IrishGunner

We have a complete dossier if you are interested...

Well, I did make a decisive bid and ended up paying almost 5 times what I normally would for a sterbebild, but it is interesting. I'll post it when it arrives... And I let a few others go ... not willing to contribute too much to inflation

Here we go again. A few photos I'm bidding on today are already 2-3 times what they really should be...

Thank you, gentlemen. I would have never gotten Hussar.

I can't remember if I've posted this photo before, but now that I have a better scanner, I thought I'd post it and see if we can confirm this Feldwebel has the Mecklenburg-Schwerin Militärverdienstkreuz? Also, maybe get an ID on his regiment?

This looks like a "73" to me... Füsilier-Regiment Feldmarschall Prinz Albrecht von Preußen (Hannoversches) Nr.73 "Gibraltar" is clear even if only half visible.

My contribution...along with his EK2 ribbon and wound badge. I'm not sure of his regiment however... My notes for some reason have possibly Husaren-Regiment König Humbert von Italien (1. Kurhessisches) Nr. 13 His buddy is clearly from Infanterie-Regiment Graf Werder (4. Rheinisches) Nr.30

A Gefreiter from Leib-Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich Wilhelm III (1. Brandenburgisches) Nr.8

Start off with a Feldwebel from the Grenadier-Regiment Graf Kleist von Nollendorf (1. Westpreußisches) Nr.6 Medals - Allgemeines Ehrenzeichen; 1870/71 Medal; 1897 Zentenarmedaille; Dienstauszeichnung

Photos of groups of wounded soldiers with nurses are quite common; let's see a few... This one got my attention because of the beer! A nice shot of an EK1 winner as well. Difficult to determine regiments except for the fellow getting his glass topped off by the nurse... Infanterie-Regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1. Westfälisches) Nr.13

Bayr. Landwehr Fußartillerie-Bataillon Nr. 3 Kanonier Hugo Meyringer, 1. Battr., Brauerei-besitzer; a brewery owner...the brewery still carries his name:

Bayr. Fußartillerie-Bataillon 33 Gefreiter Josef Welle, 1. Battr.

Bayr. Fußartillerie-Bataillon 26 Kanonier Jakob Obermeier, 5. Battr

Bayr. Fußartillerie-Bataillon 25 Obergefreiter Martin Oswald, 2. Battr; MVK3KrX

Bayr. Fußartillerie-Bataillon 10 Michael Dietl, 2. Battr

Bayer. Reserve-Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 1 Vizefeldwebel Ludwig Endl, 1. Battr; EK2 MVK3KrX Gefreiter Georg Zauner, 3. Battr

Kgl. Bayer. 3. Fußartillerie-Regiment Fahrer Joh. Biendl, 13. Battr

Kgl. Bayer. 2. Fußartillerie-Regiment Reservist Alois Wurzer, 6. Battr

Kgl. Bayer. 1. Fußartillerie-Regiment vakant Bothmer Fahrer Josef Riesenberger, 7. Battr; KIA Verdun Kanonier Ferdinand März Kanonier Josef Kuchenbaur; 4. Battr

A very interesting story and twist of fate.

Still no ideas, guys?

Well, I will have to admit, that was pretty clever. I see all that indirect fire (read artillery) experience from your days as a mortarman have improved your intellect from that of the average infantryman.

Hugh, I also immediately thought of the similarity to the Wiederholungspange on the Austro-Hungarian Tapferkeitsmedaille, but also have no verifying reference.

I'm not so sure about this... I think there are more collectors. And unfortunately, those "more collectors" are less educated on the topic. Thus, driving prices to unrealistic levels. I really only buy post cards or sterbebilder from eBay. I also frequent several dealer sites (although some of those also sell on eBay). Medals - almost nothing ever appears worthwhile on eBay. You are right - a bunch of crap there; however, I reminded of a watching a friend of mine getting treasures from a real crap hole. In the mid-80s I was posted to Fort Bliss, Texas. Across from our HQ building they were digging some new trenches for pipes. One day, we saw our squadron S3 digging around in the piles of dirt and pulling out "stuff". He came back with boxes of items, including rotting documents and uniform items. They all stunk of "crap". Turned out, the digging had unearthed the garbage of a former WW2 POW camp for Germans that was at Fort Bliss. He was a militaria collector and now had pulled from the crapper a lot of German medals, documents etc. So, sometimes treasure can be pulled from crap if you know what you are looking for... Thus, I still buy from eBay. But only what I know to be worthwhile. A single sniff of doubt or crap, and I'm not buying.

There have always been dealers buying items to re-sell. The re-sellers charge exponentially higher prices because: 1) They have to make a profit off the original high price they paid; and 2) people are paying these crazy prices. A symptom of what I think we've already said. As for fakes; I suppose it's possible in the strictly photo area (more likely WW2), but it's really difficult I think to fake a Photo Post Card. What you do have to watch out for are modern re-prints of photos, esp WW2, I got burnt only one time in 10 years for the tune of $5.