Chip

If you have seen a real one, you know better.

Chip

Marcin,

There were actually a bunch of units that had an "L" Chiffre. The crowned "L's" are always royal initials. The Luftschiffer "L", of course, had no crown above it and was a different style.

Regards,

Chip

Nice photo Andreas! It's good to see one that shows an officer's version. My cloth example is black velvet with silver wire border and letters. It belonged to a Saxon officer. I have a pair of his shoulder boards too.

Chip

Chris,

What does that ammo box have printed on the lid? It's difficult to see it all. I can make out "....für,,,,,,M.G. Munition ". The first and third words are unclear.

Thanks,

Chip.

Do you think that is that a brass or aluminum eagle on the front of that Tropenhelm? I thought only the III.See Batl. wore the aluminum front plate while on duty in China. The other battalions supposedly wore the brass eagle both at home and when overseas.

Chip

Chris, This is pretty common for Hessian troops. It is speculated that the XI.Korps (Prussian Kurhessen) made up for shortages in the XVIII Korps.

Chip

If you already have a drag strap (which I assume you do), then a MG man would be the easiest to build. The gear would just consist of a P08 holster and belt (with buckle). You could throw in a bayonet or a trench knife if you wanted to. Not every MG man qualified for the MGSsA insignia, so you could even leave that out. A Bluse with infantry shoulder straps, trousers, boots, a Halsbinde and helmet would round things out.

Depending on what you envision, I would forget the storm-trooper.

Extra items for an infantry set would be, Tornister with Mantel- and Kochgeschirrriemen, Messkit, Zeltbahn, Zeltbahnzubehörbeutel (with rope, tent poles and pegs), overcoat, cartridge pouches, breadbag, entrenching shovel with Spatentasche, bayonet and frog, bayonet knot, Gew.98 with sling & a canteen. Quite a list with a total cost (if you could find everything) of about $5,000.00.

It's similar to the Württemberg Passanten, only Das Deutsche Heer shows the black line being on the outside and the red to the inside.

Chip

Chris,

Are you telling us you bought it not knowing it was unit marked? Seriously?

Would you show us the maker's stamps on the leather tabs?

According to some expert German buckle collectors, the two-piece buckles (with the applied roundels) in gray are the very earliest ones and just steel extensions of the M95. Supposedly, the later one-piece versions are post 1915.

Chip

Isn't this the book that was going to come out years ago and was based on Marshall Daut's collection, which Malcolm bought? I know many of the things from Marshall's former collection were sold, but supposedly photos of everything were taken and were going to be included in this book.

Chip

The top pair are from the 17th Train Batl. (as in supply train). The Oberleutnant board (if yellow) is from the Feldartillerie Regt. Nr.36 (West Prussian). I believe the Hauptmann board is from the 5.Garde Regiment zu Fuß.

Chip

Jim,

As mentioned on the other forum, I think these are pre-9/21/1915 subdued boards from the Prussian Pioneer Batl.Nr.15.

Chip

And the "other" Oberlt. Vollmer (dR) of the LIR 120. He got intimate with Sgt. York. :D

I was wondering if, considering the shape of the eagle, this might be a piece dating back to the 1870-1890 period...?

That's certainly could be the case, as this eagle does not have the detail and craftsmanship of the last model.

Chip

The artwork on them, for the most part, is outstanding. They make great displays.

Chip

I would imagine that not too many of these were made during wartime. So, you are most likely correct in thinking that it was manufactured before the war. Certainly, they were in the field very early in the war (sans the eagle) and with the eagle for gala and other dress occasions, but I really don't see where there would have been a need for more to be made, given the unit was only regimental in size and that the helmets were replaced with steel helmets at some point.

Charles,

Normally, they are attached to the bayonet frog, not the bayonet. Depending on the length of the strap (many wartime manufactured straps were shorter), the strap was wound around the frog with the "head" of the knot being passed through the loop at the end of the strap. The longer straps could be wound around the frog more than once before passing through the loop, thus keeping the knot from hanging down too low.

Chip

Though this is not clear enough for me to read, I would suggest that the last name would most likely not begin with a lower case letter.

Chip

That's what friends are for! :)

Chris,

I agree with you and that is why I don't like to make definitive statements based on museum identifications, especially when the identifications are made by non-contemporary generations of curators.

Chip

Alec,

Thanks for the confirmation regarding the tag. Did you happen to photograph it or write down the wording? I hesitate to take a non-contemporary's word for it's use. For all we know, the crowned Edelweiß could be a veteran's badge. Until we get some photographic evidence or period documentation, it will remain on the "maybe" list. One thing that I've noticed is that each of these badges that I have seen (only three or four) is in unused condition. It would be nice to see a "worn" example. As I may have mentioned before, the first example that I saw (in the 1980s) of this badge was on a postwar (1920's) Reichsheer universal cap with crushable cloth visor (don't remember the model name). It's the one with the Resedagrün band and piping, similar to the Prussian style wartime Einheitsmütze, only with a visor.

Chip

Here's a gas mask related item you rarely see.....a tag for a mask showing the owner and the dates it was tested.

I have had this item in my WWI collection for some years, but have never had any reference information or confirmation that this is indeed an pre-1919 Bulgarian marksman award. I have several other items that I will post as time permits. Thanks in advance.

Chip

M1824 Garde-Landwehr Kavallerie

Chip

I have another photo of the full card, but as of yet, I have not been able to locate it on my computer. I have way too many photos on my computer!

Chip