Shoulder boards... to each his own....

[Chris Boonzaier]

Everyone has their own way of collecting, and I really think that discussing the benifits of one way or another is a waste of time....

but i really dont get why people collect single shoulderboards?

OK, if i was to get a single of 2. bay. Jäger, or Inf Leib Regt... ok... it would do at a push.... but pairs or sets are just soooo much better.... or not?

best

chris

[Hoyden R.]

I don't know, ask my husband. I asked him the same thing and then looked at him blankly and when what he explained to me made absolutely NO sense. Then again, I am OCD so I like order in everything, "odd boys out" whether it is socks or insignia are annoying.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Hoyden R.

[ccj]

I agree, pairs are much better.

[Guest Rick Research]

Not. Becaaaaaause

Are you going to buy a uniform to sew them on? Or wear them on your jamjams?

I had a splendid collection of embroidered enlisted pre-war Wehrmacht shoulder straps as a kid, single collar tabs hacked off uniforms (not by me!)... all the sort of things that were once common. They made a terrific display en masse, framed.

Like to guess how many years it has been since I have seen ANY Imperial boards or tabs? The answer is: last century.

Would I turn up my nose at any single M1910 officer board, or the even rarer regiment-specific collar tabs? Nope.

I'd be grateful to find any. A-N-Y.

Though I have abandoned hope of ever re-accumulating Ryker mounts full of splendidly colorful examples.

[Guest Rick Research]

Durnit! Only have ONE Alpenkorps K.B. Jäger Bn 4, Chris!!!!

[Guest Rick Research]

Durnit! Only ONE of his, too!

Though in the regimental history you can actually tell that THIS IS THAT board (from the Vs on the loops and position of numbers) he went and spoiled it adding his char. Oberstleutnant aD pip to it!

[Guest Rick Research]

But that's OK because I have ONE of his younger brother's too....

Somebody must (?) have their RIGHT side boards?....

[ccj]

All singles aren't worth having. I recycle so send to me and I'll make sure they are delta with.

Pairs are better because its 100% more than a single...

[Guest Rick Research]

Fortune cookie: Single board = 100% more than no board!

[Chris Boonzaier]

Look.... Shoulder boards are like Gonads.. one is better than nothing...... but having two is waaaaaay better.....

[Guest Rick Research]

OK, TWO pairs of Max-Joseph or ...

because even though there WERE "right" and "left" on these... I'm bettin' that neither he nor anybody else noticed that....

[Chris Boonzaier]

NOW you are talking!!!

[Guest Rick Research]

So--

Split 'em up, sell 'em off, move 'em out oddsiiiiide? (OK you have to be old enough to remember Clint Eastwood as a non-Italian cowpoke for THAT theme song reference....)

[Hoyden R.]

You know, there is an idea. I can display those "onsies" in a custom frame that I build. Red, yellow, pink, green, purple, orange and blue.......

That's an idea. I need to file that away for future reference.

Then again, I'll have to convince my husband that he should let me FRAME THEM and HANG THEM ON THE WALL instead of languishing away in a ruddy bin in his collection closet.

[Marcin L]

Chris,

Just to double check if I understand you correctly - collecting single boards is wrong because of ... what?

I mean, I have just singles as they were offered for sell as such. But I also have a hope to buy the second (the same) single, to have a pair some day.

Is that wrong? Why?

Regards,

Marcin

[IrishGunner]

So, with your logic, Chris, a tunic without the trousers (let alone without the shoulder boards ) is not worth collecting . Or without a cap for that matter. Or boots? Heck, if you can't have the COMPLETE uniform, what's the point? How about a bayonet without the scabbard (although a scabbard without a bayonet seems pointless)? Oh, here's a good one... How about a single medal instead of a bar? Or a medal bar without the matching ribbon bar? Or only one document to a person clearly with other awards? A British Victory Medal without Pip and Squeak? Pip without Squeak and Wilfred?

We all see value in those "without" combinations. I'm sure even you, Chris, will agree with most of that (maybe not the bayonet). Of course, most of us will agree that "with" is much better and preferred if possible. But it isn't possible. Most of the time. So, yes, a single shoulder board would be very welcome in my collection.

[Guest Rick Research]

That's the way I collect uniforms. And--of course--they have to FIT me... because I like to dress up and... TMI?

[Chris Boonzaier]

Chris,

Just to double check if I understand you correctly - collecting single boards is wrong because of ... what?

Marcin

I dont say its "wrong" ... just that personally I am not interested in Single boards (Unless it is to a unit where my objective is to get stuff to the unit, as opposed to collecting boards)...

It is a personal choice, how we collect... but I would not buy a single Jack Boot, because the soldier wore two. I would not buy a single glove. I prefer to get two matching Ammunition pouches etc. etc.

It depends HOW you collect, and how you intend to display...

[Chris Boonzaier]

So, with your logic, Chris, a tunic without the trousers (let alone without the shoulder boards ) is not worth collecting . Or without a cap for that matter.

So you finally admit that Logic and Chris go together?

But your examples are wrong. A tunic and Trousers and caps could be issued as single items... not a shoulder board. As stated above, some things were just made to be in a "pair"

[IrishGunner]

So you finally admit that Logic and Chris go together?

But your examples are wrong. A tunic and Trousers and caps could be issued as single items... not a shoulder board. As stated above, some things were just made to be in a "pair"

It pains me somewhat to say so, but , when it comes to collecting Imperial... I have to admit you are fairly logical. And I see your point. However, if a soldier damaged ONE shoulder board, did he get a new pair? Or a single? See... Logic that contradicts your's.

[IrishGunner]

Of course, now I'm very frustrated that I just won an artillery EK2 document, but not the Wound Badge document to the same soldier.

Of course, if the idiot hadn't split them into two separate auctions!

So, now that I know there is another document, somehow my EK2 doc just isn't the same without it's Wound Badge mate.

[Marcin L]

Well, I think none of us would not buy single shoulderboard in price much below market prices just because it is single...

[Guest Rick Research]

But at least you have the scan for recording the story!

Over 30 years ago--when only Chip and I were alive, crawling among the pterodactyl caves of "Kaiserzeit" magazine--a guy posted "his" Bulgarian WW1 commemorative Medal document. I immediately wrote to say I had the same officer's Hungarian--and did he want to sell his or buy mine? These were then something like ten bucks--not exactly Major Finds!

Never got a reply.

8 years later it turned up in one of our own Jeff Floyd's paper snail mail catalogs. Both now have been together--without another one of his Urkunden ever turning up anywhere--since Ronald Reagan's first term.

The world is small. All things come to those who wait and watch.

[IrishGunner]

Good point, Rick. But if I had a choice of only one for now, it would've been the Wound Badge.

And now that I look over the bids, the person that won the Wound Badge doc, never even bid on the EK2 doc.

Edited September 15, 2013 by IrishGunner

[Marcin L]

Rick,

Can you share scans of Kaiserzeit, please? Is it available anywhere in the net?

Best,

Marcin