Chris Boonzaier

Yea, it astounds me... i have actually taken quite a break from collecting for some time now... but am still drawn like a magnet... but bit by bit my mojo is working again!

Vollmer... here is another group I had with him....

Indeed... but I think the day the soldir recieved the actual medal, on a parade, may be the most important to him

ahhh... clever boy! Yup... this was the unit... I am not sure if this guy was captured by York... but there is a very York relevant signature there.... 🙂

Hi, obviously a private purchase one... then one that is a but unusual... the medaillon is the same brass as the buckle and shows no trace of nickle plating? Can anyone guess why? Thanks Chris

... ok, no militaria is really priceless, but it is not always easy to find some WW1 German stuff with a direct US connection... and when you do... it is seldom like this..... 🙂

Indeed... I was refering to your comment that the Germans did not waste material for the sake of appearance ... I thnk we can agree that swords are about as useful as tits on a bull 😉

byoootiful..... a superb tunic!

They gave staff officers swords? 😉 from what I see the pockets are flat, and there are no functional flaps? you can maybe slip a match book into the pocket?

Here is an interesting 10th Jäger photo. I am sure the buttons on the pockets serve no purpose .. in fact, I assume the pockets serve no practicle purpose either....

are they Austrian?

I do not really collect these, but liked them when I found them.... Usually these guys did not sign for just anyone, because "just anyone" did not have access to them. While signed postcards were a more casual thing, framed signed larger studio photos were a different level, more like "presentation" items... both of these are post WW1... but I think cool as hell.... especially Mac's one... 😉 Just 3 Grosskreuz winners to complete the collection!!! 🙂

I think the pics you show prove the Kraus statement that these were only given out to Ersatz Battailon to be wrong. I am guessing these Straps did not really stand the test of time and would have been replaced with leather when worn out? I do not think my leather straps have been on there since the war, but the single strap I was able to examine was IMHO not that strong

It is possible that especially this early in the war the old "You have been awarded the medal, here is the ribbon, the actual medal will be presented at a later date" could already have been in play. This could have been for 2 reasons... supply ... and the fact that the award was considered high enough that the presentation would be carried out by a high authority, and out of the line when the regiment could be assembeled for a ceremony...

just a mention, in 1984 I was in London with my parents and went into a Rock/punk/fashion shop... in amongst the leather jackets and belts with studs were plastic bins filled with badges in a similar quality to this... I was a new collector and was happy to get a panzer assault, Iron Cross, Armshield, general assault etc. etc..... I knew nothing about german badges, just assumed they were original... they were all badly cast with painted details... the pictured one is not one of them, but is in a similar direction.