michaelh

Probably the best advice would be to first study the hell out of items that interest you.....read the books, read the forum threads, get to know the tiny differences between the good and the bad. THEN, go hit some militaria shows and meet some other collectors. Pick up your pieces through those avenues and avoid the militaria dealer websites as they are for the most part all way over-priced and just as filled with junk as anywhere else.

There are also examples of all the different types of GFM boards and baton variations (both Army and Luft), if any of you would like to explore that area further. http://www.themarshalsbaton.com/

By the way, of additional interest to you Luft insignia collectors, I now have quite an extensive grouping of original Luft Generals insignia examples posted up on my site; http://www.themarshalsbaton.com/ There are updates to all the Luft Generals pages (GFM, Luft Generals Rank Overview and Additional Luft Generals Insignia examples). A tip of the hat to several other Luft collectors (who donated examples) and happen to have the same General Officer affliction that I do!

Paul, these are the aluminum batons....and a larger size at that, most likely intended for use on the overcoat boards though they were used on tunic boards as well. Here's a detail shot.

These aren't exactly tabs, but they are a recent pick up of mine I thought you Luft fans might enjoy. They belonged to GFM Milch

I'd like to further enlist the help of British collectors out there. I know the German stuff very well, but want to venture further into collecting some British high ranks and have no idea where and who to turn. I'd like to locate Field Marshal and Fleet Admiral insignia, preferrably WW2 vintage. I'm sure this is as big of a task as finding the German stuff, and probably quite as pricey as well, but after all 'the hunt' is what makes all of this so much fun. Do any of you out there have some advice? Thank you in advance, Mike

Hello all, At the Show Of Shows I picked up a Royal Navy full Admiral's uniform and need some help identifying the owner. I'm attaching a photo of the name tag in the inside pocket. So far Google and Yahoo have been no help, but perhaps I'm just reading it wrong. Any assistance is appreciated! Mike

Sooner than later, I believe we'll see the prices flatten out and maybe even start to decline. I've already seen some of the older dealers (and some high profile collectors like Angolia and Peterson) selling off their personal collections, yet keeping a small to moderate 'sales' inventory to continue to cash in on the high tide of prices. Many of them of course will argue against a future downturn, as they have a vested interest in keeping this good thing going as long as it can. Some collectors will switch the need for their 'fix' to other areas of militaria that are more affordable. About two years ago I got fed up with where prices had gone and switched my interest over to U.S. and other nations militaria. I found the excitement and elation of buying really nice items for next to nothing (in comparison to Third Reich stuff) to be just as big of a high as buying the German stuff used to be.....plus it opened up a whole new horizon of interest and learning, which is just as much fun. I'll still pick up a piece here and there of the Third Reich stuff.....but now only when using something out of my collection, with its equally inflated value, as trade. And in all of this discussion we haven't even brought the element of Third Reich fakery into the discussion, which we know creates problems for the future in its own right.

This is a very interesting topic and one I've had much discussion with other collectors and dealers on.....particularly at the last few shows I've attended. The problem, as I see it, with the Third Reich stuff is this; largely speaking, the collectors are all older, lets say 40 on up. Reason being is that we all grew up with WW2 movies in the theaters, Combat, Twelve O'Clock High, Hogans Heros, Rat Patrol, etc., etc. all over TV and when we played army in the neighborhood it was always the Germans versus the Americans. We also had fathers or family members who served in the war and had souvenirs which caught our interest. In other words, we have an early emotional attachment to this stuff. The Germans were the bad guys in the cool uniforms. The Darth Vader of our times. Now, fast forward to 2006. Most of the collectors in the above described age bracket are late in their careers and are thus in their peak earning years. This is creating a competition to pay whatever you can to get the desirable piece you want before the next guy gets a crack at it, thus driving the prices up year after year and now really accelerating the pace. The unfortunate result of this is that young collectors are now priced out of the market. Back in 1969 as a 12 year old I was buying tunics for $15 and collar patches for $5....affordable prices for a kid then. Mow a few lawns and you could buy a tunic. Now, I don't know of any 12 year olds in 2006 who get a couple grand for mowing three lawns The BAD thing for all of us older collectors is that in the coming years (and I believe it is already starting) many will be retiring and there is going to be a glut of stuff coming back on the market in hopes of the big pay off to help fund those trips around the world in the golden years. Others will die and the kids will be left in a position to try and unload it. Bottom line is this; who is coming up from below (age wise), in the numbers that are going to be required, to be buying it from us at our now inflated values? I'm not trying to be a pessimist here about militaria in general. I just think the Third Reich stuff is set up for another chapter of "The Rise and Fall of", if you know what I mean. And yes I've heard the argument again and again about how people in the sixties, seventies and eighties, etc. all complained of escalating prices and that it never stopped back then. Well, that argument is now getting as old as we are. Time for a serious pulse checking.

Do any of you Luft afficianados happen to know if any of the General's in the HG panzer division ever wore the black (or field gray) panzer wraps with their Luft General's insignia? I've seen plenty of pictures (and real uniforms) of Heer (and W-SS) General panzer wraps, but have never seen any period pics or heard of a Luft example. Just curious....it seems that would be one beautiful looking wrap if it existed.

Paul, Thanks so much for your welcome to this forum and your emails. This looks to be a wonderful new place to share information, thoughts and friendships. Much more gentlemanly than the other forums seem to have devolved into. I hope to be a regular contributor (and knowledge sponge) on here! Mike

Thanks so much for the quick response from Eduardo in sending me nice pics of his Admirals uniform! You guys here truly are Gentlemen! Now, if somebody can get me pics of Grossadmiral shoulder boards I'll really be amazed! Mike

Hello, Great thread on collar tabs. I've got a nice reference site on general officer and field marshal insignia with some examples shown at; www.themarshalsbaton.com I'm looking for pictures of a few ranks that I'm missing, if any Luft collectors out there have examples to share. Mike

Hello everyone, I'm looking for KM collectors who have admiral rank insignia and uniforms in their collections and would like to share pictures of their pieces on a reference site I have put together. I posted a note in the website forum as well, but in the event you didn't see it you can visit my site at this address; http://themarshalsbaton.com/ Its a reference site for the study of General officer (including Admirals) and Field Marshal militaria...a long time interest (some would say obsession) of mine. Photographic contributions of original pieces are welcome and will be attributed unless you prefer to remain anonymous. Thanks in advance, for any assistance in directing info my way! Mike