Hauptmann

Q'est que c'est "KO"? I'm being lazy as my book is down in the bunker and I'm too tired at this point to trudge down there. And is this a "good" thing? Thanks, Dan

Well, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that ya'll and Jack are in agreement on this one. Thanks for looking! Dan

Hi all, Okay... another one that was seen and okay'd by Jack Angolia way back when. Have had it for well over twenty years. This is a funny one in a way. When Kim was going to college in Gainesville Florida we maintained our condo down in Dunedin and we commuted back and forth as she didn't want to live up there and neither did I. Waaaay too many people for our tastes. Anyhow there was a little used book/stuff shop... no other way to describe it because some stuff was total junk, some antiques, some collectibles... you never knew what they'd have. Was there like forever and a day and almost a landmark with the college crowd. Well, the owner, who was seldom there, had some German militaria in there. I think 99.99999% of it was trash. However, Kim got me some badges, one of which is this one I'm about to show. It just looked too dog gone detailed and well made for me to believe it wasn't good. Admittedly the pin and catch are gone and it almost seemed to have an old soot or burn residue on the back like it had been in a fire... but far enough from it not to melt or otherwise damage the badge. I looked it up in Jack's books as well as comparing it to tons in other books, etc. over the years. And as I say I took it along on one of our trips to see him and he didn't have a problem with it. But thought I'd pop it on here as well. As when I was reading about one of these on here that happened to be an Assmann I started to wonder if mine had a maker's mark. Had never seen one on it. Well, I "carefully" cleaned away a bit of that soot or whatever it is and lo and behold there it was... the Assmann mark just like the ones pictured on here. Anyhow here it is for general comments, etc. Assuming it is indeed a good one, any info would be welcome as well as any advice as to a possible restoration... if that can be done. I think it's a beautiful badge and especially if it's absolutely confirmed as real I'll feel even better because Kim got it for like $16... well, actually got several of the badges for that, but the others are definitely fakes. And no telling where this guy got them... he'd come by stuff, put a price sticker on it and chuck it in a case and forget all about it. Most likely he just didn't realize it if it is indeed a good one. Oh, and I know the case is for the Pilot... and I got that for $5 as a possible repro but figured it's good to keep the badge safe if nothing else and hey, $5 ain't too bad. Almost hate to follow that gorgeous Pilot/Observer one that was previously posted with this, what with the damage and all, but again I love it especially since "my love" gave it to me. Anyhow, here goes:

Hi all, Here's my Imperial 1914 IC 1st Class. Nothing fancy... that I know of. No makers marks that I can find. No case. Don't know if it belonged to anybody famous. But I love it! Thanks for looking, Dan

Hi all, I think it was a movie with Gene Hackman... no wait, it's just my small, humble collection of French medals. Got most of them in a group and already had a couple so in the riker they went. If there's enough interest or any specific requests for other reverses here I'll be happy to take them as soon as I can. Thanks, Dan

Hi Rick, So they was ready for us! Probably figured we can't lick em militarily... let's do it economically and more specifically militarialy! I too am in the same boat as far as not knowing. Wish I did... but perhaps some wandering traveler will come through and tell me at some point. I figure with what it cost me... what they hey! And it looks good with my WWII stuff so I guess it's doing it's job helping to hold the riker mount down against the gravitational pull of the sun. Many thanks, Dan

Well, on the broader scale of things I know I did. I still have my honor which is more important to me than all of it. I didn't screw a friend to get it. I didn't lose a good customer who always paid right away with no complaints whatsoever. I didn't take advantage of a newbie. And I can sleep at night... well, other than my back pain but that's another story. There's no telling how much money he lost in the long run... and how much I saved by him doing this. And again, if only he'd been honest with me and told me what it was worth I'd have still probably made a deal... albeit a much better deal, that would have treated him right, gotten him what he wanted and everyone would have been happy. But he simply "had" to get greedy. Sadly there are alot more like him running around out there... and some alot worse. I'm not sure if it's true but I heard later he had all sorts of problems... his wife divorced him and took a bunch of his collection in the settlement. God has a way of making things right no matter what. And thanks for making me feel better. I do appreciate that. I figure, God's taken very, very good care of me and sent a ton of things my way. Perhaps it's my payback for trying to do the right thing and be a good guy. Lord knows I'm not perfect but I try my best. It's just like with that SA buckle... I have a friend right now that would probably want it and would probably pay me premium over that other one I found to match it... probably $150. He'd be thrilled no doubt. But I want to make sure if that is indeed the correct type, get some additional info as well as making sure of the price range. But at $130 the other one had these awful looking dots of tarnish or corrosion on the front and mine is nice and clean and sharp. So figure that the condition has got to be worth a bit of a premium. Lord knows if I was looking for one I'd probably have to pay twice that to get a nice one. But I don't want to take advantage of him or anyone else. If that's a fair price so be it. If it should be lower then I need to find out. Just frustrating as I want to order my book and this is probably going to be the only way I have to do it. I just figure the buckle has been in a drawer or a box all this time. It's nice, I like it but I'm not an SA collector, other than my uncle's dagger. And so if I can get enough out of it to pay for the book and perhaps a bit over to get something else with then I'd be willing to part with it and let it go to a new home where perhaps it will get even more attention. Well, off to cause more mischief. Thanks, Dan

Hi Darrell, Glad you could stop by and very glad you enjoyed the post. I hope it's a fitting tribute to my uncles, but especially Jack as he lives on in these things every time I see them in my bunker. I'd absolutely love to know more on the 88mm optics. I even wrote to them at the proving grounds hoping they'd be able to snap some pics of one of theirs and perhaps they'd have some additional info. Sadly they gave me the typical gov't brush off... no time, not enough staff, not enough money... not enough, not enough, not enough! Seems we're always sending them tons of our money via taxes and yet they never ever seem to have enough to help us out when needed. Sigh. I managed to find a shot of one on the gun in a documentary... Geez I hope I made a note of it on my catalog... well over 2,000 tapes in my collection. It was a shot of it being readied, fired and then went to other things. Thank goodness for slow motion as otherwise I'd have never caught it. But it's amazing... in books they always show them from the other side or so far away or unclear as to not show the optics. But the one in the clip was right on the money. I'll keep my fingers crossed that more folks will stop by and perhaps have some things to pass on about it. I'll tell you this... it's a heavy sucker... not likely to be used for bird watching! Thanks again, Dan

Many thanks! But with my eyesight and the fact that mine has such a dark patina compared with his I'm still not sure of anything. I'll keep hoping one of our Soviet experts with some experience on these comes along and saves the day. Although I will say, with my Bundy luck, I sincerely doubt it turns out to be original if that's what they run. But one never knows. Sure would be nice. Thanks, Dan

Hi Darrell, Was over twenty years ago (yes, there goes that magic number again! ). Seems at that time the cased IC 1sts I was running into were in the $50-100 ballpark depending on maker, condition, cased or not, etc. The 50 year was running around $300-350 if I remember correctly. It's like IC 2nds... my goodness how they've gone up. I used to have about twenty WWI examples and had to let them go. Wasn't really much of a choice but I do regret it now that I've been on here. Lord only knows what I let go. I'd been picking them up for years and years... $5 here, $10 to $15 there. With or without ribbons, you name it. Now who can afford to do that? Not I said the little brown cow. Sigh. I miss the good old days sometimes. Appreciate the kind words. As I say... it cost me alot... more on the friendship betrayal end than anything... but I love her all the same. She was my very first cased award... with many to follow. Just can't resist them. Thanks, Dan

Hi Don, Many thanks. I've posted it over there as well so hoping someone might get back with me on it. I just would hate to have to depend on my own estimate, etc. on google and then end up being wrong. Want to be sure and on firm ground. Just hoping something happens soon as I'm dying to get a buyer and be able to get my book. Many thanks, Dan

I happened to find the shot from the documentary of what I believe is this optic in use. Sorry for the quality but it was taken by my digital camera straight off the television. Now I'm hoping perhaps this is one that has not been posted here before and is not all that common. I'm hoping I get comments and perhaps even some info, some pics of it in use on the gun, etc. Wouldn't even be shy about offers... cause I've no idea what any of this is worth, especially this... but there's not a chance of me selling it for all the money in the universe! Cause to me... all of this is absolutely priceless, cream of the crop! And why, you ask is all this stuff... obviously not in the greatest of shape... worth so much... why is it so important to me? Why would I turn down any and all offers? Because of this man: John (Jack) Mowbray Burns Jr. My uncle... my mom's brother. One of several relatives Kim and I have between us who have served in every conflict from the Revolution on up. And we suspect some on the German side as well as we both have relatives over there although we sadly don't know who they are... yet! Yet another hobby of mine... genealogy. From what I can tell from his uniform insignia and patches here's what I know... please feel free to correct me on any of this as I'm not an expert on U.S. and am depending on my references here: 17th Infantry Division "Thunder From Heaven". The Division participated in the Rhine Crossing in WWII. So seems he was in the airborne... at least by the patch on his shoulder. Both my mom's brothers served... my uncle George (George Donald Burns) who started out in the infantry and then transferred and became a cook... and a darned good one. I can assure you any of the troops who had him as their cook ate every well indeed. Neither of them ever spoke much about the war. Jack had told his mom... my grandmom of course, who later told me, that during the war... in the middle of the Bulge (yes, that's right... he was in the Battle of the Bulge), they were bringing in vehicles filled with the wounded in order to get them fixed up and get them moving again. As he'd work under the trucks blood would drip down on him through the floor boards. He had nightmares about that I'm sure. As part of his duties he drove a wrecker and would go out in the field to retreive wrecked or damaged vehicles for repair or use for parts. On a few of these excursions he did some souvenir hunting (why he didn't go for something rare like Hitler's toothbrush I'll never know) and as he had the tools and the know how he managed to retrieve this set of optics from an 88mm as well as a German tank. A few months before he passed on... and knowing he had cancer and only had so much time left he suddenly opened up to me, my wife and my mom one day when we were down visiting him in Perry Florida. He brought out his photo album which chronicled his military time from training on till the end of the war and his return home. He had pictures of the 88 and the tank he removed these optics from. There may have even been some from when he retrieved the daggers although I don't remember as I was too mesmerized by his tales from those days. Sadly I did not have a tape deck with me... but oh how I wish I had. Also, sadly, he kept the tank optic as they were moving to a lake and he wanted to use it to see across the water. He also kept the album... but he told me both would be left to me when he passed on. I said sadly because my aunt... never close to any of us, never passed these along to me and has dropped off the radar. We've tried to contact her with no success. Lord knows they probably ended up in a Goodwill or a dumpster. Priceless family history gone, but never forgotten. But I'm extremely thankful for what I have... and mindful of the sacrifices he and so many others made in order to do what they did and for me to be around to talk about it in this wonderful free country of ours. So to all those fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, husbands and wives who served and the many who gave their all... I say a very humble thank you! That comes from the bottom of my heart. I'm proud of each and every one of you as I know all of you here are. I only wish I could still talk with George and Jack. I only wish they'd opened up sooner... George never did. I wish they'd left more of their memories and experiences. But I'm ever so proud of what they did and glad that they made it back to tell the tale. I miss you both so much and hope you know how much I and we all appreciate everything you and your generation did, for us and for the world. May you both rest in peace. This ones for you! Dan

Okay... so perhaps some of you are getting a little bored... when's the good stuff coming. Well, I hope this is a bit of a pick me up. I've never seen another although I've seen alot of optics. It also took me forever and a day to find a photo that showed this in place. They're the optics from a German 88mm Flak / Field Gun. And yes, they still work just fine... all I need is the 88mm... anybody got one for cheap?

Again nothing special... to anyone else. Common SA... not in the greatest shape. But I'd not take anything offered to me in exchange for it, ever. To me, it's priceless!

Okay, how about another dagger... this time an SA:

Now, if this was like in pristine mint condition, or had belonged to some famous individual then it might be something to write home about. As is, in this condition it probably wouldn't excite too many dagger collectors and most would likely pass it by. But again, I simply would take no offers no matter how large. Offer me gold, platinum, precious gems... no way!

Okay... let's move on to some of the things this individual brought back... this may excite some folks a little more... some of the things more than others. first off... an Army dagger:

Hi all, I'm gonna kind of work my way into this one. First off... something most would probably not give a second thought if they saw it out for sale somewhere. Common as dirt as far as I know. Nothing fancy. Shoot, I've seen folks on Ebay try to sell them as IC's. But to me it's important and I would not sell it for love or money. Here's a bit more: Again, as far as I know, common as dirt Tech. Sgt. Stripes... right? Again, I'd never sell them... wouldn't even trade them for a Roll's Royce... even though that would be an awful strong temptation. And as you'll see later... these represented a promotion for the individual concerned.

Okay... nudge, nudge! Someone must have something to say... comment to make... shoot, anything at all! Please folks... feel free via whatever method. I'm not gonna die if someone has a problem and certainly not if it's okay and someone likes it. I live for that! Just cause I has a beard... to quote George Carlin "Don't be scared... it's just a beard!" Thanks, Dan

Come on... somebody, anybody... I'm lonesome and bored... and she can't be that bad! Say something or I might begin to get a complex! Seriously, would love to hear from any or all by any means possible. At least I think she's perty! Hope someone else does. Thanks, Dan

Come on folks... someone must have some opinions, info, pricing, etc. they can pass on. Really am on the verge of wanting to let this one go but want to give the correct info to any potential buyers as well as a "proper" price for it. Any help is most welcome either here or via PM or email. Feel free any or all. Thanks, Dan

Hi Darrell, No, I'm not. I may go over and join at some point but right now I'm kind of taking the day and relaxing and not sure I want to do any sign up work right now. Those things always drive me up the wall! But I will definitely keep it in mind to go over and let him have a crack at it and see what he can tell me as I'd love to know more. Many thanks for the heads up! Dan

Not a clue what it's worth or any other info about it so hoping some of ya'll will be able to fill me in a bit. Thanks, Dan