Chris Boonzaier

Hi, According to this, in the practise U-Boot men would get the Bronze Clasp after 90 days of operational seagoing. That would fit with the SB... he only had a few days on the last mission of the U-106, then the mega tour of the U-1227, which was enough to net him the clasp and the badge. The U-1227 tour was over 100 days if I remember correctly.... ... http://www.ehrenzeichen-orden.de/zweiter-weltkrieg/u-boot-frontspange-in-bronze.html Voraussetzung für die Verleihung war, neben tadelloser Führung, die erfolgreiche Teilnahme auf 15 Feindfahrten. Die Verleihungspraxis orientierte sich aber an den absolvierten Seetagen. Die Frontspange in Bronze wurde im Allgemeinen nach 90 Seetagen verliehen.

Hi, sometimes it depends on where and when you buy something... I have picked up EUR1000 items for less than EUR100 as the seller did not know what he had.... I cannot comment on the badges shown here... but sometimes collectors have luck and a seller does not know what he has....

Hi, would I be correct in assuming that when it comes to officers, the cypher straps command more dough? With numbered ones almost anyone with a box of munbers can make straps, but with Cyphers you need somewhat scarce metal Cyphers?

It could be post WW1, Political party thingy? There must be some connection with an Essgeschirr... Maybe WW1 officer?

I grew up learning AKs could be abused, abused and abused again... and still work.... But this puts a new spin on it.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDilGHUpsSw&feature=youtu.be

I suppose you never know the reasons people pay over the top. I picked up a really nice set to a regt in the 400s some time ago, no great interest in the unit, but the price was right.... However... if I found bavarian Jäger I would go twice the regular price.... or boards with "37" or "155"... and people would ask "what idiot paid THAT price!!"

Ouch.... thats obscene......

... where it stops... nobody knows.... !!!!! http://www.ebay.de/itm/Eisernes-Kreuz-1-1914-/321270352619?pt=Militaria&hash=item4acd348aeb

I am guessing these are Photo studio backdrops... on many of them you can see the floor and the backdrop...

I am a bit of a beginner for boards... and dont really intend to start collecting these, but I just saw a pair of numbered ones sell for RIR242 sell for EUR231 http://www.ebay.de/itm/111234522723?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Am I corrct in thinking Cypher boards command a premium? But technically they are not rarer than numbered ones ? And the really high numbers were used for a much shorter period than the regiments that were there from 1914 or earlier? I can see myself paying a top premium for one of "my" regiments... but what would a realistic average price be? thasnks Chris

P.S. there are a number of French books about Sturm units, the latest one on Rohr being the best IMHO.

Hi Dom, Sorry for not answering your previous post, it was on my "must answer that" list and I forgot about it. Most of the Rohr Stuff is in French and German, I assume there is not enough interest in the English speaking world to justify translating it. A guy called Patrick Schallert has a website with many, many Regt and unit histories availible on DVD, about EUR5 a pop. It is useful when you need many, many histories for your archives. I usually only buy the original book when it is a unit I am very interested in. The last Rohr History I saw on Ebay went for quite a few hundred EURs, Why dont more have the crown and "W" badge... a good question. I am not sure how widely spread the wearing of the badge is. And the kaiser apparently did not approve it.... See these Guys from Rohr at the kaiser HQ in November 1918... none of them have it... http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/60752-most-exciting-photo-of-my-year/ Best Chris

A better shot of the 1st guy....

Here are some more...

Here are a couple of skiers...

Hi, all the rest are just control marks and the maker. Nice piece... can take your eye out with that if you are not careful!!

what kind of cannon thingy is this??

This is not bad... "Dont fire until you see the whites of their eyes!!"

U1227 went on a tour that all on its own was sufficient to get the bronze clasp. I think it was about 120 days and so the Soldbuch guy only had a couple of days on the U106, then just nailed it on his next boat because the amount of days at sea was enough to get the U-boot badge and clasp in just one go!

I think you nailed it, thanks

I used to have this one about 10-15 years ago, came from one of the epochs experts, and went to one of the epochs experts... I think with todays research it is no longer accepted as good?

Hi, This is a single mounted cross in the WW1 style, I think it had a Godet button on the back

My friend F.G., RIP, Shared wine and his stories quite a few times....

Hi, thats a SG98 n.A. (Seitengewehr 98 new style) (Old style had the wooden grip done in one piece) Best Chris

IMHO there was sure to be a difference in Quality. The Army set a standard of quality control for issue crosses, but this is as always a minimum quality that must be reached. There was nothing stopping a company of being "that bit better"... It can mean that company JJ made an effort on the detail of the corps... or they changed their dies rather than continuing producing with worn out dies, or did a nicer thicker ring etc. etc.... All knives cut, but some look better than others....