Robin Lumsden

A wonderful standard! (Would have been even better with a skull, though!)

Could well have been. There were a lot of Jews in the imperial German army.

Now......THAT'S what I call a BATTLE WAGON!

Here's the back. Thanks again to you both.

Dave & George. Many thanks to you both. Here's the full thing.......I know nothing about the recipient other than that he must have served with the Iron Division and Awaloff's troops in the Baltic.

Here's the back......the one in the middle.

I know next to nothing about Czarist/White Russian awards. Can anyone tell me what this little enamelled miniature is, please? It's part of a German Freikorps group.

There's a pretty good Osprey book on the Freikorps......general, but good all the same. And it's in English! here it is... http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=S1842

Kris. From memory, she had: Large seated Dachshund pup; Fox terrier; Munich Maid (Kaerner version); 3 x 'striped' vases; Elephant (I think); Horse; 2 x small candle sticks.

Yes - the dealer did know what it was, unfortunately. She had about a dozen other Allach items. All hidden away in the market at Friedrichstrasse Bhf on Georgenstrasse.

Thanks Kris. I thought the price list only had the white version and the white one with gold highlights?

Here's the base. It's toned to resemble iron.........sort of like the anodised SS scabbards. I'm told this is a presentation version of the white kerzenhalter. Can anyone confirm this? As far as I can see, only the white one and the white variant with gilded highlights appeared in the Allach sales catalogue. The 'iron' one did not. The unfinished white porcelain underneath the toning can be seen at the base of each foot.

I'm just back from Berlin where I found this in a little shop selling assorted antique porcelain........

Just like I said......a master spin doctor. Alistair Campbell is the only man I have ever seen who was able to throw Jeremy Paxman into a tizzy.

I think I have a reasonable understanding of history, thanks.

Goebbels was a master spin-doctor. Nothing more, and nothing less. Every politician uses them.

That's good news!

I agree - the uniform is probably real, or from an authorised tailor. The skull is the type shown below........I've never seen a clear photo of this type before, with the 'vertical eyes'.....but this photo must pre-date 1913, so the skull does too.

Here's the Austrian actor Josef Giampietro posing as a Leibhusar in a Berlin theatre production. It must be during the early 1900s, as Giampietro died in 1913. The archetypal Prussian officer......and not even German! I'm particularly interested in the cap. It looks like the real thing and the TK is one of the scarcer types.

Here's my favourite........

Is based heavily on the one Georg von Hantelmann used on his D VII.........

I always think this style of blanket skull.............

The woven one must have come off a blanket like this........

Here's the woven one Bob........

Thanks Bob. I have one of the silver wire saddle blanket skulls as well, but mine is woven........a bit like Bevo.