Hauptmann

Hi Ed, Nick and I are stuck in a hotel in Devils Lake ND, about an hour from home in the middle of a snow storm with Kim holding down the fort back home. Hoping against hope we'll be able to get back home tomorrow. Been one of those days. But I've got to say... this was just the thing to get my morale back up. Was nearly on the floor laughing! I agree with Rick... a candy dish I wouldn't mind digging into for some special treats! Here's hoping your "negotiations" go well and you end up with some nice displays in the not too distant future. In my case I started out with a fairly decent den/display room when Kim and I first got married... then a bigger one when we moved to North Florida but then got downsized considerably when Nick was born. Collection then increased with little if any room to expand. Now I have nearly the entire basement at our home up here but until I can get the floor redone (some heaving and cracking... not uncommon here) I can't do too much in the way of getting things the way I want them to properly display what I have. But over time I hope to get it all done and have a nice den/museum area down there along with a home theater which has been another life long dream of mine. Anyhow thanks for lifting my spirits. Love your goodies! Here's hoping you're able to keep adding to the pile. Happy New Year! Dan

Hi Charles, Many thanks for the comments. If you happen to run across any pics of other such badges please pop them on as I've only seen on other one which at least in my mind didn't have the quality of mine. I'm thinking perhaps it was an NCO's or simply a lower priced version as I have a feeling these would have been custom private purchase items. Really like you avatar. I've always been into Von Richtofen and his red Tripe. Welcome to the club. Dan

Hi Hardy, Sorry for the late reply. Been up to my ears and just now trying to catch up again. Many thanks for the great info. Every little bit helps... here's hoping that some day a picture will pop up with this badge being worn... or at least one very similar to it. I've loved this piece since the day I got it and consider it one of my all time best finds. I think it's a beautiful well made piece and in great shape especially considering it's age. Thanks again! Dan

Doesn't anyone have any thoughts on this? I mean, I'm prepared for it to be a jewelry or silverware box. I won't be crushed if it turns out not to be an Order case. I got it to put my Grand Cross of the Romanian Crown set into it for safe keeping and display. Works great for that. But would love to know if it's actually meant for something else... if anyone knows. Will continue to keep my fingers crossed. Thanks, Dan

Hi Rick, Hoping the holidays are going well for you and yours and that Santa treated you well. Many thanks for the help on these. I know you'd originally ID'd the female Order of Lenin holder but didn't remember that the rest of these hadn't been ID'd till today. Let me know which post #'s I should redo (assuming pages like those showing dues paid... things like that aren't needed) and I'll be happy to do bigger shots. As I say I'd love to reconnect the history to these docs so they're not just fancy pieces of paper laying around. No rush as I know you've got tons of other stuff you're working on. But let me know the ones to do and I'll get them done asap. Mucho thanks! Dan

Hi all, Just wondered if anyone was able to give me any info on these ID's as far as names, dates... basically any info about these folks. Would be deeeeeeeply appreciated. I always love to put a story back with such things if at all possible. Thanks, Dan

Hi Vic, Beautiful! Sure hope I'm able to get one of those script "No." types some day. Best of luck with the research... hope it's a great one! Dan

Beautiful! I love topical collections and especially those dealing with railroads. Just outstanding! If you don't mind me asking, what is a rough range for such badges and especially the Honored Railway Workers shown in posts #5 and #25? I think that's the pick of the litter and an easy center piece for such a collection. I'm really enjoying these as I'm sure are others in the membership and I hope more will continue to be added. I'd love to see a similar thread in the Soviet section... unless I've missed one... guess I'll pop up and do a quick search. Great pieces one and all! Dan

Hi all, Great thread! I especially love Ed's in post #5. I've been very tempted to start getting into railway badges and medals. I've always loved trains and such so it would be a natural area for me to get into. Very inspiring! Hope to see more. Thanks for sharing! Dan

Another great shot! Really love that it's using a been there, done that IC and not a minty one. This one really speaks volumes. This is a picture you could just stare at forever and the stories start flooding into your brain. Excellent! Dan

Hi Greg, WOW! That's a great one! Beautiful!!!! If only they had those in the stores... I'd go for a few cases in a heartbeat! Thanks for sharing that one. Hope you had a great holiday! Dan

Hi all, Hoping this helps: For more details here's my original post: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1048...;hl=cloth+pilot Dan

Hi all, Hope this is okay... I'd posted this in the ID section but figured I'd give it a kick start by putting the link in here. Hoping someone might be able to ID this case for me. I need to know if it is indeed a case for an Order and if so from what country and if possible for what award? Here's the link: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1373...mp;#entry133647 I'm pretty sure it would be something for folks in this section. Will keep my fingers crossed that perhaps one of our members will figure this one out. Many thanks, Dan

Hi Joel, Hope you're having a very Merry Christmas and hoping also that you got another box full of IC's. If not... hoping you at least got some neat militaria goodies! Dan

Hi all, Hope no one minds me popping this in here but as I think it will be of interest to those in this section I thought I'd go ahead. Was afraid many might not see it down in the Cinema section. I don't have a specific link... but you might want to check out the trailer for the new Clint Eastwood movie coming out. It's the sequel to Flags Of Our Fathers and is called Letters From Iwo Jima. It's the battle seen from the eyes of the Japanese, both an officer and an enlisted man and from what I can see it's going to be in Japanese for the most part with sub titles. Looks good from what I've seen. I saw it on the main MSN page which has all the news and such. Go to the entertainment section, click on the first article and then look to the right of that page that comes up and you should see some trailers, one of which will hopefully be for this one depending on when you look. Or do a general search for Letters From Iwo Jima trailer and hopefully you'll luck out. I haven't see the first one yet but definitely want to... especially as I definitely want to see this one. Dan

Hi Gordon, Many thanks! Might be able to afford one of the half crowns in that range... at least down the road (knock on wood) but methinks the others will be a bit out of my range. Of course one never knows what might crawl out of the woodwork some day. Merry Christmas! Dan

Hi all, Just wondered what examples of some of these might run? I know it probably can vary by dates and definitely by condition but just a rough idea if possible. Thanks, Dan

And last but not least... one of my favorite parts of the entire design: I'd love to see other examples. Dan

Hi all, Here's another on I figured I'd redo with scans since I got the scanner after I'd posted this one. Again it's one of my favorites due to it's design elements. Just has it all.

Hi Paul, Very interesting piece. Ugly but a piece of history nonetheless. On another topic, congrats on quitting smoking! I'm always overjoyed when I hear that someone has... especially folks I care about. My dad smoked from the time he was 12 with few breaks until his death a few years back. He died from N stage lung disease. I grew up in a virtual cloud of smoke... him and most of my relatives and his friends all puffing away with absolutely no concern about how it might affect anyone much less a young child. Today I have asthma which they now feel might be brought on by being around smokers when you're young. Joy! Believe you me, this is one of the best things you ever could have done. I pray it adds many years to your life and that you'll be happier as a result. Not to mention all the money you save to invest in other things... say militaria. Dan

Hi all, Number one, this is all exactly like the gun laws. It seems it's already confusing enough and no one really seems to know exactly what it all means. What this means is, it can be interpreted... or misinterpreted at will by any idiot government official or law enforcement official... many of whom are dumber than a bag of hammers. I mean, look at one gun law as a for instance. Try asking just about anyone, in the know or otherwise, if it's legal to put a bayonet on an SKS rifle. You'll get a different answer or interpretation of the law from everyone you ask. Believe me, I've tried. I finally decided it's not worth the hassle or the risk. I have a Chinese SKS as well as both types of bayos. The bayos stay separate from the gun. It ticks me off royally as the folding bayo was one of the things I really liked about the SKS. Only way around it is to spend yet more money I don't have to buy one on which it's legal to put on the bayo. Arrrrrgh!!!! Either that or I have to spend more to replace at least ten parts on it with U.S. made equivalents in order for it not to be considered an imported gun. Double arrrrrgh! They get you coming, going or standing still. I mean, for crying out loud, an SKS is an SKS. What earthly difference does it make where it was made or when or whether it was made for civilians or the military? It's the same exact rifle!!!! And Lord knows that one can kill a whole lot more people with the bayonet attached to the end of it than you can with several full magazines loaded to the brim! Insanity!!!! All this is going to do is cause alot of confusion and alot of heart ache to a bunch of innocent people and the ones that it's meant to stop will figure some way to get around it. And there were so few of them to begin with it's not funny. Number two, I hate to see anyone say they don't collect US so it doesn't concern them. I heard the same thing from some friends in Florida who are hunters... they felt the gun laws would not affect their hunting guns. Think again! They will keep going until it's illegal to breath! At least unless you pay heavy taxes on it and buy permits and licenses, etc. My family has fought for freedom both in and out of the military going back to the Revolution. We've fought political idiocy and have also fought very hard against the anti-gunners pushing for more and more stupid, confusing laws. In fact we nearly went bankrupt doing just that. And guess what... no parades, no fireworks... no one cares. After a while one gets tired of it all. We fight, nothing changes, or it does for a short time until it all starts all over again. Don't get me wrong... I really hope this can all be worked out so it will "only" effect the ones who were really trying to steal honor... but that it won't hurt legitimate, honest and law abiding collectors, dealers, historians, vets, families of vets, etc. But short of writing letters to congressmen, etc, the only other thing to do is vote out the morons who do these things and vote in some who hopefully won't. And to my way of thinking anymore, all politicians are crooked as a dogs hind leg. Party doesn't matter... they want power and money and don't care a bit about "We The People". Far too many attorneys running our country and it's been that way for a long time. How about some common, down to earth blokes who aren't multi millionaires getting a crack at it? How about folks who feel it's a dirty job but someone has to do it and they feel they might be able to make a difference. No... we get rich, fat cat attorneys and those who have made a family career out of serving... er, living... off the government and the people in this country. Nothing changes. More and more stupid, senseless and unnecessary laws keep getting passed and no one is held accountable. Well, they want my stuff... same as Rick... they can come pry it from my cold dead hands! Sorry for the rant, but like many others this has really touched a sensitive nerve in me. But I will say... I do hope I've not offended or insulted any of my fellow members as that is definitely not my intention. But when I saw this I simply had to speak my mind... of course that and five bucks might get me a cup of coffee. But at least I feel a bit better now. At least for now we still have freedom of speech over here in the good old US of A... at least until they figure out how to put a stop to that too. Dan

Hi all, Here's my contribution... Mecklenburg-Schwerin: Friedrich Franz Military Merit Cross 1.kl/2.kl. And my original post for anyone interested... I've redone scans as I didn't have my scanner at the time I originally posted these. And I discovered that somehow the part of the post I'd done on the 1.kl had disappeared. http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8419...mp;#entry133088 Dan

And last but not least a group shot: Thanks for looking, Dan