Brian Wolfe

This is what I think would be the elevating device. I guess you would have to move the whole cannon to fire to the right or left. There seems to be a lot of metal reinforcement pieces on the carrige. This must surely be a replacement carrige but it's good to see that everything is either original or at least place back on the restored carrige. Brian

This photo shows the name and also a bit of the elevating device. Brian

Here is a photo of one of the cannons showing the touch hole and part of the name and date. The writting says, "L&P VERBRUGGEN A.1775 FECERUNT" This is repeated on the second cannon but with the date 1776. Now there's an interesting date (1776). I have not had the time to research the name but I will do so this winter when more time allows. I would and probably should have done so before I posted but I just couldn't wait to show these to the members. Brian

Here is a photo of the War Department mark on the barrel. From this I would take it that these are British and considering the great green patina they must be bronze. I'll try to show the dates and manufacturer's name in other photos. Brian

Hello Everyone, I have held a fasination for cannons and artillery pieces for many years. I must admit that I stopped short of much else and have not taken the time to research and learning about them. My plan now it to visit as many locations displaying these weapons, photographing, documenting and learning more about these deadly instruments of warfare. This autumn we visited my wife's family in Perth Ontario (half way between Kingston and Ottawa) and while there I took a few photos of a pair of cannons that are displayed outside the Court House. They are not large cannons but they look pretty well complete. Take a look a the photos and tell me what you think and add any information you can. I'll revisit this area later and get some research material on them which I will post. I would like to put together a CD of cannon and artillery pieces for my collection since there is no room in either my collection room or my bank account to actually own one of these. I'll describe the photos as I post them. Cheers Brian

Hi Colin, It's funny but our "glass" forums never get into military issues. You are correct though. Cheers Brian

Hi Colin, Good eye. After I posted my "rant" I took another look at the photo and it does look like a glass studio. My wife and I are involved in stained glass work similar to the pieces to the left of the large one that is for sale. Our studio is not as large but we do go to larger studios for our glass and supplies. The computer "games" could be a computer design program like "Glass Eye" that we use. If this is a glass studio it could be that the commissioned window was never fully paid for in the first place. Bad business practices but it happens. If this is the case then the artist has every right to sell his (or her) work in the market place. If this is the work of the seller then we are looking at a true masterpiece. Let's hope it will end up in a place of reverence. Cheers Brian

Easy there guys. I didn't see where this actually came from, was it from a "municipal building"? It has been my experience that Canadian municipalites are quite sensitive to what we owe our soldiers past and present. I also can not believe it came from a church unless it was one with such a small congregation that it was forced to close. Even then I would expect that they would have made sure this had a new home. Could it be that it was commissioned and never donated by the soldier's mother. One last note on my rant. Before you start to talk about fireing and de-pensioning some public servant just remember that it is the politicions who make such decisions and NOT municipal employees. Politicians are like seagulls, they flock in every so often, squawk a lot and crap all over everything and then fly off leaving someone else to clean up. On a more positive note lets hope that some group (even a municipality) sees this auction, purchases the window and provides it with a respectable home. Respectfully Brian

Michael, Ok, I turned right and now my feet are in salty water! Oh, you mean my other right. Cheers Brian

Hello Gordon, Welcome. It has been a few years since I collected edged weapons but if you are not going to keep the sabre I wouldn't bother getting a scabbard made for it. I don't believe it will enhance the value and considering it will not be original to the piece may even distract a potential buyer's interest from the sword itself. Remember that scabbards had furniture such as the drag at the tip and suspension hardware that will not be on a newly-made scabbard. Any chance of a photo? Cheers Brian

Great photo. By the time I would have found the correct setting and button on the camera the RPG would have hit the target and the trouper would have been in the pub celebrating! Cheers Brian

Gentlemen, I've read your posts with interest and let me say that you are to be congratulated on your gentlemanly behavior throughout this matter. It is a pleasure to belong to this forum. Cheers to you all. Brian

The First World War was truly brutal, as is any war. I have read that soldiers in the trenches would use human leg bones, stuck in the sides of the trench, as a coat hook. It would seem that many people become somewhat desensitised to the horrors that surrounded them. I've seen several of these so called hate belts over the years and I was always of the impression that they represented souvenir hunting as opposed to a kill tally. Certainly these "captured insignia" would not have been worn on an official belt that would ever be worn with a uniform. Without giving away personal details, I can recall an RSM offering to wear a portion of my lower anatomy on his key chain due to one undone button. So I could imagine what would happen if one was to show up with this hate belt on parade. One that was offered by a dealer at a show I attended a while back had several hat badges and buttons affixed to it. These consisted of German as well as Canadian and British insignia. So I guess this is not a statement as much as a question. Were these items, for the most part, the product of souvenir hunting rather than actual kill counting and then were given a name (Hate Belt) that didn't really accurately describe what they were. I'm thinking along the lines of the "Memorial Plaque/Death Penny". Cheers Brian

In reading all of your posts I'm reminded of a saying regarding movies, "I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me." At first I thought I knew what was being said then I got completely confused (not speaking any German) but as usual in the end I learned a lot. I'll have to keep a watch for that "middle" size that until now I didn't know existed. Funny, I read the post "suggested" before and missed this fact completely. Thanks agian fellows. Cheers Brian

At last, here is a shot of the bottom. Sorry it has taken me a while to post all of the photos. I am using Photo Shop on my computer and there are a lot of steps to follow for each photo. Thanks for any help you can give me in the identification. Cheers Brian

Here is a shot of some of the markings.

Here the other side showing HRH King George VI.

Hello Everyone, A friend has given me a piece of Trench Art he picked up in the UK this summer. It is a lighter and was made during or just after WW II. As the photos show it has coins with both HRH King George V and HRH King George VI decorating the lighter. That places the object after WWI and the fuse is marked No. 28 BII PL. 1940. So no question as to age. The piece has been cleaned in the past and there is residue from a liquid cleaner, not unlike Brasso that we can get here in Canada. There was also a red paste-like substance in the grooves that I recognize as jeweller's rouge. I have decided to leave it alone and enjoy the patina that has been gained over the years. I would like to know more about the fuse that was used to make this table lighter. There are graduations around the base and numbering from 5 to 22. There are graduation marks before the number 5 that would seem to indicate the fuse could be set from one to five though no numbers are present. A short fuse is a little scary . Other markings other than those already mentioned are as follows. LOT No. 21 (this number is marked out and the next number is in its place) 29, VAD 7/40 (possibly the date of an inspection?). Down near the base and after the graduation marks is an arrow with the word SAFE marked below it. There are no markings on the bottom. Is this is a fuse for a high explosive shell or perhaps an anti-aircraft round? Your comments would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Brian

Hi Lukasz, Thank you for the information, I will try to do further research through Spink as you have suggested. I realy liked this medal when it came up in an offer during a trade. I got my first two Polish medals at that time and I've added a couple of more since. Cheers Brian

I was also aware of this but never figured I'd run on to one. A friend sent me some ribbons that I needed and the cloth one was in the pack. I knew a High Altitude Service ribbon was coming but expected the paper version. Cheers Brian

Hi Rick, Yes, it is quite off centre. So much so that with the scratches on the reverse I almost missed it as I was looking for a deeper and centered mark. It is also upside down! Cheers Brian

Here is the reverse of the ribbons. Brian

Oops, I forgot to add the photos

Hello Everyone, The Indian High Altitude or Ucchh Tungta Medal 1986 has two different variations of ribbon. One is made of cloth and the other is paper. According to very little research on my part and a lot of research on Ed Hayne's part (http://haynese.winthrop.edu/india/medals/indmed.html) I found out that the cloth version was very expensive to manufacture and they went to a cheaper and easier to produce paper version. This "paper" is quite tough much like some paper currency in use around the world as well as some parking tickets (which I just found out about as well). I was recently able to get my hands on a piece of the cloth version and thought that I would share a couple of photos with the members of these two different versions. The colour of the paper one is a lot darker blue. I'm not sure if this is common but there is a lot of difference in the two ribbons I have. I've taken a photo of the back of the ribbons as well. Does anyone know if this is unique to the High Altitude Medal or is there other paper ribbons used in other countries. I found it quite interesting to find out that paper was used. Many thanks to Ed for all of his work. I would be completely ignorant of India and Pakistan medals without his efforts. Cheers Brian

Hello Everyone, After my post of a couple of weeks ago I have managed to pick up the 2nd and 3rd class Cross of Merit. I was attending an Antiques Fair with my wife and two other couples, none of whom had any interest in medals or military in general. After two hours of looking at glassware and smelly old cupboards that looked like they had fallen off a truck I was getting pretty bored. There were a few dealers with medals but none that I thought had any items that I "needed". My wife says collectors use the word "need" incorrectly. One dealer had the silver Cross, 2nd class and I knew I had to buy it. Again with the misuse of a word, in this case "had". The price was very high and even after some bartering the price we settled on was about 3 time too high. I didn't care bcause I was NOT going home empty handed. A fool and his money! The third class I purchased through an on line auction at a fair price. The obverse is plane except for the 2nd Class which has "KW" stamped on it. I see Rick's has "AZ" so it must be a different manufacturer. I'm not going to clean it as I like the patina. I hope you like the set. Cheers Brian