G013357 THREE IMPERIAL GERMAN NAVY COMMEMORATIVE IMAGES IN IMITATION LIFE BUOY FRAMES. (Gedenkfeierbilder) A set of three images, each 2 1/2" in diameter, one under flat glass, the other two under convex glass, all within approximately 4 1/4" diameter, convex wooden borders simulating life preservers. The first picture, under flat glass, is a colorized photograph of a profiled, twin-stack battle cruiser, with large guns fore and aft, upon a relatively calm sea with clear skies behind. "S. M. S." ("Seiner Majestät Schiffe," or, His Majesty’s Ship) is hand painted, in white, along the border above the image, and "v. d. Tann" is similarly painted beneath it. The S.M.S. von der Tann was launched in 1909, commissioned in 1911, and took part in the battle of Jutland, in 1916, where she sank the HMS Indefatigable. She was scuttled at Scapa Flow, in 1919, after being interned at the end of the war. The ship has reflective highlights to it, not unlike Mother-of-pearl, which have either been deliberately applied, or is wear-through from its backing. The glass is lightly soiled, as is its wooden border, which also exhibits light surface scratching. The next picture is a reproduction of a painting showing an officer at the stern of his ship, dressed in white and with an Imperial war flag flying to the left of him, saluting a sinking, triple-masted sailing vessel. It too has reflective highlights to its image, light soiling to its convex glass, and surface scratching to its border. The last item in the grouping is a reproduction of the well-known painting entitled "Der letzte Mann" (The last Man), by Professor Hans Bohrdt, depicting a survivor of the naval battle off of the Falkland islands, in December of 1914, signaling an approaching ship with an Imperial war flag. Reflective highlights are again evident, and it appears that a piece of the image is missing from the wave before the figure, and from his legs. Its convex glass and wooden border are in the same condition as the others. Along the border of both of the latter images is hand painted, in white, "Gruss aus" (Greeting from) above and "Norderney" beneath. To the northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest points along the borders of all of these are ribbed white bands, holding in place cords simulating the rope one would find bound to a life preserver. All of these cords are lightly age soiled, and have noticeable oxidization stains to their apexes where they were evidently suspended from nails or some other metal hanger. Each of their reverses have cardboard backings, the first in tan with simulated wood grain, whereas the other two are colored red and have metal tacks along their edges.

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