Brian Wolfe

Hello Everyone, I have just made a pretty good trade for some medals and once again I have ventured into an area I know nothing about. The trade included two medals that were listed as Polish. One I found the identification conformation for on this forum and it was the Cross of Merit. I will post it last after I see if I can post this one that I need help with. I have a new computer and I am still learning the new prograns so I hope the attached image gets through. The medal pictured was listed as Poland, Polish Army - 2nd Corps, Army Chaplain Medal for service in WW II. The back is plain and the ribbon is green with two boarder stripes of red. The cross is red enamel. Is this indeed Polish and is the rest of the information accurate? Is there any other information you can tell me about this medal? Any help with the identification of this medal is greatly appreciated. Cheers Brian

A very powerful and moving sculpture. I liked the darker photos as it brings out a whole deeper feeling in the viewer. Well, at least for me. Thank you for showing this dramatic piece. Cheers Brian

Please allow me to state my thanks for your post as well, it was quite informational. I would like to hear more about Peru's involvment. Cheers Brian

Now I am drooling! What a great cabinet. Let me see.... buy the cabinet and sleep in the garage or pass on the purchase and stay warm this winter. Considering Canadian winters I guess I'll go for the warmth. It would be a nice cabinet to have all the same. Cheers Brian

I really hate you guys! No, not really. I must say that most of my collection is stored in ways that would make a curator ill. I have some in oak display cases and the medals are on coloured felt. It seems like everything I have done breaks some conservation rule. However, I have been storing and displaying medals and other artifacts in this manner for well over 30 years and have not noticed any damage. Except for the blue tone that some silver medals get over time. Please don't stand me up against a wall and shoot me, or worse make me go to an opera. It's just that I have never found any of my "bad" habits to have caused any injury. Like most of you I look at my collection quite often (my wife just rolls her eyes) and I think I would have seen damage over the years. I'm not saying that makes me right I am just saying that perhaps there is too much fuss made about things that don't matter a great deal. Now that statement will get me shot! At the moment I am building a drawer unit with 30 drawers that are 3/4 of an inch deep to house my collection. When I am finished I will post some photos. Warning, it will be made of pine and have felt in the drawers. Oh yes, it is also ugly. Cheers Brian

Hi Ed, I just replaced my burned out computer today after a couple of days without one and what a great post to find on the top of my unread list! Very nice indeed and please do show more of the documents. Cheers Brian

Hi Rick, I forgot to add what the rank of Gashiratori, mentioned in my last post, was all about. I knew when pressed "Add Reply" I had forgotten something. The listing, or rankings, of the swordsmiths of this era, which is the Shinto era, was the same as the rankings for Sumo wrestlers. Swordsmiths such as yours were the senior, older and established swordsmiths and were given honourary ranks. These ranks were, Gyoji, Gahsiratori and Sewanin. Other less well known smiths were separated into two areas, the east and the west blocks. Within these "blocks" the smiths were also ranked. It would seem that the honourary rankings were based more on how high the smith was held in society's opinion rather than the quality of the blade. I think it would go without saying that a smith with a sepcial ranking would produce a superior blade , otherwise he would be in risk of finding himself in the east or west block rankings. Rather like being send down to the minor leagues from the pros. That is just my opinion and may only be worth the origami it's written on. Cheers Brian

Hi Rick, I made a search of my lists of swordsmiths and the only mention of anyone named Tomita was Tomita Sukehiro who was a Gendai Swordsmith with the rank of Gashiratori. Gendia blades were made in the traditional manner from 1868 to 1945 with the bulk of the blades made in the 1930's and 40's. Tomita Sukehiro's forge was in Toyko. Many, though not all, blades of this era were signed. I will continue to search my records for any other mention of a smith named Tomita though I don't expect to find one. These are still very well made blades esprcially compaired to the NCO Shingunto that were machine made during this same period. I hope this is of some help. Cheers Brian

Very nice shingunto. I've found the cords and knots harder to find here in Canada than the swords themselves. Cheers Brian

Very nice blade indeed. Furniture comes and goes but the blade is what is important. Good luck with the translation. When you do get it translated I hope you will share with the rest of us Japanese sword collectors, I for one am very interested in knowing what is on the tang. Cheers Brian

Hi Rick, Nice blade. Can you show it in its entirety? Just remember to never, never, never try to clean the tang. The "rust" is as important to the identification of the blade as the blade's shape etc. Of course that takes an expert, which I am not. Cheers on your great find. Brian

Hello Everyone, I used to collect TR many decades ago as a youth but had to sell due to financial problems later on. I have never gotten back into the collecting of TR but have retained my interest in that period of history. I think if I had more cash and time I would dive right back in. Now I collect Imperial German, Canadian and British WW I as well as the Republic of India and Pakistan. As you can imagine collecting in too many fields means there is little money to go around. I think the question "why collect TR" could be asked of any area of collecting. To hold any piece of history in your hands brings history to life for me. What soldiers went through during any war and on any side is something that makes one pause and think. At least I hope it make one think. I don't believe any time in modern history has witnessed the pageantry and awe inspiring spectical of the TR. I once asked a former member of the SS who joined after his country fell to the Germans why he would do such a thing. He told me that unless you had witnessed the German Army marching through your village, their jack booted goose-steps literally making the ground shake, that you have no idea what a great impression it had on a young man. This lad who seldom saw a gas powered vechicle in his village experienced tanks and columns of soldiers that seemingly went on forever leaving him with the impression that this was the most powerful force that had ever and would ever be. There's a lot more to his story and his decision but I think you get the point. Well history sure pulled the plug on old Adolf and his 1000 year dream. If the other collectors are anything like me we each have our small private military museums where history, TR and others, lives on for future generations of collectors. Good hunting. Cheers Brian

HI Ed, Stupid Police Medal I've read some of your other posts regarding the police medal and I could not help but to laugh when I read this one. I don't have a ribbon for this medal. I'll PM you regarding it. Many thanks and again thanks for the laugh. Cheers Brian

Many thanks Ed. Now I can look for the medal to go with the ribbon. It's usually to other way around. Cheers Brian

Hello everyone, I just received a Police Special Duty with a Punjab bar. The topic title may be a bit misleading as the medal came from a seller in England while the medal originated in India. I didn't show the medal as I am sure this is the wrong ribbon and I didn't want to take the chance of confusing anyone as to the correct medal for the ribbon (and vice versa). The ribbon has white boarders then two navy blue stripes with a central stripe of crimson. The material has a very synthetic (I hope that is the correct spelling) feel to it and looks quite modern in manufacture. When the light is just "right" the navy blue stripes look steel blue, almost charcoal, in colour. Anyone hazard a guess as to what the ribbon is? Thanks for any help you can give me. Cheers Brian

Here is a photo of the "side" of the ball. The ball weighs just over a kilogram (150 grams). I'm not sure what that is in Imperial measure. Darn metric scale! I hope someone can shed some light on this mystery. Many thanks. Brian

Hello Everyone, You know how there are those things you keep saying you want to add to your collection someday but never get around to it? Well, besides an army tank and a cannon I have always wanted a cannon ball. I know they are not all that expensive but I never gotten around to buying one. Finally my son-in-law bought me one. The "cannon ball" that he purchased is not round as I would have expected. It is rather flattened as may be seen in the photos. I attended an antiques fair early this summer and a deal offered me one much like this one and said that it was part of a canister round. He said that these were stacked in some sort of canistered and the effect was much like a giant shot gun. I didn't purchase that ball because I didn't know enough about it to be sure I wasn't being taken to the cleaners. What are your thoughts about this ball? One good thing about it is it sure won't roll off the desk and crush any toes! Cheers Brian

Hi Joel, A very nice find indeed. Many years ago I had several different Imperial German fighting knives in my collection. This was "back in the day", as they say, when prices were still quite reasonable for such knives. Even back then a mint example was rare. I sold off that collection and have regretted it ever since. What a great start to any future additions to this collection! Cheers Brian

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so". -Douglas Adams Keeps Generals and Divorce Lawyers in business! Cheers Brian

Hi Coolldad, Nice Nambu. It is in quite good condition as well. Thanks for sharing the photos. Cheers Brian

Hi RedMaestro, Those are a couple of nice items. I especially liked the medical kit, it still has the Kanji script intact. It would be great to get a translation. I hope you can verify the signature on the flag, what a piece of WW II memorabilia. Cheers Brian

Hi Cooldad, I would really like to see the Nambu, if you have the time please post it. I've always wanted one but the prices and availability of them here in the North kept me without one. Cheers Brian

Hi Cooldad, That is one great "corner". I sold off my sword collection several years ago but held onto the Japanese blades. Once you own one (or more) you never look at edged weapons the same way again. Very, very nice display. Cheers Brian

Hello Everyone, These photos and other photos of children involved in war anywhere in the world makes me remember how safe my little world (Canada) has been. Great photos, many thanks for posting them. Cheers Brian

Don't forget, they're great collectables. Cheers Brian