Brian Wolfe

An interesting discussion that, I believe, has the potential to cause a lot of hard feeling among the membership. I don't know what I would do, given the same chance, take it of leave it. I'm lucky not to be in that position and I thank those who have put themselves in harms way. I just wrote a long winded opinion as to why this is different from TR items taken during the war and realized what a trap this thread can be. Therefore I deleted it. I don't want to get into a pissing match with any of the other members, that's not why I joined. If you are looking for a "vote" I would suggest this thread be locked before it gets nasty. Cheers Brian

Your last buy for 2007? Well, you sure went out with a "bang". Very nice indeed! Cheers Brian

Thanks Rick. It fits well with my USSR medal collection as they are spread out all over the decades as well. Cheers Brian

Here is the photo of the back with the markings I was mentioning. I hope it is not posted upside down as I really didn't know which way was up (or down for that matter). Thanks for your help. Cheers Brian

Hello Everyone, Sometimes I add an item to my medal collection just to give it some variety. That and there are times when I am out searching the antiques malls and there just are no medals to be had so I add something different to the collection. Sound familiar? Anyway I purchased a belt buckle this summer at one such antiques mall for about twice what I should have paid(one born every minuet) . It is a common Russian buckle but I was hoping that someone might be able to give me a little more information on the time period in which it was manufactured. I searched the forum and found one like it but the markings on the back were different. If anyone could shed some light on this question it would be appreciated. Cheers Brian

Top notch collection I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing it with us. Cheers Brian

I had one very much, if not exactly, like yours and it was French. If I recall it was mid 1800s (the date of the sword not the date I owned it). Cheers Brian

Hi hunyadi, Nice find. I agree with Ed regarding the ribbon, but then I like these little pieces of "personalized" history. As to the price I think that is pretty well what the BWM is selling for here in the frozed north. GO FOR IT! Cheers Brian

Great window into the past, thanks for posting these very interesting stereoscope images. Cheers Brian

Hi Eric, I guess that would depend on what you mean by sword play. I doubt there are any documented incidents involving the use of a dress sword in actual combat. The use of the sword to decapitate a prisoner is not what I would call combat, that's an execution. There was a calvary charge that was made by the Polish Calvary on 1 September, 1939 against German troops. The Polish Calvary discontinued the use of the lance in 1937 (?) but kept the sabre. While the units usually dismounted to fight I suppose this could have been considered as using a sword in combat if some soldiers were carrying them at the time. There is a myth that the Polish Calvary attacked German tanks but that was pure propaganda by the Nazis. The charge itself served to slow the German advance considerably. So this is my offering of the use of the sword in combat during WW II. Cheers Brian

Very nice detail. There was a television program a while ago on the Military Network (I think) about these. At the end of the war the U.S. scuttled the surviving subs and destroyed the plans as they feared the U.S.S.R. would start to manufacture them. The Cold War should have been called the Paranoid War. Thanks for the intertesting post. Cheers Brian

Thanks guys, I wish the lettering was the only thing that makes me think this this is a copy. I will post photos later in the week. Cheers Brian

Hello Everyone, I've have a long sword that may or may not be authentic, though my guess is that it is NOT. The sword, which I will post in its entirety after I research it, is 53 inches in length. It could be a copy (real?) No-datchi, I hope the spelling is correct. On the blade and tang there are some markings that look like Kanji. The area around the "Kanji" has been etched away with acid, or at least that would be my best guess. The whole idea of acid etching to bring out markings on a Japanese blade is suspect in my books to begin with. I have photographed these markings with the hope that some of our members could give me a translation. I checked with a Chinese friend of mine and was told that the markings were not Chinese. I've had this sword for quite some time but because I thought from the start it was a copy I have never included it with my Japanese sword display. Any help you could give me would be graetly appreciated. Cheers Brian

Hi Henry 24th, Once again very beautiful fittings. I am always amazed at the workmanship that went into the sword fittings of this time period. Thanks for sharing these pieces of truly fine art. Cheers Brian

Gentleman, I read Kevin's post and took it in a completely different vein. We must remember that what is written lacks the emotion and tone that would have been in a verbal exchange. So not only do we have a difficulty with different languages we also have problems in how we interpret the written word. To Otis and Xavier let me say that your use of English is much better than my use of your languages. Cheers to you both This is a great forum for research but I must say that at times we forget that there are many out here (me) who need a lot of pointers concerning items that we are unfamiliar with. I still can't tell a real EK I or EK II from a copy unless it is so poor a copy that anyone could see it as a fake. So thanks to all and please keep up the good work. Cheers and another beer. Brian

Hi Rick, Great sword, loved the thread. I have swords dated to the 1650s but none with inscriptions. Not all swords were made for the samurai class and mine were for the front line "grunts". Cheers Brian

Welcome aboard flinteruk. Very nice dagger. Cheers Brian

Thanks Graham, I'll try to figure out how to use my scanner and photoshop programs this coming weekend and post a blow up. Cheers Brian

Hello Everyone, Foe some time now my wife and I have been researching her family's military history. We do a lot of this type of research and have two complete computer work stations side by side in our home office. I looks a lot like the bridge of the Star Ship Enterprise. Anyway we have been unable to identify the uniform of this fellow. The photo was taken around 1900 from what we have gathered from family records. His last name is.... wait for it..... "Smith"! From what I can make out there are stripes down the legs of the pants and there seems to be some sort of hanger on his left side. It seems to be a strap that is attached to the belt and ends in a loop. The belt has a hook arangement with no insignia. Any ideas? We do know he was British and later on he was killed in a munitions factory explosion. A rather ironic end for a soldier. Cheers Brian

I would like to show you a photo of one of my wife's relations in uniform photographed around 1900. I was going to post this looking for help in identifying the uniform but I'll do that on another post. Most of the wall above and around this soldier's head was missing and or in pieces. The bottom right hand (viewer's right) section was pretty well gone. We had the background repaired and I think there was an area with a crease in it that was removed. Check out the rocks to the soldier's left just even with his head. You will notice that the right half of each rock looks a lot the same. Of course that is a geological improbability. There is another one that was flipped and then repositioned. One must be careful not to go too far with this. We decided to leave the colour, or tint, of the original photo alone. The fellow doing the work said he could replace the dog as the one in the photo moved as the original was snapped. We thought we liked the dog just the way he is. It gives a sense of movement in what is otherwise a static picture. I was so impressed with this that I went out and purchased Adobe Photoshop 7.0 for my wife. I say "for my wife" as I have the intellectual prowess of your below average chimpanzee when it comes to computer programs with my only appreciable advantage being opposable thumbs. The program is very expensive and unless you are doing a lot of resoration, or trying to impress your wife it would probably be better to take the photo to a professional. My wife does use the program and I use it to size my photos for my forum posts. Cheers Brian

I've had really good luck with a photo lab here in Ontario. They will take a photo in any condition scan it and do the "repairs" and new background all in the computer. Once it is the way you want it they can then print it on photographic paper and it looks like it was taken yesterday. The advantage of this is you don't actually do anything to the original photo itself thereby doing no further damage. In one case a photo we had was in pieces with a lot of background lost. The lab was able to produce a new photo with all of the restoration. The original is in an envelope still in pieces. They use a "photoshop-like program and a computer system to die for. I'm sure you can find such a photo lab in your area if you look. Good luck with your project. Cheers Brian

I think we have all gone through this stage in our collecting. We can not allow ourselves to fall into the trap of wanting what we can not have as this will spoil any enjoyment we might get from this hobby. I consider myself a bottom feeder of sorts when it comes to what I can afford. Sure I would love to own a Victoria Cross or the Blue Max (I think there's some on eBay at this every moment) but we have to find happiness in what our finances will allow. Bottom line is that if you are collecting at any level it is obvious that you have expendable cash. There are a lot of people who can not afford their rent and at the same time food for their table. Not to get preachy but we are all a part of an elete group of individuals who have the time and resources (no matter how modest) to engage in a hobby. And what a hobby!!! Embrace it and enjoy the rush. Cheers Brian

Hello Henry, One of my favourite subjects and some very nice furniture indeed. I can hardly wait to see more. Cheers Brian

This last image shows the medal with the overseas service Maple Leaf clasp and the Hong Kong clasp. Thanks for taking a look and I hope I've given you some new information. Cheers Brian

Here is the reverse of the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal showing the Canadian national arms. Brian