Bidspirit auction | MARIA THERESA REICHSTHALER NORTH AFRICAN

MARIA THERESA REICHSTHALER NORTH AFRICAN LIGHTER - An intriguing souvenir lighter, a 2 x 2.75 in. North African hand-worked silver lighter bearing the obverse and reverse of a 1780 Maria Theresa silver thaler, typically used as a bullion trade coin throughout the world. This massive lighter has one side of the coin embedded on each side, which is further decorated with engraved images of huts, palm trees, a mosque, and a roaring leopard or other feline. The mechanism of the lighter is similarly engraved, as is the bottom, and the fuel filler cap is made of yet another coin. This lighter is from the estate of JOHN G. ERHARDT (1889-1951) who served as Consul in Hamburg and following this appointment, served in London under Ambassador Joseph Kennedy. During the war, he was in a high-level State Department position in Washington, where he was involved in the planning of the surrender of Germany and occupation of Germany and Austria. After the war, he served as de facto Ambassador to Austria and as political adviser to Gen. Mark Clark, who led the American occupation military forces in Austria. Gen. Clark was intended to lead the Fifth Army in North Africa and indeed made several trips to the continent during the war. In all probability, he gifted this lighter, possibly a captured German piece, to Erhardt. Fine condition.