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Lot 3381      

Estimate $2,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $4,900

S.M.S. Emden: An extraordinary selection of items housed in a large wooden box originally the possession of Karl Muller, Bootsmann (literally Boats man) - Deckoffiziere of S.M.S. Emden. It includes his original register of personnel, written into a black 60+ page note book, it being a log of all the crew who are named with numbers and their appropriate area location or watch; eg. I & II Division, Luschlag, Roll and positions on deck, Technical persons with watches. In this book are the names of members of Emden crew placed on various captured ships including 'Princess Alice', 'Ponteporos', 'Lovat', 'Buresk' and 'Exford' (all suitably noted) with place and date of birth of every member. The lot also includes five original photos of officers of the S.M.S. Emden taken as group photos on deck of the Emden, another photo of departure from Kiel and two postcards one unused with the Kaiser on deck of S.M.S. Sleipner in Sognefjord as well as posted postcard from Kiel to K. Muller addressed as on board S.S. Patrizia, Berlin dated 28.4.1914 and commencing as 'My Dear Friend Karl'. The lot includes his dirk (small sword) with ornately carved sheath with two suspender clips and the original holders with metal buckles for attachment to dirk. The dirk has a bone handle, raised anchors on the guard and a screw-on Austrian-Hungarian minature crown at the end of the handle, the blade ornately engraved with a crowned anchor midway on each face of the blade, together with a well worn sword knot that should go with the dirk. The lot also includes his leather encased baton and shoulder epaulettes (cf.photos of other officers on Emden). Together with Karl Muller's medals a trio mounted in the German manner of a Prussian Civil Honour 2nd class medal, 15 years service cross and Centenary of Kaiser Wilhelm 1797-1897 medal. The medals very fine with last medal detached from ribbon, other items very fine, a unique lot.

Karl Muller missed the battle between the S.M.S. Emden and the H.M.A.S. Sydney. On the day before the historic battle, 8th November 1914, he left on the previously captured vessel the 'Exford' (the last entry of names in his note book) under the captaincy of Oberleutnant z S.d.r. Julius Lauterbach who became famous in his own right as 'Lauterbach of the China Sea'. the 'Exford' of 4,542 tons was the 27th ship intercepted by the 'Emden' and was built by Craig, Taylor and Company in Stockton on Tees. Completed in 1911 she was owned by Tatem Steam Navigation Company. The Emden had a compliment of 369 men plus three Chinese. There were Austrians amongst the compliment. There were 19 officer ranks aboard the 'Emden' and Karl Muller would have been listed first (possibly making him 20th) in the second order over the general machinist ranks. (This footnote information supplied by Colin Thomas).