Brian Wolfe

Hello Everyone, It took a while but I've added the Spare Valves Case to my wireless set and have just gotten around to posting the photos. There have been several of these offered since I've started my search but I wanted one that was complete and of about the came age and condition of the rest of the radio and equipment. This one fit the bill and also didn't cause financial hardship. As I said the case is complete with all of the valves (radio tubes) as well as the "socks" that protect the valves. I have been told by a former soldier that the number of protective socks relative to the number of tubes is about what he remembers. By that he was answering my question whether each valve, or tube, should indeed be encased in such a sock. I hope you like the following photos. I have one more part to go before I display the radio. The part I need is a protective guard for one of the aerials that would be mounted on armored vehicles. If I don't locatre one this spring at one of the military vehicle resotation club shows I may ask your help in tracking one down. Regards Brian

Looks like it blonged to the Chirchill tank to me as well. Regards Brian

That is one very nice model. Well done. Regards Brian

Great information, late for my last disaster and with luck perhaps I'll never need it. Still it's a good thing to know. Thank you. Regards Brian

Many thanks to Taz and Paul for the pictures and thanks to Stephenmiller for suggesting this post. I do like Pakistan and Indian medals but have never collected the hat badges etc. myself so it was great to view them. Very enjoyable post. Thanks again guys. Brian

Merry Christmas to all, may we get what we want for Christmas but not necessarily what we deserve. Cheers Brian

Very nice indeed and the condition looks exceptional. Congratulations! Regards Brian

These are the best! Thanks for post it for us to view. I must stop drooling now. Regards Brian

Those are some fine groups. As to the do-it-yourself approach to court mounting, go for it, you'll be glad you did. Regards Brian

Hi Jim, The ribbons I use are not the originals, as stated in my initial post. I would not change an original ribbon, even groups that I have which were never mounted remain as they were. The wearing of gloves is a good idea, no doubt about it. However, I do doubt there are many who actually put on gloves each time they handle a medal. Sure there are going to be some but I am speaking about the average collector. Even though there are gloves close to my collection (for my sword collection) I never think to put them on to handle a medal. Just too lazy I guess. I decided to court mount my singles only because I like the look when they are displayed. The mounting elevates the medal from the display backing that is used and gives the medal a three-dimensional look. It also keeps the medal off the display backing which may not be acid free. This is not something I am prepared to defend, so-to-speak, it is just what I am doing with my collection. Court mounting vs cotton gloves....no contest, gloves are the easiest when it comes to keeping the finger prints off the medal. In fact the only way because the medal could still be touched by unprotected fingers when looking at a court mount. Perhaps I just have too much time on my hands (but not cotton gloves). Regards Brian

Here's a closeup of the area just above the mounting bar where I stitch it to the mounting board. This stitched section forms a cloth tube and acts as a hinge when rotating the medal. I can see from the closeup I need to spend more time on my tailoring. I hope you like this idea and give it a try, especially on the medals with hige silver content. Regards Brian

Here's what it looks like after the rotation of the mounting board. Brian

Hello Everyone, I have decided to embark on a new project and that is to court mount all of my single medals. Now don't get out the straight-jacket quite yet. The project will probbaly take me...well...years to complete. I think the look of the singles in my collection will be improved greatly when displayed. Any medals that I think have their original ribbons will not be mounted but left as is. So, I finished my first one, an Indian Territorial, and realized there was more to this exercise than my current obsessive behaviour. Again, hold of on the net and sedatives. I realized that this was perfect for someone like me (obsessive/compulsive, anal retentive types) who hate to touch their medals with their bare hands. I do handle my medals but never, never, never my Japanese Sword collection without wearing cloth gloves. If you court mount the medal but do not actually stitch the medal itself to the mounting board you can rotate the board and observe the reverse all without touching the medal. Hold the medal vertically, obverse facing you, then tip the mounting board forward (toward you), continue until you only see the red felt backing (or whatever backing you use and low and behold the obverse is there for viewing when you rotate the medal around to face you once again. Just repeat this process to get the obverse back where is should be. It may seem obsessive to some but a fingerprinted medal in your collection may make you rethink this project. Regards Brian The medal featured was awarded to: 10313911 SEP. JADISH SINGH, SIKH R.

I hope this is not too far off topic. Regarding all of you so-call "experts" here at GMIC let me say this. Several months ago I was making some trades with a dealer in antiquities whose shop held everything from ancient Roman artifacts to military medals. I was trading fossils for medals. His prices were somewhere on the other side of the moon, but I had purchased or self-collected my specimens 30 years ago so all in all is was getting my money's worth. With a number of single medals I took a first class TR War Merit badge in one of the trades. Not being schooled in TR material I posted it here. There was a deathly silence throughout the forum as Rick and others drew a breath of disbelief before giving me the bad news that my trade had netted me a fake. They followed this up with advice that I should not be collecting in areas that I was not familiar with. Ouch! This was a case where what was said hurt because it was true not because it was vindictive. I took the badge back and the dealer was very upset claiming this was the real deal. I suggested that he should join this forum and read what was said about the badge. Now, get this. He produced a book which he said supported his claim and was much more reliable than the so-called "experts" at GMIC. I looked that the badge in the book... and... ready for this? What you fellows had said was verified by the dealer's very own reference book. He then claimed this was a variation of the badge and that variation had been missed when the book had been written! This guy should have been working the comedy club circuit! Since then I have found several other references that prove what the members had stated. Since I don't really collect TR items I have also taken the members' advice and stayed away from WW II German. I don't have time or money to collect everything so I am playing in my own sand box as there are too many bullies in the school yard. I'm interested in any and all military related items and information but I only spend my money where I am comfortable that what I am buying is 100%. There was another badge in this "deal" which I kept, first because I liked it and secondly because everytime I start to doubt my fellow members I look at the badge and then decide to save my money. I've attached a photo of this "reminder" badge either for the members enjoyment or irritation. Regards Brian

Hi Nitram, I can not speak for others but I post topics with the hope others will add to it and thereby increase the informational value of the original. Thank you for doing just that and never worry it's not hijacking it's enhancement. Regards Brian

Hi Ed, I guess there is just a resemblance to the Acer and no family connection. I stand corrected. Regards Brian

Hi Hugh, Indeed, I do like it as well. The fellow I purchased this from identified it as maple. He was probably trying to relate it to something I would recognize. Thanks for everyone's comments. Regards Brian

Here is the Azad Kashmir Commemoritive Medal along side the badge so that you can get an idea of the badge's size. I believe the medal would be about the same size as an average cap badge. Thanks for looking. Regards Brian

Hello Everyone, I just got this piece in from Islamabad this week and wanted to show it off here. I believe this is a display badge for the Azad Kashmir Regiment as it seems too large at 55 mm wide X 72 mm tall for a cap badge. It is also quite heavy and from what I can see is a solid casting. It is mounted on a round piece of plexi glass for display. The Azad Kashmir Regiment is unique in that it raised itself during the Indo/Pakistani War and defended their territory against a greater number of better armed advisories (the Indian Army). After the war Pakistan gave the regiment formal status thereby making it a part of the Pakistan Army. You should check out the internet for more information on this interesting unit. This is a far as I will take the history as it could turn political and I have friends in both countries so I want to remain neutral. One of the things I like about this badge is that the maple leaf is also the emblem of my country, Canada (in case there is anyone who is not aware of this). I hope you like my new addition to my Pakistan collection. Regards Brian

I've always loved these but never had the cash when one was available. A very nice item. Congratulations and thanks for letting us see it. Regards Brian

Here is the reverse. This medal is in mint condition and it is like trying to photograph a mirror, the glare was killing me. I finally turned off the spot lights and used the room light only without any flash to get this image so that you can see it. This is why the strange tint to the photo. Regards Brian

Hello Everyone, In 2001 India and Pakistan started to amass a great number of troops along their mutual border. India deployed over 500,000 troops in this operation with 528 casualties and 1,533 non-fatal casualties according to "Medals and Decorations of Inpependent India" by Edward S. Haynes and Rana T.S. Chhina, Manohar Publishing, see Pg. 115. The obverse shows a map of India and the reverse the state emblem. This is unusual, with the exception of the Op Vijay Medal, as the state emblem is usually found on the obverse. I don't know why the policy changed for these two medals and if anyone can shed some light on this please do so. Perhaps because these medals were awarded for an "operation" rather than an out and out armed conflict may have had something to do with the policy? Pakistan issued a medal called the Tamgha-i-Ishiqial 2001/2002 or the "Escallation Medal 2001/2002" for the build up on their side of the border. I believe I have posted this earlier. I hope you like my new addition. Regards Brian

That's a first for me as well. Very interesting variation. Regards Brian

Here's a closeup of the reverse. Regards Brian

Hello EVeryone, I thought I'd post mine once again out of interest. I had problems with posting images when I first tried to show this a while back and it is one of those shown in the post mentioned by Rick. The one I have looks old and it actually looks like it has more age "in person" as the photo makes it look newer. I guess we were both taken in Robert. Live and learn. Regards Brian