German POW Folk Art Carved Columbus Clock from Fort Stanton, New Mexico

Lot 195

About Seller

6270 Este Ave.
Cincinnati , OH 45232
United States

With offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver, Cowan’s holds over 40 auctions each year, with annual sales exceeding $16M. We reach buyers around the globe, and take pride in our reputation for integrity, customer service and great results. A full-service house, Cowan’s Auctions specializes in Am...Read more

Bid Increments

Price	Bid Increment
$0	$25
$500	$50
$1,000	$100
$2,000	$250
$5,000	$500
$10,000	$1,000
$20,000	$2,500
$50,000	$5,000
$100,000	$10,000

About Auction

American History Auction by Cowan's Auctions

Live

American History Auction

By Cowan's Auctions

Nov 18, 2016 - Nov 19, 2016

Set Reminder 2016-11-18 10:00:00 2016-11-19 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : American History Auction https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/cowans/american-history-auction-1870 Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com

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Lot Description

Mixed wood, 25 x 9 in., finely folk art carved clock fashioned into the shape of an eagle perched atop a wreath with the wooden clock face engraved with the location, Fort Stanton, New Mexico 1942. The wreath sits atop a base with an additional carving of the ship, Columbus and a working light. Carved by a German POW, E.S. Schwietert. The clock is accompanied by a 3.25 in. pocket knife featuring a mother-of-pearl handle with a depiction of the SS Columbus.

Established in 1855 as a military post to control the Mescalero Apache Indians, Fort Stanton remains situated on 240 acres with 88 buildings built of local stone, some dating back to 1855. In 1939 it served as the internment site for German merchant seamen from the German luxury liner, SS Columbus, which was scuttled outside of New York to prevent its capture by the British. Some of the passengers returned home to Germany but the blockade made it difficult for all to return. Stranded, the 410 remaining men were sent to Fort Stanton until they could safely travel back to Germany. They were not considered prisoners because the United States had not entered World War II at the time. There were fewer restrictions, meaning the men could build and rebuild the camp to suit their needs. They set up small shops for the ship’s barbers, tailors and tradesmen, and organized a kitchen and dining room. They built tennis courts, groomed soccer fields, built a recreation hall and library, and constructed a swimming pool. They created gardens and the officers were allowed to build personal living quarters. They even hosted a four-day mini-Olympics when the work was completed and later operated a driving training course (http://www.revisionist.net/ss-columbus.html). When the United States entered into World War II in 1941, relations changed quickly and it became an official POW camp with high fences and enforced curfews. The prison grew and included more merchant seamen as well as "Nazi sympathizers." All prisoners were not able to return home until August 27, 1945.
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