Canada, Commonwealth. An Rcaf 1 Air Division At Metz, France Lithophane Regimental Stein

In white porcelain, the base inside with a wonderful lithophane (an etched or molded artwork in very thin translucent porcelain or plastic that can be seen clearly only when back lit with a light source) depicting a semi-nude woman in a very revealing dress, marked with a "7" in gold-coloured paint on the bottom, the front bearing the Royal Canadian Air Force insignia surmounted by the King's crown and accented with gold-coloured paint, inscribed "1 AIR DIVISION" below the insignia, flanked by the text "METZ FRANCE" on the right side, the left side with the text "SERGEANTS MESS", trimmed with rules in gold-coloured paint around the terraced circumference above and below the aforementioned insignia and two text blocks, the name of the recipient, "Sgt John Payne", placed on the front just below the opening, the name along with the swirls on the handle are also in gold-coloured paint. The lid is in pewter and displays ornate multiple swirls on the ring, the peak and the thumb lift, the lid topped by a miniature Canadair Sabrejet resting upon a pedestal, the stein measuring 115 mm wide at the base x 233 mm in height. It is free of chipping, the colours vibrant on the insignia, with slight crazing evident in the porcelain on the bottom behind the lithophane, the vertical stabilizer on the Sabrejet slightly undulated. Near extremely fine.

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Footnote: 1 Canadian Air Division (1 Cdn Air Div) is the operational-level command and control formation of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Prior to 2006 the official abbreviation for the division was 1 CAD. It is commanded by an air force Major-General. The division traces its origins to the activation of Headquarters No. 1 Air Division, Royal Canadian Air Force in Paris, France, on October 1, 1952. Air Division headquarters relocated to Metz, France in April 1953. No. 1 Air Division was established to meet Canada's NATO air defence commitments in Europe. It consisted of four wings of twelve fighter squadrons located at four bases. Two bases were located in France (RCAF Station Marville (No. 1 Wing) and RCAF Station Grostenquin (No. 2 Wing)) and two were located in West Germany (RCAF Station Zweibrücken (No. 3 Wing) and RCAF Station Baden-Soellingen (No. 4 Wing)). (No. 1 Wing was first located at RCAF North Luffenham, England and was moved to Marville some time after October, 1954). These wings were part of a group of bases which also included U.S. and French installations, all of which came under the jurisdiction of NATO's Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force (4 ATAF) which, in turn, was commanded by Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE). Components located in Metz included Air Division Headquarters, an air traffic control centre, a telecommunications centre, a combat operations centre, and a support unit. From 1952 to 1963 the RCAF operated the 30 Air Materiel Base, at RCAF Langar (RAF Langar) in Nottinghamshire. RCAF Langar was Canada's last base in the United Kingdom and served as a primary supply station for No. 1 Air Division RCAF in Europe. Canadian squadrons were originally equipped with Canadair Sabre day fighters. One squadron of each wing, however, would be replaced by the all-weather CF-100 in 1956. The Sabre squadrons were replaced by (nuclear) strike/reconnaissance CF-104 Starfighters in 1962. After the RCAF left France in 1967 and after the RCAF was reorganized and consolidated with Canada's other two services, No. 1 Air Division was replaced by No. 1 Canadian Air Group (1 CAG) with headquarters at CFB Lahr, West Germany.