Hauptmann

Hi Christian, No problem at all. I deeply appreciate your posting that link. I went through it earlier and I can see that most of the really high ones that I like are going to be way out of my range, at least for the foreseeable future. But I've seen a few of the Orders I'd like to shoot for. Many thanks!!!! Dan

Hi Christian, I for one would also love to see such a section started. I know next to nothing about Yugoslavian awards. To be honest the few medals I've seen so far, even cased, have not been that impressive. I've thought the Orders I've seen have been rather blah compared with those of the Soviets, etc. However, I've now been tempted to try and test the waters so to speak. But needless to say I have much I'd like to learn about what Yugo has to offer. I figure I'm doing Soviet, DDR, Hungary and Bulgarian... so may as well keep going. Sorry I missed out on Mongolian but it's already gotten too pricey for me... at least for now. So you've definitely got my vote! Be keeping my fingers tightly crossed. Dan

Hi Vic, Yup... you guessed it my friend! Missed ya somethin' awful while you were away but very glad to have you back again! Oh, I sent you an email just a few minutes ago... re: what I wrote about I'm "working" on getting in touch with the member I mentioned to see what I can work out on that badge. Keep your fingers tightly crossed! On the numbered DDR medals they are great! Gordons is super! There were several that were numbered including those Verdienst medals I love so much... but only the early ones. And of course some of those are also marked for silver content as well. Very nice pieces and I just pray I'm able to find some before all is said and done. Dan

Hi all, While watching the 40th Anniversary parade video Paul posted I caught this one and felt it would be of interest to those of us who collect DDR uniforms. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NdCY_23b40&NR Dan

I'd like to second Rick on this... congratulations Charles! It's great to have our own place and I know you'll be a terrific Host! Dan

Amen to that! I must say, that blue certainly does contrast nicely with the gold of the award and the red and white of the rest of the case. And looks like it has a nice clasp on it too! Yet another terrific find! I'm so tempted to mortgage the house and fly over there and load up with tons of goodies! Dan

Hi all, Here's one I found on the net: Hope it helps! Dan

Definitely... outstanding!!!! And that case is a real beauty too. Yet another variation. One could almost just collect the cases! Keep findin' them great goodies my friend! When you come back you'll have to open a full blown Hungarian museum. Dan

Hi Charles, Beautiful! You know how partial I am to these. So by "real gold" do you mean that the hammer and wheat sheaf are gold like the H&S's on Soviet OGPW... or that they are a heavy gold plate on these early ones? Dan

Hi Grant, VERY NICE!!!! With the early shield to boot! And nice case!!!! Love cases!!!! I can't wait to see the one on my latest Polizei medal... the one from the 50's. His payment should reach him on Saturday and hoping against hope he might get it out that same day if he gets it early enough. Hoping I'll have it by mid week or thereabouts. Keep up the great work!!!! Dan

Hi Sergey, Many thanks for the help on these and for the translation. And don't worry... your English is actually very good. Just keep working on it... the more you use it the better it gets. But trust me... alot of native speakers don't do as well as you. That last one you posted sure is a beaut, but if Christian is correct then someone will probably end up being in deep trouble over it. Thanks! Dan

Boy, don't I wish!!!! We'd have definitely gotten you some great uniforms with those!!!! Sadly nothing but the insides of the pockets. But I'll keep trying! Dan

Hi Paul, Many thanks for the compliment! I really should do some research on that division and put it with the tunic. Yet another project I've always kind of put on a back burner. Another thing that attracted me to that one was he was a Tech Sergeant like my Uncle Jack was so there was that connection there. Thanks again, Dan

Hi Charles, VERY NICE! Had no idea you sly fox! You're like me... into a bit of everything! We're definitely gonna have to plan on going "hunting" when you're back in the states... hopefully during estate sale season. As far as others... I have a Navy officers dress blue uniform... can't remember if it's an Ensign or a Lt. It's in a garment bag complete with original cap (I believe with extra top) and pants. It was a gift from a friend many moons ago. And then I'd gotten Nick what I believe is a WWII sailors "cracker jack" uniform. I'd forgotten where I'd gotten the "rainbow" till I thought about the sailor... they were both out of a big trade with an acquaintance down in Florida several years back. He had some German, a tiny bit of Soviet and DDR and a ton of US. I wasn't generally into US but Nick liked alot of it so I just traded for a bunch and these were part of the deal. I especially liked the "rainbow" since it seemed so complete and looked original. I'd later gotten him one that he drooled over... had I been into U.S. I'd have gotten it for myself. It was from a friend who happened to be blind. It had been her grandfathers. Her folks were "cleaning out" the house and getting rid of it. I worked a deal with them through her since otherwise it would probably have been given to a thrift store or something. It was a complete set of several uniforms, pinks, etc., with all insignia, ribbons, the works, including at least one of his caps. I believe it was for a Lt. Col. and even came with a copy of some photos of him in uniform and a bit of documentation showing he'd served in N. Africa in the Army Air Corps. Just a terrific set with history, etc., and which could be further researched based on the info we got from them which I believe included his service number, units, etc. I generally hate to see families part with such things, but with the only granddaughter being blind she really didn't have an interest in it since she couldn't even see it. She and her folks simply wanted it to go to a good home where it would be loved and appreciated for the history it represented. This fellow was heavily into U.S. and German, history of WWII, etc., and went nuts when he got it... just loved it. And I'm sure he still has it as one of the prizes of his collection. Even though I'm not truly into U.S. for the most part I like to have representative pieces from the various sides in both WWI and WWII. I used to have several TR German uniforms but over the years they have all gone to other collectors. I still keep my eye out... if I find such goodies for cheap at estate sales and that sort of thing I'd grab them if I have the $$'s at the time. But I don't tend to hunt them down say on Ebay and that sort of thing. I really love German uniforms of most time periods. They could almost go direct from the battlefield to a dress ball and back again. Whereas U.S. and some other forces just looked so drab all the time... even when they were "dressed up". Don't know why it always struck me this way... they just tended to look much more utiliitarian. As plain as some Soviet uniforms were when dressed up with all their various medals and Orders and such... well, I guess they were like Christmas trees... tended to be very plain till they were decorated and then look out! If anyone is intro'd I'd be happy to try to do up pics of my others. Again I don't think they're anything to write home about but I guess to some collectors they'd be considered a real find. The dress blues even have a small U.S. flag folded up in the pocket as I recall. Thanks, Dan

Hi Gordon, Great pic! Many thanks!!!! Sure looks as if he's got a really nice sized ribbon bar on there. Thanks! Dan

Hi Grant, Super! Many thanks my friend! Oh... a certain someone should be back home on Saturday so hoping ya'll get together shortly after that. Can't wait to hear what ya'll think of all the goodies. Thanks again! Dan

Hi Gordon, Many thanks! And I agree... especially re the case. Definitely some scuffing and such. I'm hoping it's not worse overall but we'll see. But the way I'm looking at it, if another pops up down the road I can always get another. But as this is the only one I've seen of this exact type, and definitely the only one cased, I feel I'm very fortunate to have found it and gotten it on all counts. Keeping my fingers crossed re condition but I know I'll love it no matter what. The urkunde is eagerly awaiting it's "reunion" and the little guy seems very happy at the moment. Can't wait till it arrives. It's coming from California so normally it would be quick but this seller doesn't take Paypal so there's the additional time of paying by sending a Postal Money Order. Arrrrrgh! But hopefully it'll still work out fairly fast. Will do additional scans/pics when it arrives. Thanks again, Dan

Hi Paul, Hey, I think they look great! Super piece! Many thanks for doing the extra pics. I'm in love yet again! Now I'm really going to have to try and find one. Again, many thanks for sharing this with us. Dan

Hi Paul, Wow! That's a beaut!!!! It's something I've always wanted to get into but prices went up before I could jump in. But I sure love them. Any chance of seeing a shot of the other side and some closeups of the engraving and any markings? Great find! Thanks so much for sharing. Hope some of the others kick in with some detailed info on this one. Dan

Why thank you Paul! I really appreciate that. I think of all of them I'm most proud of the one I added tonight and being able to put it with the early document and folder. I'm waiting to hear from Gordon on it... but I think I did very well on that one, both the document when I got that as well as the medal. And getting it cased with ribbon bar blows me away! I'd have been thrilled to just find the medal itself so that was definitely a great bonus. And I agree with you re: Gordon's grouping. I've not seen that many DDR groups to begin with but never one with that many photographs. Outstanding! Thanks again my friend! Dan

Hi all, My newest addition and one I've been dying to tell about all week but I didn't want to jinx it. I just won it on Ebay at about 7:38 p.m. cst. I thinks I did good on this one!!!! This is the one that goes with my early urkunde in posts #11 and 12. And to get it with the ribbon bar and cased was definitely a great bonus I think. I'll definitely post more and better pics once I get it. Needless to say I'm overjoyed at finally being able to reunite the medal with the document. Dan

Dan

Hi Steve, Quite understand. On some of these things I've even seen the "experts" wobble back and forth. That's one reason I pretty much got out of TR as it just became a struggle and wasn't as much fun anymore. I still love the stuff and the history... but it got to the point where buying you were scared to death and selling you got frustrated because even if it's something that came back with a vet that you knew was totally authentic you had guys try to tell you it was phony just to get it for cheap or nothing. I'm just glad I got most of my stuff so long ago when things weren't nearly that bad. I did see a couple of spots... but not sure if pitting or what. If you look at the date on the reverse as well as a few of the letters it looks like it had some rough treatment at some point... dinged into other medals or just dropped a few times or something. Not sure if that caused it or what. The background does have a rough texture to it. But again outside of books and some at John Angolia's house I've not seen that many to really be able to tell. And even when I was at Jack's there was so much to see that there was not enough time to do an intense study of each award. I'm sorry I never took this one to show him as I'm sure he could have nailed it one way or the other. I did take other pieces but this one never occured to me for some reason. Again my biggest concern with knowing for sure is if I ever decide to let it and the other cased medals in the set go which for now at least is not likely, or after I'm gone if they get sold off, although the families intention is to hang onto it all, but you know how that goes at times, that it doesn't get passed to someone as real if it's not. But then again I don't want to think it's a fake and let it go only to discover later it was real. For now I'm still leaving in the highly questionable end of things but hoping someone can nail it down for sure at some point. Many thanks for the help on it. I deeply appreciate. Dan

Hi all, Well, the Munkasor group from Charles just arrived today. OUTSTANDING!!!! Even more impressive in person than on the group shot and that's saying alot! I love it even more now than when I first saw the pic... absolutely fantastic! Charles... thanks so much for this! It now has an extremely honored place in my collections and again... I'll have to name a wing after you once we add on to the basement, etc., down the road. And you'll definitely have to come visit the kiddies (often) once you're back home. I'll try to do some additional shots and post as I definitely want to learn all I can about this group. Thanks again!!!!!!!! Dan

Hi Gordon, Outstanding pieces! I remember seeing a couple of the forestry uniforms about two or three years ago and they went for cheap. I was very tempted and had the $$'s at the time but went for other goodies instead. Now I wish I'd picked them up. I also like the customs uniforms and the ones for pilots in the border guard. Railroad uniforms are very nice too. Here's hoping you get to add alot more to your forestry collection before too long. Thanks so much for sharing. Dan