IrishGunner

Man, you can almost feel the history of that EK1. Electric.

F.A.B 260 would be FussArtillerie Batterie 260

A really nice card and note in my opinion.

Pretty good condition from the Somme too! :whistle:

I don't have the actual history - thought if you were away from internet and needed something simple, I could do a simple search for you.

When it was worn by Michael Jackson while holding his baby out of a Berlin hotel window?

Something specific you need? Or basic info? I can go a quick search for you if need be...

Yes, a good news story for such a historically significant - unique - group.

Nonetheless, to play devil's advocate; while possible - it is not by any means certain, that the the group would be split if sold to US collectors. As a US collector, I find that part of the article just a bit disingenuous. Just because the items were physically located in the US doesn't mean British collectors - or German - or any nationality - could just as well buy and split the group given the world-wide nature of auction houses etc. Why not just say "collectors" in the article without a modifier?

And even then, I think it's not certain it would be split up; I would expect the price tag would attract a true collector from anywhere in the world who wouldn't even think about splitting.

But that's not the most salient point I'd like to make - it's a double-edged sword for us, isn't it? We see this as good news (and again, I agree in this case it is); however, if families didn't offer their ancestor's awards for sale we'd have almost no hobby would we?

Nicely done - and I was impressed at first with the fish and chips.

I too like that ribbon with the mini-EK device. The look of a real veteran. What song did you have to sing? :whistle:

Splitting a group does not destroy anything but the continuity of the group. You still have a whole helmet or whatever. I agree with Chris - destruction of the document isn't necessary to collect the autograph. It's just simple idiocy. I don't suffer idiots too well.

I'm not an expert, but the 94th Air Squadron patches look a little too well made to my eye to be WW1 era. The 94th has existed since WWI as a unit - and still exists today in the USAF; these could be from a later period or even be souvenir pieces. Considering the lineage and Rickenbacker connection, I'd expect a single original 94th Aero Sqdn WWI era patch to go for more than $70 a piece.

Like I said, I'm not an expert, but I think this falls into the too good to be true category.

Only one I can find online - and it's round. Looks a little more original, but then again; one never knows for sure. (Original site is an auction site with hidden "sold" prices.)

Jens is spot on with the Bavarian identification - the Bavarian artillery didn't go to the ball on the helmet until 1916.

The field piece appears to the be the 7,7cm Feldkanone 96 a/A (alte Art or old type). Most added a shield and a new recoil system in 1904 to become the FK 96 n/A (neue Art or new type). Some 96 a/A remained, but I would guess these were in not in active regiments. The 96 a/A were more likely in Landwehr units; I'm not a Landwehr expert, but this doesn't look like a Landwehr unit to me... So, I'd say one of the 12 Bavarian Feldartillerie regiments and put the date closer to the -5 years that Jens suggests; right around the turn of the century. Definitely pre-war.

And as Jens suggests, probably an annual maneuver picture. Is there anything on the back?

I will stand by the Garter and the Bath - very distinctive shape. Also, this was a 90th birthday - so I would expect him to wear at least the KG I will be interesting to see what others make of them - what I can't work out is the thing like a fern leaf on his right side ? Mervyn

I stand corrected about the Garter - you are right; that's the one just under the medal bar. St. Patrick is the same shape, but the center is the giveaway for Garter. But isn't the Bath the one around his neck? So, I still say the one below Garter is Thistle - because of it's shape.

Now, the one you are asking about - on the right side; I am a bit dyslexic in this regard. I was looking on the right side of the viewer - not the wearer. Now, that "fern like" object is harder to discern, isn't it?

If you are talking about the star just under the medal bar; isn't that the Order of St. Patrick?

If you are talking about the lower star, I think that one is the Order of the Thistle. Scotland's order.

Thistle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Thistle

St. Patrick: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_St._Patrick

Both are listed in the Duke's ODM's in his biography.

sweet jesus dont say that!with noors luck it might just BE a vc!!!!!

Well, Noor has an eye and a knack for getting the really sweet items. So, I won't be surprised. :catjava:

A VC? Now that would be the luck of the Irish. :P

Great shot showing them putting the ribbons into their buttonholes.

From what I can see of the shoulder strap; I'm guessing Telegraphtruppen.

Doc may be on to something with Block 4 - his branch being INF. The discharge for C of G relates to his prior service in the Navy (see Block 39); perhaps Med Surge Tech was his Navy rate, but he was assigned to Infantry when he moved over to the Army.

Perhaps more odd to me is the entries in Blocks 23 and 24. In 23 he is noted as having a Purple Heart; however, in 24 it says "None" for wounds received in action. Odd.

You always find great little items. Well done again.

Air Force Occupation Badge - Basic Maintenance Qualification.

Thomas, in the German text the writer suggests that it is in the Baden colors, he realizes that the heraldry of the Wappen is reversed "spiegelbildlich." - but offers as explanation that the wearer, by mistake, reversed the template "Schablone" .

I say that that is the wrong assumption, since if reversed the cut corner of the shield should have been reversed as well. In German heraldry the single cut corner of a shield is always on the left side. Of course that doesn't mean that the shield is not in the Baden colors.

The writer adds, the fact that they got the Baden shield wrong speaks to the inofficial character of the shield.

I have to disagree. I'm from Baden and I would never get our State shield wrong - especially if I want to proudly wear it.

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I'm still with you on this Hardy. I don't think this is a Baden shield. It's a possibility, but not a probability in my mind.

I looked to see if I could find something Bavarian with this shape/design, but no luck.

Well, I never said that it was a Baden shield, only that it was in the Baden colors. What the colors mean, I couldn't say for sure. There have been instances, such as in the 3.Jäger Rgt. where a "Prussian" battalion was from Baden and the Baden colors were included in the various representations of the states within the regiment. Even the unit commander, Ralph von Rango, wore the Baden colored "darts" (Faden) in the cords of his regimental shoulder boards (red and yellow).

Chip

I'm just being contrary here, Chip, but it's a black and white photo. How do you know it's "Baden colors"? Or even gold and red for that matter. There's is no way to know the exact colors in a black and white photo - is there?

It could just as easily be white with a blue stripe - the Bavarian colors, couldn't it?

It is the shape that makes one think Baden, isn't it? That's what I first thought until I looked closer and realized it's reversed.

Okay, now I'm confused: Was Infantry Gun Battery No. 2 Bavarian or Badener?

Me too because the Baden shield traditionally has the red stripe going from upper left to lower right. This helmet shield goes upper right to lower left. :unsure:

A few show up on French eBay. Definitely a medal for the Loire city of Nantes. No WWI history that I know of...site of Nazi atrocities in WWII.

Could have a religious connection with the Sacred Heart on it's lower edge. Motto is "Rather Die Than Betray".

Interesting piece, but can't find any military connection.

Well, I'm now quite curious since I saw one of these for sale a few months ago - without scabbard though. I almost bought it, but wasn't sure about it's origin. Come on now - make me feel disappointed I didn't grab it when I could.