Brian Wolfe

Looks like everyone thinks the same about these caps and I must add my praise as well.

Nice addition Paul.

Regards

Brian

Thanks Stuart and thanks to your friend.

That is starting the close in on a date (1895 - 1900).

That would place it around the Boer War era.

Regards

Brian

Hello nazfrank,

Looks like the Kurz Seitengewehr 98 or KS98, 1901.

It was the original small sawback bayonet in the German service and produced from 1900 to 1935.

The scabbards were all steel.

The one you have looks to have had the saw teeth removed which was a common practice as WWI wore on. It was best known as being carried by the machine gun formations and was extended to the air-ship units (Luftschiffe) as well.

I almost forgot. This fits the Mauser Model 1898 rifle.

I hope this is of some assistance.

Regards

Brian

Research material: Bayonets of the World, Paul Kiesling, Volumn One, item #133.

Brian,

I think your medal bar is most likely to a German. The 1914-18 German Honour Cross takes precedence on this bar, not to mention the German mounting style. Germans could apply for the First World War Commemorative Medals from Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria. Not everyone was fortunate enough to be bestowed an Iron Cross or its equivalent...but these commemorative medals could be requested by those who did take part in the War. A nice pair!

Regards

Matt

Thanks Matt,

That makes perfect sense.

I'm going to post some items on the Independent India section to give you fellows, who are interested in Imperial German medals, a break from all of my questions.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Regards

Brian

It is not but be careful with this site.

demir

Hi demir,

Is the site contaminated with a computer virus or is it full of faked material?

I didn't look at it in case there is a virus.

Regards

Brian

Hello,

the mini-medal bar belonged to a Hungarian soldier.

Austrian version had a different medal:

Many thanks avadski,

I do have a lot to learn.

I have one of these in my collection and always thought it was Austrian.

Regards

Brian

This is a view of te back of the mount.

Regards

Brian

Hello Everyone,

Still pretty new to this Imperial German Medals thing but I took a chance on this pair as they looked good to me.

I believe them to be original and both are combat service medals to an Austrian. I believe the medal to the right is Austrian so it seemed to me to make sense that the group would belong to an Austrian soldier.

I hope you like them, I certainly do.

Regards

Brian

Two very interesting threads, Brian. I would say that the Birmingam Long Service is perfectly correct - and it answers a question I have often thought about. This is the first I have seen with a ribbon - usually they are just the little badge with the oak leaf - I suppose it was left to Chief Constables and their Watch Committees as to if they added a pin and bar. With all of these earlier items it was always a matter of cost. Early decorated truncheons cost 1/6d to add the Force name.....

The photograph is also an historic item - as you say ,right at the start of WW1 and the Special War Constabulary. I'm actually surprised that they took the trouble to have a group photograph - probably organised by the Specials themselves.

Hi Mervyn,

I was aprehensive about the ribbon as well. I checked with Kevin and he verified it was authentic and even sent me a photo of one in his own collection.

I was really interested that the medal was named, but that the ribbon was 100% in keeping with the medal was the icing on the cake so-to-speak.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Specials were indeed the ones who organized the photo session. I agree that this is a true historic photo plus that it is "officially" titled and dated removes all doubt as to its age. Always better then a hand-written note on the back of the photo.

Regards

Brian

Hello Mervyn,

I was just "surfing" through some back posts and ran onto this one of yours. I don't know how I missed it the first time around.

What a great grouping! Thanks for posting it, my day has been made.

Regards

Brian

Now about those Japanese Swords I have... :whistle:

Hello Mike,

My hat is off to you for such a great effort.

I too hope the "suckers" will read your submission on eBay and steer clear of these traps.

It seems that there is always a new scam on the horizon to steal money from those who are uneducated and/or unaware; you've covered off both of those catagories in your article.

Very well done.

Now as to my map to El Dorado...

Regards

Brian

I don't think there is any doubt about the rifle being the Lee Metford Mk II or Mk II* (but that detail is not clear in the photos), however here is another close up view anyway.

Thanks again for any help you can give me.

Regards

Brian

In this photo I've tried to show the sword more closely as well as the rifle.

Here's the officer to the left of the photo.

One of the photos coming up shows the sword closer as well as the Lee Metford.

Here's a closer view of the officer to the right of the photo showing the sword.

This is as close as I can go without the loss of detail.

Hello Everuyone,

I purchased a photo of a group of militia that was labelled as Toronto Militia 1887.

I know the date is incorrect as it shows the Lee Metford Mk II Rifle that was not adopted until 1895. I would wager that the photo would have been taken even after this date due to the time it would have taken to supply Canadians; if indeed this is a Canadian Reiment.

The swords carried by the officers look to be the pattern of sword issued to Rifle Brigades from 1834 to 1895.

I can not make out the hat badges otherwise this mystery would be easier to solve. If this is Canadian perhaps the shape of the hat badge is a clue but not one I can decipher.

Ill post several close ups with the hope it will help.

Thank you for any assistance you can give me.

Regards

Brian

Here is a closer view of the whole group.

These would have been the first to have recieved the Special Constabulary Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, I would think. As well as the Nation Medal they would have, or could have, recieved the Metropolitian Special Constabulary 1914 Medal. Please correct me if I am wrong in this assumption.

I hope you like the photo.

Regards

Brian

You may have to use the Ctrl + keys for a closer look as the photo didn't come out any larger when it was posted. Just use the Ctrl - keys to get back to the normal size.

Hello Everyone,

I received this photo a couple of weeks ago but the weather was not sunny (nor warm) enough to photograph it ouside. My set up inside is brutal when it comes to glare on photos.

This is a photo of the Metropolitian Special Constabulary. Sub."UY" Div. thaken in 1914.

Below the photo is has written, WICKSTEED & PALMER on the left side and 109 CHEAPSIDE, E.C. on the right side.

The commanding officers are named but telling exactly who is who is difficult.

In case it is not clear enough here are the names:

S.A.E. Towersey (Sub.-Divisional Inspector).

F.J. Tatham (Sub-Inspector)

H. Cresswell (Sub-Inspector

Sergeants Dedman, Ward, Ross, Hagell, Crisp, Johnson.

Too bad the two Boy Scouts are not named. Would these two little fellows be employed by the force to run errands or messages of some sort?

Regards

Brian

This is a closer look at the belt buckle which might be the best, in not only, clue to the force this officer served with.

Thanks again for your help.

Regards

Brian

This is a closeup of the collar number, too bad the collar badge is not shown better, though it looks to have been fairly thick as it seems to stand out quite a bit from the surface of the collar itself.

Hello Everyone,
While trolling through a local Antiques Mall lately I "caught" this small cabinet photo of a police officer that I am assuming is British.
I believe the collar number is 1588 and I am assuming he is Britiah due to the St. John's Ambulance badge on his left arm and the general look of the officer's uniform. This is a metal St. John's badge that predated the cloth patch, which I beleive has now been discontinued all together in some, if not all, British police services. I've been told (relying on memory only) that the Met. wore their whistles in the breast pocket and not tucked into the tunic as in this photo, if that is accurate then it would eliminate the Met. as a possible service.

I've tried to include the best photo possible of the belt buckle and I'd say it is as good as the original photo for clairity. Perhaps the general design of the buckle will be enough for some of the more seasoned police collectors within our membership to make an identification. Also if there is an opinion as to the era in which this officer served I would greatly appreciate hearing it.

Thanks for any assistance you can give me.
Regards
Brian

1.- 18.3 gr- weight is too high. "At the lower end of the scale is 16 grams. However, it is important to note that no example weighed over 17.6 grams"- http://www.medalnet.net/Iron_Cross_1870.htm

2. - the dimensions also are not ideal .....

3. - strange the number "7"...

Hello barzda,

What I do not understand is that you asked for opinions and the members seem to me to be saying that this is genuine. Yet you seem to be supporting the idea that is is not genuine. If you are convinced it is a fake then either don't purchase it or if you have purchased it ask for your money back.

No offence to "medalnet" but what makes this person an expert conpaired to any one of the more seasoned collectors on this forum? I'd take the advice of the membership here at GMIC as gospel and if you don't want to accept their opinions then don't keep the medal. Does any one person know all there is to know about a subject and a process that occurred perhaps a hundred years before they were born? Is the "weight issue" a critical matter or are the weights for genuine crosses simply a guideline?

If your response after my post was an answer to my question then I am still at a loss. I'm hoping that the same membership, whom you are not inclined to believe, will enlighten me as to what the "9th bead fake" is about. Also by your images are you trying to show poor soldering or exactly what are you trying to show?

Please don't take this as a criticism, I'm just trying to learn from this post for the day when I may be trying to add one of these crosses to my own collection.

Regards

Brian

Hi Bob,

Nice collection and an impressive display.

Thanks for posting the image.

Regards

Brian

This is right up there with maps to El Dorado.

I am surprised to see these on eBay as we all know if it's on eBay it must be 100% genuine, like all of those Pour le Merite

decorations I've been going to bid on.

P.T. Barnum would be proud.

Regards

Brian

Hello Everyone,

I've been following this post since it began with the hope of learning more about the Iron Cross in gereral and I have not been disappointed. Having said that, I am still a bit confused. Regarding post #17, is this meant to show the soldering of the two halves of the frame? If so, what are the concerns? I read the link and found it very informative indeed and the soldering looks alright to me. Perhaps there is a detail regarding the ribbon ring's connector which is attached to the cross frame?

Also, I am really confused by the term "9th bead fake". I tried to count the number of beads in the crowns shown in the link but I was unable to figure out exactly what this anomaly is. Sorry for being "thick" this morning but could someone please enlighten me as to what is being referred to?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

So much to learn so little time.

Regards

Brian