Ramblinfarms

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...bayphotohosting Opinions on this one?

Nothing wrong with goats. We have a whole herd of them(35-40 including new kids on the block). We sell them for milking or to the Arabs and Mexicans for meat goats. Our "busy" time of the year is Rhamadan. We call ourselves about that time of year: "Al-Kidda Meats". No visits from the FBI or HSA yet.

Amen to that Brother! Wives have a way of impacting your collecting habits. "What do you mean we don't have money for groceries? I don't care if you ate mac and cheese and tuna in college for a month so you could buy some stupid Red Chicken Medal with swords on it. The children need milk and real food."

Evil Ricky is a Knight of Nick!! During the storm of the century, you can chop down that tree with a Herring! BTW, where do the Stosstruppen hide their flame throwers on that donkey!?

"Oh-Baby, It's ewe ...la da dah dah-da dah!"

What a great photo. As a Daddy of two small boys, I find it to be Priceless!

At least in Imperial, we don't have the "near perfect" copies so common in cloth SS or RKs, awards, qualification badges, YET! Knowledge is power. Even the near perfect copies can be spotted with a solid research background. Knowing which eagles go with which wreaths in Luftwaffe flight badges springs to mind. Thanks Stogie. You and like minded folks are laying the foundation for future Imperial collectors in the matter of "Burn Prevention."

Are there classes to the Saxon Vet's Cross, i.e. officers and enlisted, or first and second class? When you refer to the "official" one, are you describing the fire-guilded cross with the enamel center coat of arms on obverse only, and a wreath without swords? No enameling to the arms either.

And I was thinking that this was where you hid your fishhooks and line, compass and fire starter kit.

At least American beer is getting better. I'll never forget my "pub crawl" in the Vaterland. For a "control", I was subjected to a can of Budweiser purchased at the Rhine-Main Px. I've had club soda that had a better finish!

Beautiful bar Christian. And by the way, thank you for introducing me to Herr Bretzendorfer. A truly nice person, very helpful, with great service and beautiful pieces for sale.

Saddam could fill a plaza full of cheering supporters, too.

That makes sense. My Grandfather was AUSTRIAN-American" till the day he died. He hated Hitler and the Nazis for what they did to Austria by dragging them into the Wagnarian Passion Play of the Third Reich.

Brian: Nice photo of the library. I'm not sure if that was Great-Grandfather's work or not, but I might venture a guess that it was. My Mom has been out to Sagamore Hill and has spoken in detail with the curators. I'll have to ask her. We have a lot of family pieces that he did including a Zither Table, and some plaques and screens. He did some church screens for some Catholic Churches in Brooklyn and Queens, too. My Grandfather dabbled in woodwork and wood carving too, but he was a CPA by trade. My cousin got all the wood carving tools as he was the only one that actually gave it a try. He's a NYC firefighter now, so it's just a hobby for him, too. Chris

Thanks guys for the great feedback on these photos. To me, they are a logical thing to collect if you collect medals and orders. And there doesn't seem to be quite the competition on photos. I was the only bidder on both of these if you can believe it! When I figure out how to use the scanner, I'll try to get a close-up of the neck order and the medal bars per request. Be patient. I grew up in the days when pocket calculators were considered high tech.

Tis true. From our perspective 60 years later, we can take a more balanced view of the war, and ALL the sides that fought in it. But in 1945, it would not be hard to see why the average GI, especially one that fought in the last terrible death-throes of the Third Reich, would have little to no sympathy for Germany and the German people. It doesn't make it right, but I can certainly understand the mentality.

Thanks Rick. WOW! What a long and distinguished career. I love the award document: "the very archetype of an outstandingly brave officer." Once again, your skills have made an anonymous old photo spring to life.

[attachmentid=23271] Prussian Leutnant. Iron Cross 1914 2nd class, Sachsen Ernestine House Order, Silesian Eagle Order, Franco-Prussian War service. The neck order is just a large disc with a swaz. Christophe, the SEHO is on this officer. The first is wearing the SH Knights Cross, I believe.

Thank you all for some very fascinating and enjoyable moments, with a few tears thrown in for good measure, while reading this thread. If anyone asks why we collect, I would just point them over to this forum and this thread. Thank God Brian has a profound interest in his family history, and has not broken up his Grandfather's medals to put a screen porch on the house, or buy a new motorcycle. (Actually many motorcycles! ) Don't laugh, I purchased a M1860 Cavalry Officer's Saber by Horstmann from a decendant of the officer who was raising money to buy a Suzuki dirt Bike. I told him he was nuts, but he said he could care less about family history. What a shame. The family history is priceless. My Grandfather, Rudolph Martin Andolschek was an officer in the US Army late WWI, and post war. His father, my great-grandfather was an officer in the Austrian Cavalry, Martin Andolschek, who immigrated to Brooklyn, NY in the late 1800s. My Mom has his portrait in uniform, which someday I'll post if I can get a good picture of it. He was a top knotch wood engraver and craftsman, and made that his career here in the USA. He did the study and library of Theodore Roosevelt's Estate in Oyster Bay. Until I was older, I didn't understand why my Grandfather was so angry when I started collecting TR. He hated the Nazis with a passion I did not understand, until I read of the "Flower Wars", etc.

Really nice photos. They really put a human face on the war.

Thanks. I thought it was a nice one to share. This is one highly decorated officer. I also see a Civil service Order, an AO, EK I and II and an Austrian Service Cross. On another subject Stogie, do you know what the Imperial Neck Order is that consists of a large Bronze Circular Disk with a swaz or sunwheel on the obverse?

[attachmentid=23261][attachmentid=23262] I picked up this nice photo of a Saxon Lt. Is it possible to ID this officer?

At this point, I'm thinking Prussian, Saxon and Saxe-Dutchies, and Bavarian WWI Orden. Still too big a bite guys?

I've come to that conclusion. I'm checking into a course at the Jr College. I've actually wanted to do that for some time. I wish my Poppa was around to help me now. Might I suggest pinning this thread for us newbies after it has run its course?

Thanks for the great list. Is Die tragbaren Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Reiches by von Hessenthal und Schreiber have an English version? My German is not so great. I learned Christmas Carols in German for my Grandfather and Great-Grandfather, who preferred them in the "home" language, but that is about the extent of it.