Jock, I have some WWI saddlery and might be interested in the dated prewar and WWI pieces. Any chance of getting better photos? What condition is the leather in? Regards, Chip
Hardy, Thanks for posting this. I'm continually amazed at these soldiers that made it through multiple war years. You wonder how they held up for so long, both mentally and physically. I'd like to have a nickel for every mile he travelled during the war. The rail lines sure got a workout. Chip
It appears that there was some other insignia on the board before the balloon device was attached. It's not necessarily a bad sign, but it sure is a flag that would prompt further investigation. Are there extra prong holes on the reverse? What metal is the current device made of. I have a reproduced example of this same insignia. I'm not sure this is even the correct colored board for such and insignia. Chip
Kraus says that a Bavarian Kriegs-Ministerium order of 20.11.14 allowed for the creation of an Daunenmantel for officers and Beamten. It was to be worn under the service overcoat. Of course, for temperature conditions that would not require both, I could see it being worn as in the photos, just to take the chill off. It would not have held up as well as an outer coat of wool, especially in the rain and trench conditions. Chip
That cartridge case looks like a 21 cm. I have one and they are not light (solid brass). If you want to see the really big cases, take a look at the Kaiser's Bunker website. He has 30,5, 38 and 42 cm jobs, one of which weights over 100 pounds! Not easy to ship (if you're thinking of buying one!). http://www.kaisersbunker.com/cc/ Chip
Once detailed photos of the front and back of the real ones were put on-line, these better replicas started appearing. I am reluctant to show the reverse of any of my insignia for this reason. Chip
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