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    grimble-nibitz

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    1. This lovely tunic turned up at a show where nobody recognized how early it was. I am confused by the pip or star above the rank. Everything else is pretty obvious. I feel this is quite unusual, boards shown for identification of the unit in case this matters with the odd piece of insignia. Collars are missing and I assume will be a 'dog' to find in silver color and of this era. The net is quite barren as to information on this period's British insignia, strangely, unless it's metal badges! Thanks folks!
    2. Thank you! Not sure what it means without the medical device. Maybe some kind of administration?
    3. This is what comes from buying a carload of militaria. Mysteries are fun but I have been stumped on this piece. Definitely around 1900 or so, nicely made, Italian by the cockade...but what is it for? Thank you in advance for filling in one of my many mental blanks!
    4. The WWI soft-style officer kepi is all black, with gold cord trim for a 2nd Lt. I believe. I cannot find any reference to what these crossed branches or palms mean...thank you in advance for the info!
    5. I am proud to announce the sale of the Bob Ford Identified WWI Divisional Uniform Collection during 2019 at SOS and MAX. All lots are fully identified, most have lots of additional material included, from dogtags to gear, medals and more. Bob purchased most from the veteran or their widow from 1975 until the mid 1990's. Lots will include his correspondence with the sellers and the dates purchased. This collection of 'patched' uniform groups consists of every operational division, in both the AEF and stateside units, from the 1st to the 93rd. I will be offering about half the material at SOS and half at MAX 2019. Although the seller is me, Niles Laughner, I share tables at SOS 2019 with Arnold Meisner (the table holder of record), and his name will lead to our table location. MAX 2019 tables are under my own name. So...YES, Bob is fine and dandy, and shows no signs of slowing down. NO, he is not selling any other material. YES all items are guaranteed to be genuine. NO, I will not sell any items "before their time" (quoth Orson Welles), so please don't ask. Everyone deserves a fair shot. As we enter the 2nd century since the end of WWI, this collection is all the more meaningful.
    6. Some time ago, as a dealer, I bought a large WWII uniform and sword group that had belonged to a highly decorated 2nd Armor officer, a DSC/DSM/SS/PH/BS etc. winner who served with the outfit throughout the entire war and went on to be a teacher at West Point. It was wonderful stuff, and the "salad" over the pockets was impressive, three solid rows of valor and service. But you can't keep it all...so I sold it to one of my closest friends in the UK, a huge 2nd Armor fanatic. He was delighted with the lot...but where was that superb medal lot? What a find that would be! On researching the group, I found that the officer in question was quite successful, as was his son, who took an active interest in his father's WWII experiences. In fact, this son had his dad's medals framed up and he hung them in his office, where he worked as a financial executive for a firm called Cantor-Fitzgerald. On my generation's most awful day, September 11 2001, those medals hung on the wall near where the officer's son worked away at his chosen field. By the end of the day, that most horrible of days, the medals and the son were both gone, ionized into the Manhattan earth and sky, nothing left of them at all. There will never be any medals for this lot. But, my friend and I both feel that the lot is more important for what place that medal group holds in American History. The father was motivated by December 7, 1941, undoubtedly. Many years later, September 11, 2001 brought a strange closure to the story. The medals were won because of the first tragedy and claimed by the second. These medals, which no longer exist, are sacred. But not just them. Sometimes, at Militaria Shows, I hear dealers ripping on other dealers, trashing them out of jealousy, hurt or just plain thoughtlessness. Or worse, as part of a plan to make a deal or get a better price. Jockeying for position or name recognition. I have been on the receiving end of this shameful ignorance, as many of you have also, I am sure. But what we handle as dealers is sacred. It has a certain value, yes, and that is important. But we deal in the remnants of other's valor, handle black-bordered telegrams that went out to homes all over the nation and changed or ruined lives forever in one reading. We are responsible to be honorable people, worthy of the goods we handle. Those incinerated medals, and the son that went down with them, altered the way I think about dealing and dealers. This business needs heart more than money or fame.
    7. It was included in a lot of material from a US 2nd armored soldier, and that connection eludes me also.
    8. I have encountered one of these unusual medals on full ribbon in high grade gold construction with burnished highlights and can find no mention of what this means, or what the metal content is, who got this, not even a mention of other grades than silver existing...any ideas? Thanks for your help!
    9. I have a frock coat in black wool, with all buttons intact, they are like the one shown here. It has a high red collar with bullion, and red cuffs with these buttons also. I cannot find an online translator that makes it clear what they say...?? Any help is appreciated!
    10. Gotta hand it to the UK, so much of their info, photos and etc. are on file, available to whomever wants them, its pretty cheap to get...no crap about privacy concerns on most things, its a well run ship of state, thats why the medals are so popular...named, identified as to unit, issue cards available in seconds for about $5. Love it. But not in DC. You have to wade through volumes of either well or poorly-written unit histories, guess at misspelled names, swallow the lack of info on regular army units and inflated info on state units, and call it a day. But this is America. We do some other stuff pretty well.
    11. Please do use it, I am fine with that...I finally got the British Columbia Regiment Officer Picture to come up and see him, he is identified, its an early shot and he is wearing a 1902 high collar setup. Since these tunics have never had anything but staff tabs, and the named one is dated in 1916, I am assuming he was always on the regimental staff. I found him listed definately on the first contingent roster, and that makes me even happier. The seller thought he was a Brit, and Brits are great...but for us here, the CEF things is pretty cool. I also see where he was seconded into some kind of ordnance work in late 1917. Strange career. Wonder what he was up to in British Columbia, a very long way from his UK birthplace!
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