Saw this collection of armbands and I just said wow! How many can you name? Some look to be fantasy while others are known to exist like the blue armband with wings. It is a type of RLB.... The red luftwaffe legion condor is a fantasy...

Whoaa.....that is impressive. I would not know a good one from a fantasy piece. I have bought one in my life at a flea market and it was the early version RLB. Quite nice. I wish I still had it. Thanks for sharing. An under appreciated collecting area IMO that generally is still affordable.

My reason exactly for collecting armbands! Cheap and not collected enough. The RLB ones are getting quite rare so you got a good deal. Only think cheaper that I know of is sport shirts.... Armbands are also easy to study. Just need to know all the construction styles and use a lighter and a black light for confirming as the construction on fakes is increasing..... Can't just go off the tools...

Here is a list from left to right from top to bottom.....
1. Army Recruiter
2. Unknown (possible fantasy)
3. Unknown (possible fantasy)
4. Luftschutz Fire Fighter
5. Pilot ID armband (Never seen a white one so this is a first)
6. Luftschutz Volunteer
7. Later style RLB officer
8. Unknown (possible fantasy)
9. Werkschutz
10. Stretcher Bearer
11. Latvian Youth (most likely fake as these weren't issued before the end of the war....)
12. Fantasy armband
13. SA reserve (was once called SA sport..)
14. Fantasy armband....
15. too far to tell
16. Hitler Youth
17. Unknown
18. Early type political (heavily faked but did exist so most likely fake....)
19. Non combat personnel in service of the Wehrmacht
20. A unique Non combat personnel in service of the Wehrmacht
21. Decontamination in the RLB
22. 2nd Style State service
23. Security Police
24. Volkssturm
25. 1st style RLB
26. Unknown...
27. NSKOV
28. Service of the SS (possible fantasy)
29. DAF
30. Werkschutz
31. Unknown usage in the RLB (1 other I have seen in a RLB armband collection)
32. Traffic Director
33. NSBO
34. SA reserve
35. Railway guard
36. State service 1st type
37. Printed state service
38. Hitler Youth
39. Service in the german army
40. Reichspost
41. Red cross
42. Medic
43. DKRB
44. NSBO (black???)
45. Front collection
46. Duties of the NSDAP
47. Railroad service
48. RAD leader
49. Org. Todt
50. Looks to be a wool party armband
51. Volkssturm leader (unsure)
52. Pilot ID
53. Veteran
54. Order and crowd control in the RLB
55. SA reserve
56. TeNo
57. Looks to be a sports eagle???? Unknown
58. SS
59. Reichspost
60. Stadwach
61. Stutenbund
62. Gau level political armband
63. Can't tell due to being cut off
64. War blinded
65. Cut off
and there is some duplicates in more detailed photos. Some aren't pictures too.....

Well done KB. I also visited the Forum reference section and compared to photo. Very interesting. I will never pass by another armband without wanting to investigate what it was for. Thanks for sharing and helping to educate me.
Cheers
Rick

Just wanted to add with the early political armband (# 18) there are 4 types. 3 are in the reference and look to be used during the forming of the NSDAP because after watching a documentary yesterday on this, I saw the 3 2 and 1 stripe.... Seems like every person had an armband except the kreigsmarine, heer, and ground troop luftwaffe besides elevator operators and women.....

A lot of crap armbands in this photo. You really should credit the photo.9I think I know who's collection this is

This grouping does NOT impress me, as over 50% is crap

50%? To me only about 15% can be seen as an instant fake? This is from auction zip and an auction in Pennsylvania in spet 20..... here is the link.....
http://www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/auctio...tSearchRadius=0

Looking and I only see 10 one look fakes. Don't see how you can tell over 50% are fake.....

Well, feel free to bid on these then..Went to this auction site. Most all caps are garbage,helmets are ?????????????????,
Just look line by line of these armbands, top to bottom, I will use your # list as best I can..
2/3/4/5/ all crap
8/9/11/12 crap
14/15/16/18/20/22 crap
Oh hell, every line is full, come on, a GREY colored NSDAP with white rondel/black swaz! A black NSBO???I do not have time to list every one line by line. SS is crap, all the state service ones are crap,all the ones on far right top to bottom,DAF total crap,this auction site and auction house is well known as clearing house for junk, (LiveAuctioneers/Proxibid)contracted .

#31...Silk screened POS from Reddick..$8.00 at one time.

Just post the first pic on any other forums, and just ask, **which ones in your opinion are crap based on pic,** you will get the same as mine.most all

Just because you haven't seen them before doesn't mean they don't exist. I have seen many different variations of different armbands. Gray party armbands do exist and they are SA reserve. # 4 as stated is luftschutz fire fighter or can be a red brigade armband according to the armband guide. I have seen others just like #9 that are authentic. 11 and 12 I agree are fake. #11 has existed at one point because there are period photos wit these being worn.... The RLB armbands exist and there are a few in RLB armband collections that are definitely authentic. and there are white state service. The others can't be argued over. The political armband has existed as there is period video and pictures with them so they are not fantasy.

Also I have gotten many great items from auctioneers registered in these hosts. I have picked up at least 20 authentic items....

I think #8 is WHW (Winter Hilfswerk).
I think it is a good pattern.

Good hunting,
Johnny

Very interesting to hear. Thanks for the info!

Cleveland,

You don't contribute much at all, but when you do post most of what you post comes across as quite negative. Sorry but that's my perception. Instead of stating that everything is crap in most all your posts, why not show us examples from your collection so we all may learn. Try becoming a positive contributor to this great forum.

I agree try to spread some knowledge from your collection or how you can tell these are fakes from such pictures.... Also #3 looks like a similar pattern to a political sport shirt eagle..... does anybody else see a resemblance?

I been to that auction in the past when I lived in pa. Most of the time he has junk. Also the farmers out there have way too much money.

I had a grey nsdap arm band. Came out of a vet diary from the 30 inf div. It is for vets org.

You are right for the gray armband. Now found out it is for the Der Stahlhelm organization.... First time I have heard about this auction and not good news at all. I know that people with money buy anything worth money and it is a very far drive for me. Was only going to go because of some of the rare ones that you don't see often...

Well they updated with more pictures and a lot of them look original but some have fake stamps added it seems to increase the value....
http://www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/photopanel.cgi?listingid=1854666&category=0&zip=&kwd=