Hauptmann

Hi all, Okay, here's a couple of my newest additions. Won't arrive till later this week. Pictures are courtesy of Dave (NavyFCO) with his permission. Thanks Dave! A long awaited Stalingrad medal and a researched Order of Glory which I'll add to the Researched forum as soon as I have all the information when it arrives. Right now I only have a few basics: [attachmentid=47810] [attachmentid=47811] The Glory 3rd #75677 is an award to a Kazakh, but it was rennumbered by the veteran as a replacement for a lost one. It's got the award card and citation which Dave says is a pretty good one. It's to a machine gunner for killing lots of Germans while taking the City of Vilnus. Needless to say I can't wait to get it and read the research. Needless to say this makes my second researched group or individual award. And to say that I'm thrilled would be an extreme understatement. Again many thanks to Dave for letting me know he had these and working it out with me. I deeply appreciate it. Thanks, Dan

Hi all, Well, have totally fallen into this category of awards more or less by accident. First off I'd gotten the following award when I'd purchased some DDR ribbon bars on Ebay and it just happened to be in the group. [attachmentid=47805] I had absolutely no idea what it was... neither did the seller. I posted it and our resident hero and miracle worker extraordinaire Rick Research ID'd it for me: "It says it is for 20 years of blameless labor, and is headed by three initials over the abbreviation for the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic." Many thanks Rick! Then, I purchased some goodies from Dave (NavyFCO) and in part of the bunch were these two awards: [attachmentid=47806] The above picture is courtesy of Dave (NavyFCO) with his permission. Thanks Dave! I've managed to find closer shots of the one on the right: [attachmentid=47807] [attachmentid=47808] [attachmentid=47809] I believe this is the Suhret Medal For Valiant Labor. If anyone has any additional info on this or the other medal I'd be most grateful if you'd pass it along. Also I believe both of these are serial numbered. Does anyone know if research is possible? In any case they're very colorful and a pleasing design. Thanks, Dan

Though some of these are not Russian Fed. awards just figured I'd pop them in here until I actually get them and can get some closer shots of individual pieces. [attachmentid=47784] Picture is courtesy of Dave (NavyFCO) with his permission. Thanks Dave! First two are from Uzbekistan but just happened to be pictured as part of the group. If anyone has any info on any of these I'd be grate if you'd pass it along. And some are Umalatova awards I believe. Again any info would be deeply appreciated. Thanks, Dan

Hi All, Some beautiful 1sts here. Makes me want to go down and give my two a big hug! Wish I hadn't let so many of my IC's go. But can't keep it all I guess. Dan

Hi Andy, I do love screwbacks... is this a Juncker? I've also seen L12 listed as Frank & Reif. I'm not an expert in this area but looks good to me. Have you done the usual magnet test? Never managed to get a screwback... but then again most of my Soviet Orders are screwbacks so guess I more than made up for it! Hopefully this will nudge some of the others to take a look and give their opinions. Thanks, Dan

Yes, definitely! And hey, size of the collection is immaterial. As they say, if you have two or more... you've got a collection. On IC's I used to have about thirty or so WWI 2nds as anytime I'd see them, even without a ribbon for say $10 to $15 or less I'd grab them. Wish I'd held on to them all. Got talked out of them by a couple of pirates from Ohio... long story. I have one WWI 1st, one WWII 1st cased, an 1870 2nd and I think three or four of the WWI 2nds. So far, no 57's but hope to run into one for cheap some day... ideally one of each grade but don't think I'd get quite that lucky. Looking forward to seeing yours. Thanks, Dan

Hey, I sure do know that feeling all too well. There's always something else tempting one away. But it all adds up and makes for great show and tell... something I don't think any of us ever grew out of. Hey, have you shown your EK's and Wounds in their appropriate sections... if so please pop me a link as I'd love to check them out. Have actually been working on my wounds over time... found out I ended up with a well known copy for the gold but luckily it was from when I started out way back when so not alot in it. And still need a silver 57 issue to finish that set. Been keeping my eye's peeled for deals on both. Thanks, Dan

Many thanks! Keeping my fingers tightly crossed. But even if I have to part with a few bucks it should be well worth it. At least it'll keep me going till I can afford a newer one. Very nice grouping. Especially love those stickpins! Nice find on those. These sure are addictive, but guess you could say that about any facet of this hobby... well any hobby in general. Lord knows I have enough of them... just ask my Mrs... or my son. They groan at the prospect of more, as does the house. But I must say they've been extremely supportive of my hobby insanities over the years. I'm most grateful for that. Again many thanks for sharing your KVK's with us. Here's hoping you can continue to add to them over time. Dan

Wow Bob... I'd fall in love with that just for that beautiful logo if nothing else. Gorgeous piece! Well done! Dan

Hey, as far as I'm concerned, don't sweat the pics being perfect. If you've seen mine you know what I mean. I tend to worry and fret over all of them I do with my digital and still, no matter how hard I try most come out less than the perfection I'm shooting for. I have an Epson scanner coming... I hope. It's from a friend who owns the local computer store. Not sure if it's going to be a freebie or what... got that impression the first couple of times he mentioned it but I don't want to push. It's a scanner/printer combination with the print heads shot. But he believes the scanner still works fine. He got really busy these last couple of weeks so hoping to pop back over this week and check on it. With luck I'll get it soon one way or the other and finally be able to scan again. I have an old one but it requires a sci-ci card installed and I can't do that on my laptop. And it was beginning to have problems anyway. Great stuff. Love those cased KVK's! And those mini's are very nice indeed. Thanks, Dan

Beautiful pieces Andy... please keep em' comin'. Thanks, Dan

Hi Andy, Beautiful collection! Thanks so much for posting them. Such displays with multiple pieces really make a strong impact in my opinion. They just look great together. Well done! Thanks, Dan

Gentleman... wonderful pieces one and all! Love seeing them. Please, keep em' coming! Many thanks, Dan

Hi Scott, I also tend to love the SA/SS/NSKK patter daggers. I think with me it's the fact that I'm into blades in general and know that that was a very old Swiss pattern that was copied by the nazi's for their use. Just has a great design. But Navy's are still my favorites. On Soviet and Warsaw Pact daggers... you'll find the workmanship is light years from what the Germans have always done. Very cheaply made by comparison. Although I have seen some stunning presentation examples... cased with inscriptions, etc. Same with DDR daggers. I only wish I'd picked up some of those, especially the higher General/Admiral level ones back when they were going for $50 to $100 each! Boy are those days gone forever. I have two Soviet navals... one in the 50's and one the 70's. I'll have to post them at some point when I can get some decent pics. I also have a Bulgarian Army with full hanging chain. Nice thing is that these are all still fairly inexpensive. When I got my Bulgarian I think it was $35 complete! Bit more now but not by much. The Soviet's I got in a trade for an original screen used jacket from the show Seaquest DSV. That's "one" of my other hobbies... movie and TV props. But the trade was great as it was actually for the one dagger, the other being a throw in. The way the fellow described it it looked like someone had used it as a gardening tool. When I got it the guard was a bit bend so I carefully straightened it. It needed to be cleaned and polished and oiled down. Other than that I thought it was fine. That's the 50's version. The 70's version was mint by comparison. One thing I missed out on many moons ago was a Bundesmarine dagger from West Germany. Only $100 and in mint condition. Can't find them now as they've been "converted" by changing the pommels to the nazi version in past years. I should have jumped on it when I had the chance. I'm currently into flags. Originally it was to put as backdrops for the rest of my collection. But they're big so space becomes and issue... and again most were TR so the whole bad vibes bit enters in again. Some follks see a room full of TR flags and again it's that automatic assumption. Small minded folks I know, but we have to live amongst them. But got into Soviet flags and am now friends with one of the foremost collectors of flags in the world who has been helping to guide me along in all this. I've gotten some very nice deals and have a few that I consider very beautiful as well as a nice finial collection. Hoping to get a DDR finial before too long. My goal is to do a large display of Cold War memorabilia at our local museum and find a way to do up some poles and stands to mount the finials and the flags as part of the display. I've posted what I have so far at: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7840 I just let go of my railway eagle this past fall to a collector down in Florida. I loved it but again space and the vibes plus the fact that my focus has changed and my TR collection is a shadow of it's former self all conspired to push me into letting it go. That and I got a good price which I was able to put into more Soviet pieces. Great to have you as a member and hope we'll be seeing many posts from you in future. Many thanks, Dan

DOUBLE WOW! Just fell out of my chair again! I have to remember to attach a seatbelt to my chair when I read posts on here. Outstanding!!!! History coming alive! Thanks Dave! Dan

Okay... just fell out of my chair! WOW! All I can say is, whoever that buyer was he was a cheap moron who obviously was half blind not being able to see enamel damage on a pic! I'm soooooo sorry the deal went like that. Don't even want to try and imagine what it would run today. Hope he sold it soon after so he couldn't benefit from it's sale now. Sounds like a real cretin. Well, there are always bigger and better things to come. I've had similar things happen in my dealings over the years... but God always provides. There has always been another great find that more than makes up for whatever was lost. I pray it's the same for you and the rest of our membership. There's nothing like finding a super rare, very desireable piece or group with tons of history for 100th of what it's worth... definitely takes the sting out of other deals that didn't work out quite that well. Thanks for posting... a superb grouping that I can only "dream" of owning some day. For now I'm happy with individual pieces and smaller groups with research and such. But hey, I'll keep at it and one day... who knows. In the meantime I'm very grateful to have the ability to see the groups and individual pieces you and others have been kind enough to post over time. It has been an absolute education. Thanks Dave! A very enjoyable way to spend a day... with friends discussing the things we love. That's priceless! Dan

Hi David, Do you by chance have a site(s) that have ribbon charts for JROTC and ROTC? If so I'd be grateful if you could pass them along. Many thanks! Dan

Hi Dave, As always WOW! You've had some of the greatest pieces and groups! If it had been me I'd have been broke all the time as I'd never want to let any of it go. Just fabulous!!!! Thanks for sharing! Dan

Well, not just the chain... but the way it looks like it has blocks from the old block and tackle days of sail. Just great stuff!!!! Dan

Hi Bob, WOW! Terrific pieces. The Knecht is the first one I've ever seen with the full belt. The Haenel has a terrific grip color as does the "blond". That's a very beautiful grip on that one! Thanks so much for sharing these. A fabulous collection! Dan

Hi Mike, Yes, I've seen those! Been a long time but I clearly remember them. I think they actually pop up on Ebay on occassion. I mean the original knife was great... as I believe was pre-nazi. Just the insignia changed. So glad they kept on with the same design. Great pieces! Thanks for sharing that! Dan

Hi Bill, Outstanding presentation! I especially love the colors of the tabs in posts # 2 and 6 (my favorite of the two!)... stunning! Thanks so much for sharing! Dan

Hi Doc, Well, now I know what to get you for Christmas... as soon as Ed McMahon pays me a visit! They are nice though... hope we can both get one one day. Dan

Do you intend to replace the ribbon or leave as is? Very nice piece and yet another type I often wonder if I'll ever be lucky enough to own. Very nice! Again thanks for sharing! Dan

Very nice piece indeed! Thanks so much for sharing! Dan