Mystery German Headstock Inlay

[highly_unlikely]

My old late 60's German Klira bass has an inlay on the headstock. I've been watching ebay and elsewhere for Kliras for a couple of years and have not seen another with this design on the headstock so I'm guessing it's a custom job or maybe something done by an owner post-factory. It's a little bit similar to the headstock inlay on some late 60's Hofners.

My main questions is ... Does anybody have know if there is any meaning to the symbols? Maybe somebody from Germany might know? This is my main gigging bass and I sometimes get asked about the inlay.

[EdHunter]

Those mean nothing linguistically, so it'll be design related as opposed to because it's German...

[Thornton Davis]

I have no idea what it represents, but in case you're unaware, your Klira is a model 361 Merkur.

I have only found that particular inlay design on their Merkur and their Super Twen Star 357.

Nice bass, enjoy!

TD

[highly_unlikely]

Thanks for the replies guys, I appreciate it. I had thought it might have been a family coat of arms type deal or a regional thing but purely cosmetic makes sense

One guy had me nearly convinced that it meant "I have no particular preference for men or women". Phew!

[highly_unlikely]

Another quick question TD, if you don;t mind

The 361 Merkur photos I've seen have a bolt-on style bridge. I was assuming mine had been modified with a trapeze. But it just occurred to me that my bass is full hollowbody with no centre block and I'm guessing (probably wrongly) that a bolted tailpeice wouldn't stay put without a centre block.

Do you know if the Merkurs were hollow or semi-hollow?

BTW this is the bass you helped me get sorted out a couple of years ago with the early 60's 511B pickup and side-screw surround glued into a late 60's 511B surround. The pickup is still holding perfectly, it's still my one and only bass and I'm still very grateful for your help