!!

For $1,500 !!!!!!!!!!!!!

To ebay member exmalia999 in Sweden.

Anybody who knows the buyer should tip him off.

Ouch.
There IS one born every day!
Seiler (Yank in UK)

That is so sad to hear. I feel sorry for the poor fellow.

One bjorn every minute !

If anybody has nothing better to do have a look at the buyer's feedback and the apparent manic purchasing pattern.