Fritz die Spinne

Mighty sweet!

Among my favourite photos, everyday chores, work, tasks, and the like always intrigue me. I have wondered about the nature of the aprons. Are they black, dark grey, or even blue? Was anything akin to Denim possibly used, or is that essentially very American?

I would also gather that a Schuster would likely wear a leather apron, or that a Fleischer could even have a rubberised apron? 

I do some living history, and would like to be able to properly sport an apron if I am cleaning boots or my rifle in public. Thank you!

Very nice. Would like to see more of the harness...

9 hours ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

Very nice... call me insanely jealous!!! I cannot help with the maker ...

Verdammte Scheisse! ~I~ am even more insanely jealous. I have been itching to find a nice one, and that pig maker mark really is top!

Well, if you have to have an early war tag....

A friend just found this in the wilds of West Virginia. I know the device from seeing the Raupenhelm, but this era is not my forte. Any suggestions what it is from are much appreciated. Vielen Dank! 

It is approx 20cm, but he has not given me an exact measurement. 

I was 12 when we passed thru Bucharest, but saw either this museum or one similar in 1979. Great images!

Bayern, thanks, I am aware of the numbering. It is the style I wonder about--would you say the numbers themselves look more Bavarian in construction?

22 minutes ago, Bayern said:

General staff patches for M1910 uniform were crimson . a rather pinkish red . the patch that you shows is for me a General Staff one. 

That confirms what I was told. Thanks. 

Does the enlisted Feldgrau "20" strike you as Bavarian, or is it anyone's guess?

Absolutely craptastic! You sure stepped into something great. There is a Sgt. York park and museum in Tennessee, USA, which includes men doing 82d Infantry Div and Ldw IR 120 reenactment. 

$357 flippin' USD!!! One guy kept chipping away up to the $160 point, then two others duked it out for the final price. Crazy!

I had a girlfriend years ago when eBay allowed everyone to see who was bidding, and she used to get into battles with one other buyer who she ended up having a vendetta against for no reason other than competition. I think the two of them would spend up to $1000 on 1920's cloche hat molds, which are common at $100 and less, because they were both compulsive about winning. 

Attached image here for reference once the listing is gone. Nice badge, but I have passed on some that  only sold for $100

Hallo Andy! Thanks.

Basically I am trying to ID these properly so I can choose what to keep or trade off/sell. 

The Beamter is dirty and deceptive with the original colour, but seems to be a burgundy velvet. I have a single Kragenspiegel I bought  in a close colour that Chip thought was General Staff,  The Beamter has more of what I would call a "dried blood version" of this colour:

The misinformed are the biggest spenders. 

Granted I have gone high on some unit marked stuff, but sometimes getting some extra money from some sales makes my own spending frivolous.  

I got this grouping and wanted to be sure I am identifying them properly. The officer board with green I presume is Saxon, but beyond that, clueless. Jäger, perhaps,, if I am not missing some other possibility. I gather a cypher or number would have really helped.

Bavarian 3 Landwehr or Reserve Infanterie? 

Beamter--anything special or specific?

I know the enlisted 20 is a simplified model.  Do the numbers seem to indicate Bavarian?

Vielen Dank!

I saw a military styled Kinderkrätzchen sell for a significant amount more than an actual issue military Krätzchen. Must be a couple of people who like these and have money who go head to head at auction. 

2 hours ago, ccj said:

Superb photos. I was unaware of the connection between  ImperialGermany and Spain. I suppose this was common among royals. 

Ditto. What is the "scoop" here? Obviously he was connected in some way to more than just IR66. We see German royalty in various uniforms for affiliations, but why Alfonso XIII?

7 hours ago, The Prussian said:

Hello Fritz!

Great collection! Superb! Are you sure, the last two ones were worn by german troops?

Vielen Dank! The influence of the Bavarians on the one insignia, plus the great deal I got on it, led to its purchase. 

14th Army was German led, but primarily consisted of K.u.K. units, to include the 22nd Schützen Div. The German units were primarily from the Bavarian III Korps, with a couple units from Württemburg, as well. There would have been a large Bavarian influence within this Army group.

14. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 14 / A.O.K. 14) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I formed in September 1917 in Krainburg for use against Italy. Its Headquarters was located at Vittorio Veneto from 10 November 1917 until the army was disbanded on 22 January 1918. The 14th Army served on the Italian Front throughout its existence.

The Flieger badge is one I have noted in the attached Bavarian Leiber turned Flieger photo:

Thanks, Andy. When I saw that grouping, I had to wonder.

I am at the point where 3. Armee, Korps Kühne and 215.Inf.Div. are likely to be the end points, at least for now. My two newest here are Korps Marshall and  Armee Pflanzer.

Again, Andy, thanks for inspiring expanding my Bavarian focus to include this little collection.

On 11/26/2017 at 06:05, Chris Boonzaier said:

Thanks to Fritz I have one of these as well now... what is very apparent is that these have exactly the petals of the German Austrian Alpenverein one. I am thinking the same factory, and on some they put the 6 pollen thingies with the initials for the Alpenverein on and on some they had the 6 pollen thingies without the initials... maybe made specially so for the Alpenkorps?

 Good it has arrived. I am glad to see it get a good home, even though it was hard to separate the 'twins.'

Greetings Everyone,

        This grouping including German uniform buttons just sold on eBay. Since several of the Kappenabzeichen shown are identified as being worn by Germans (check marked), what is the likelihood of some of the others also being worn? Andy, I expect you may have some ideas.  

On 11/16/2017 at 00:56, Chris Boonzaier said:

Hi, are the holes in the middle of the two the same size? for some reason the bigger one seems to be a tiony bit smaller? Does it fit on the normal helmet lug?

Yes. Both fit a regular lug.

I retained these images for my Bavarian 10.IR archive, but this is not one I am well versed about. These are for a specific type of uniform, or may just dress up the usual uniform for certain events. I'd gather the 24.IR may have had this simple private purchase type, but is it a Bavarian specific style, or used by other German armies?

Any suggestions for an oversized Bavarian cockade? Shown alongside my only other example--Unteroffizier mit Portepee style in the normal size. This came with some other original cockades for caps and Pickelhauben. Digital often messes with the colours.

Danke!

I know of them worn on the arm for Btn Lichterfelde 15 RW Brig,  which I have noted as being a Freikorps garde sleeve badge prior. That may be slightly garbled from the source comments made on a photo a man showed of his grandfather wearing it, otherwise appearing to be a standard 1918 soldier photo. I  am sure someone can explain it more fully. Hopefully that gives you something to start with.

Just got this--the mix of uniforms and missing shoulder boards and Reichskokarden lead me to think the men are friends post war in a local Verein. There are two cap badges. One appears to be an Edelweiss, perhaps with some movement to the man's head blurring it? The other a more rectangular badge could be the Austrian 21 Korps.