Brian Wolfe

Hi 'jonightflyer Nice Japanese flag, I think you have it up side down though. Since each soldier would get his flag signed by his own friends or perhaps his priest each flag becomes an individual piece of art. I believe the stains on my flag are caused by sweat rather than blood. Cheers Brian

Hi Joel, I have some Japanese swords that I will be posting at a later date. A couple date to the 1650s but most are WW II. They go well with the flags (I also have the Imperial Army rayed flag but not framed). Thanks for your comments. Cheers Brian

Hello All, Here is my Imperial Japanese flag that has been covered in Kanji messages. The flag measures 32 inches in lenght and 26 inches in width and is silk. I have tried to figure out what has been written on the flag and all I have so far is the large symbols along the top figured out. Basically it is a wish for as long and shinning career in the military. The other writings I am told are similar in content. The styles of Kanji include formal, flowing and stylish. I have been told that young Japanese soldiers would purchase these flags and then have well- wishers sign them for luck. Because the helmets of the day had very poor padding these flags were often folded and stored in the helmet both for luck and added comfort. This may not be fact but that was what I have been told. I had to photograph the flag from an angle as my beer fridge and I were in the photo when I took it straight on. Cheers Brian

Hi Tom, No the dealer who was selling perhaps a dozen or more at the time only had the knives to offer. Cheers Brian

Hi Ed, It didn't look like the ones I've seen from the WW II period. If you run your fingers along the fullers it feels slightly wavy as if there are hand forged marks left on the blade. These are slight but you can feel them. Cheers Brian

Hi Tom, The whole knife is 16 1/4 inches in length with the blade being 11 1/2 inches. Cheers Brian

Hello All, I had a couple of Kukri knives that I purched several years ago and I was wondering if anyone would happen to know the age of the one I still have. I traded the other kukri for the Afganistan 1881 medal I posted photos of earlier this evening. It was a good trade as when I purchased these they were selling for $25 - $30 each depending on the condition. This one has two "fullers" running down the blade, I would guess for added strength and to lighten the massive blade. There are no markings on this weapon to denote government ownership. Any ideas as to age? Cheers Brian

Hello All, I sent the reverse of this medal by mistake. Here is the obverse of the Afganistan 1881 medal to 1598 Pte. G. Burch, 8 Bde/158 51st Regt. I really do like the reverse of these older medals, I guess that's why I send the reverse first. Cheers Brian

Hello All, I want to show off my Afganistan 1881 medal named to 1598 Pte. G. Burch, 8Bde/158, 51st Regt. that I got in trade for a kukri last year. Cheers Brian

Hello fellows, The sword hilt was broken off by the farmer's plough (a.k.a. plow) and was lost before I owned it. I hope this shows up in the photos. The tip does not appear to be shortened or if it was it was done by someone who knew what they were doing as the fuller tapers out short of the tip. I would think that if it were shortened the fuller would extend all the way to the tip much like the WW I British bayonets that were shortened as trench fighting knives. I have a Japanese sword c.1650 that was shortened and until I was shown that the hamon when through to the tip I was not aware it had been shortened. So, I could be wrong about this one as well. I have used a pencil in the photo to indicate where the fuller stops.

Hello Ed, In our family we always referred to them as "our Irish cousins". We had family on both sides of the boarder and still do. I like to think of them as Freedom Fighters at least in their own minds. If my cousins were indeed terrorists of their day they are American tourists today. Cheers and a tip 'o' the hat to you. Brian

Hello James, Sorry, I only have the medal roll book. Perhaps a quick email to the National Archives in Ottawa would uncover some answers. Cheers Brian

Hello Rick, The blade is 28 inches long and I do not believe is has been shortened. The fuller tapers out several inches from the tip. Going from what I have read this could very well be a naval sword as the Fenians were stock piling arms for some time before their "invasion" of Canada and they were purchasing these arms from many sources. A lot of the weapons had seen service in the American Civil War. If you need one any old hacker will do in a pinch. Cheers Brian

Hello all, I have posted a couple of medals from the Fenian Raids era today and I wanted to wrap up by showing what I believe to be a sword used in the Battle of Pigeon Hill Quebec, Friday 8, June 1866. I purchased this over 40 years ago (I was a teenager) and I was told, after I made the purchase, that it was a battle field find from Pigeon Hill Quebec. I paid only $5.00 for it at the time and tagged it with the information and put it away. I was, at the time, caught up in collecting anything military and paid little attention to it until quite recently when my wife purchased a Fenian Raid 1866 medal as a gift for me. I have had quite a few swords and other militaria over the past 40 years come and go but always held onto this old rusty piece of history. I'm very happy that I did. I believe it to be a Fenian sword in that I don't recognize it as British. From what I have read the Fenians purchased weapons from many different suppliers. If anyone knows more about this type of sword from the basic shape please let me know. The hand guard is missing and the leather has peeled back from the wooden handle which shows evidence of rot from being in the ground. The blade is heavily rusted but has stabilized and I don't think any further damage will be done. The blade is 28 inches in length. I posted this under Swords & Edged Weapons so that it would not be in conflict with the Medals section. Cheers Brian

Wow! That's great Kevin. Many thanks Cheers Brian

Oops, I was so excited about posting images I totally forgot to include the name and bar. The medal is named to, Pte. J. HODGSON Como R. Co. The bar is the Fenian Raid 1866. Pte. Hodgson is listed in the book "Canada General Service Medal Roll 1866 - 70" by John R. Thyen (page 166). Many thanks to Ed for pointing out my ommission. Cheers Brian

Hello, Now that I have figured this photo thing out I am posting more of my limited Fenian Raid collection. OK, so my wife figured this out and wrote it down for me. This is a bronze Veteran's Association medal dated 1866 so I though it fit quite well into this section of my collection. I took several photos and this is the best of the lot. Sorry it is not better. The medal has an image of Queen Victoria on a maple leaf with the wording Veteran's Association 1866 around the Queen's image. The reverse is not marked or named. The ribbon is quite fragile and I think original. The medal itself is very worn and I would expect that the veteran wore it with pride for many years. I feel that it fits in my Fenian Raid collection as what else would the Veteran's Association of 1866 have to talk about? That's a retorical question of course. If anyone knows more about this item I would like to here back from you. Cheers Brian

Hello Chaps, As my first attempt at a post with photos I have selected one of my favourite items from my small Fenian Raid collection. This was a medal that my wife purchased for me as a birthday present. At that time she paid $300.00 CDN for it so that gives you an idea of how long ago that was. I added the minerature medal a couple of years ago and it is a contemporary striking and cost as much as the full sized medal. I also have a Veterans Association medal dated 1866 and a battle field find sword found at Pigeon Hill Que. I will attempt to post those as well after I see if this post is successful. I hope you like them. Cheers Brian

Greeting all, A fake in my collection!!!? Well, there goes the neighbourhood! Now, anyone have any prime swamp land they want to sell me? Many thanks to all who have helped to uncover this fraud. Cheers Brian

Hello fellows, I'm sorry but my software will not allow me to post any photos at this time. I will have to play with this darn computer on the weekend to see if I can figure out the magic formula. My pin is flat and it has the letters ARAD not AKAD. It has a pin on the back and the wording, HOFFSTATTOR/BONN around the top edge and CES CESCH along the bottom. I agree with the consensus that 1944 was not the best of time for the Axis and further any join conferences would be unlikely. I've seen a lot of old artifacts and the one I have sure looks like it has been around since the time stated on the front (1944). There is a patina to it that would be very difficulr to artificially produce. I wonder if it was manufactured well in advance of the proposed conference that never took place. I am reminded of a British Service Corps collar dog I have with King Edward VIII on it. I will keep trying to post photos of this pin, as frustrating as the exercise is to someone of advancing age. Cheers Brian

I just noticed that the word "AKAD" on the one in the photograph is "ARAD" on mine. Cheers Brian

Hello fellows, I have one of the round types and while I don't collect Nazi German items I do think mine is the real deal. I purchased it or got it in trade (long time ago, short memory) and put it with some odds and ends of German items. The eagle is more like the example in the diamond shaped specimen and the Nazi symbol in the small circle is missing the white enamel but is on a black background and not the white as in your photo. The date is 1944 and the number in the boarder is 6 rather than 4 as in your photo. Mine is showing what I believe actual age and not artificial aged. The overall colouration of mine is rather dark and not like-new. The areas that I believe were white are now a copper colour. I've always wondered what these were issued for but since I don't collect German I just filed it away under "etc." in my collection. If anyone knows what these were given out for I would like to know. Cheers Brian P.S. It would not be the first time I've been fooled.

Hello Larry, I have no idea what CT would stand for either but I can vouch for the seller. I have purchased several medals from him in the past year both on line and privately and have been 100% satisfied. In fact the bulk of my India collection was purchased from him. You can always reasearch the medal later, knowing that it's the real deal. Cheers Brian

I've seen these before and often though that they were a odd topic for an item to be made out of china. I can't help with the history of the item but it is interesting to look at a WW I tank and think that when this piece was manufactured such tanks were the leading edge of military technology. Compaired with today's tanks they were lumbering targets for the German gunners. I think the Germans called them "Tommy Roasters". But still they were the Stealth Bombers of their day. Cheers Brian