This is a recent project made to honor both the Battle of the Bulge and to display two legendary WW2 Era pistols, the American 1911A1 and the German Luger P08. I like to design displays which attempt to tell the story of an event where the item did (or may have) participated in. In this case the focus was on the famous Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes forest around December 1944. Some of the included details: A 3D map of the area around Bastogne where the American 101st Airborne fought (familiar to any "Band of Brothers" fans). The German case features a copy of the German letter demanding the American surrender of the encircled town of Bastogne, and the other case has the famous reply of "Nuts!" Each back panel features division symbols of famous American and German units which fought in the battle, and the German case includes an original Iron Cross 2nd Class. The common cover graphic is a combination of American and German symbols with the Reich's Adler (Eagle) perched upon the American Star, and somewhat symbolic of the German's pouncing on the unsuspecting American's at the beginning of the battle.

I have a homemade CNC machine which helps me with carving the detailed designs better than I could do by hand. I used Walnut, Maple, Padauk, and Cherry for this project. I hope you like it. I have other similar projects on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CustomHistoricalDisplays/

Finally - I realize that WW2 German Symbols are understandably a very sensitive subject for some people and in fact even illegal in some countries. Please understand that I use these only in an effort to present an authentic historical perspective, and in no way does that indicate a support for some of the terrible crimes committed during that horrible part of human history. Thanks