E Williams

I recently saw one of those short handled spades for sale. Does that make them MG ones????

He's a hoarder and won't share either............He's off my Christmas list!!!!!!

I have a Luger coming that is unit marked S.A.54. According to Handbuch Deutscher Waffenstempel 1871-2000 by Albrecht Wacker and Joachim Gortz, page109, they identify another Luger S.A.3. as Feldsignal Abteilung waffe 3, as the Bavarian Signal Unit organized in 1910. It doesn't have the 'B' designator in the unit description which surprised me and to my delight. According to other reference, including Kaisercross, at the outbreak in 1914, Signal Abts were part of the Cavalry Divisions which was delightful also to find. There wasn't that many Signal Units in existence out the outbreak in 1914, and only two or three before that. I've found references to G.G. and G.F. but nothing for G.G.F. directly.

I've gone through all my books, if it was GG, no problem or GF, no problem but about all I can come up with for GGF is Garde-Grenadier Feldhaubitz (munitionskolonne)or Festungs.

What I can't buy, I steal!!!!!! Keep that MG bayonet under lock and key!!!!

Thanks Chip, at least now I have more than I did have to go on. Ed

Good deal!!!

A pro-Nazi for sure!!!! About 1930/31?

I count seven Adolf admirers with those moustaches. Some even look like him too!!!!

I need two things to finish off my Sanitates display, an armband and a medic's arm patch. Patch I know where two or three are but I want the armband first. I'm just a picky picky kinda guy!!!!!

He would be......artillery!!!!! Looks like a kugelhelm on top.

Well, if anyone comes across one on the web or other places, I'd appreciate a heads up. Thanks Ed

I've always enjoyed inter-service/inner-service jocularity, it's part of the Esprit de Corps.

That's all I have to go on too, Chip. Different sizes of the crosses is very prevalent in photos but I need an authentic one for my medic's shelf display and I need to know what to look for. I have no idea if they were marked and/or with what. I'm constantly checking my reliable sources for one to come available but so far I seen none. What would a WWI unit marked armband go far? Any idea?

What would be the difference between a WWI and a WWII sanitates armband other than a Nazi period markings? Ed

You guys crack me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another reason why I love Lugers. I think this one will just wait around for the Will to be read this time.

I agree....remembering back going through box and boxes at flea markets, WWI memorabilia was what to buy, did I buy it...NO!!! It's a known fact people get interested in a subject or time period when it seems it becomes a forefront of interest and they want a piece of it. Look at Beany-Babies. Hundreds of bucks for what you can find for a dime today on some flea market table. Items we're buying today from WWI at a price being driven up by demand, in ten years will they be worth the same, doubt it and another thing, how many are starting in the collecting today that know nothing and are buying fakes which will also flood the market? It's an up and down hobby that fluxuates through periods based on events that can't be controlled. I wonder now, how are other WWI items from the ally side doing? I do know one site I go to can't keep WWI Doughboy items in inventory. I read an article the other day that the first 3D gun was produced. How long now before we start seeing a 3D (re-strike you might say) 1910 Erfurt MG unit market Luger for sale at $3000.00? One can only wonder.......................

I spent a total of 13 years in Germany spread out over the 60s through the 90s. The 60s was almost the best, I say almost because a lot of vets were still hanging on to their items or you had to go find them and offer an amount they would take. The 70s, I stopped, not just because I used the collection for divorce money but in the 70s started the rise of the 're-strikes', far better than copy fakes but still fakes. Now I'm talking strictly about WWII. It wasn't until I returned in the 90s and among vets again that I started collecting again. That time they were getting older, their offspring wasn't interested and items were hitting small local flea markets too. After another divorce....I went with WWI Lugers and small accompanying memorabilia !!!!! Repros will always be around but wisdom comes with age along with a lot of experience and research..........if you can remember it.

Less people, if none at all, are sharing their collections with others, like Chris and Eric. If they shared more, I'd buy less.

Sad indeed...............

Sounds like a 'specialty' collector and they usually don't set limits.

22.R.11.3................22nd Regiment 11th Company weapon #3.

Nice grouping..........................