Original German WWII 1940 dated Engraved Luftwaffe Wooden Keepsake Box with FLUV Marking Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice Luftwaffe marked “keepsake box”, which looks to have been custom made during the WWII period for personal use. These were used to carry personal items of importance, and usually were more associated with officers than enlisted men. It is made from solid wood with interlocking corner joints, and looks to originally have been a lovely cherry red color, which has now faded to a honey brown color. The red aniline dies of the period were not stable, and over time light exposure causes them to turn from red to brown.

There are two embossed metal fittings on the top, and between this is an engraved marking:

(Luftwaffe Eagle)
1940
Luftwaffe F.L.U.V.

“FLUV” stands for Flieger Unterkunft Verwaltung, or the Flight Barracks Administration, the agency responsible for Luftwaffe accommodations. The box measures approximately 10″W x 6 3/4″D x 4 1/4″H, and originally had a locking front, however that fitting is completely missing, with only the bottom latch hole still present.

The interior is paper / leatherette lined, and looks to have had things glued to the inside lid post war, which have now been removed. There also looks to possibly have been dividers in the bottom at some point, but these are also removed. There are two brass hinges at the back of the lid, which are still functional. The bottom of the box had some wood print paper applied at some point, which has partly torn away. The bottom of the box is also somewhat detached.

A very interesting piece of German WWII militaria, ready to add to your collection!