Having been one of the first to join this site in 2000,I was wondering who is still here now.
I had some great times on this site in the early years,we really were a band of brothers.
Am not sure if it?s the same anymore as it was in the early days...met some great people at the MAX
The party?s..late drinking..the personality?s ..am going to the MAX again this year after 10 years..am looking forward
To it..but I know it will never be the same as it was.
Not that many who actually post. I'm one and so is Vern. We sometimes hear from Craig.
I will be at the MAX and can mostly be found at Tom Wittmann's table. Stop by and say hello, Steve.
You are right that it has changed. Beyond the fact that many of us are aging, the Internet has changed significantly. Actually, so has MAX and all the other shows.
Dave
think I first came on in 98 or 99..
Yes it will never be the same,,,thats just the way it is...
The reproductions are just so good now. They even falsifying research!
And the prices are insane when a item gets hot..
Everything gets its turn ,,soldbuchs,,helmets, ID tags, certain medals/badges, organizational collecting.. IF you buy when hot and your wanting a good return forget it!!
Shows too,,long gone are the all nighters, cocktail hours, etc [or at least for some ;)]
Steve, great- Is your jail sentence over already? Mike
Mike,great to hear from you buddy..yes got let out for good behaviour. ;-)
Are you going to the next show..would love to catch up
I was not one of the real early ones, but I still check back from time to time.
We used to have lively discussions, lots of new stuff to show and talk about, and I was able to buy nice items here.
But now it sure is quiet most of the time!
Chief
I'm one of the first ones to register here as well and I still check in.
Billy,
You sure beat me by about 6 months. Start a topic or two if you have a moment.
Dave
Still here,,older but no wiser,,,,hi Steve n Billy!
I was watching this site a few years before I joined. I was on the fence but realized the fast knowledge and friendliness of the members was worth it.
hi mikee n members
i think i might be one of the first ten people to join gdc it was when i was a waiter at the last supper opps only kidding dave where do i stand here i do know it was when craig gottlieb had the gdc thanks god bless all andy
We started building the site in December 1999. The first live registrations started in February 2000
This was the first site I was on ,I joined in 2002 when a member here saved me from buying a fake dagger. I learned a lot over the yrs and very grateful for everyone on this site .... Just found the membership badge that I bought #0053 , I have it in my curio cabinet on display lol,,I do miss the raffles and the live chats that they used to have on here ...
Thanks to everyone on here
James
Great site , its been fun and met alot of great guys some still here others gone.
Horst
Im not that early but I remember Craig fondly and many others Gailen and Ron and even Houston.................there was great discussion Bob Iqbal, Paul Von Drak, Tom Kibler, Dave Bissell (NOBOZOS) Daryl Pajot Derek Chapman, Donald Abenheim Any Military Nut all the great SS collectors, Kevin etc....all these great collecting minds driven off to WAF and other forums. I joined WAF but was never active. GDC was great back in the day miss the GDC helmet forum parties at the SOS miss GDC....................................................cheers, Ryan
He Ryan...long time, no hear.
Funny post.....bit like a veteran reunion. Well, been away for many years, sold all my stuff years ago.
Didn't like the attitude of most new collectors, didn't like the many fakes, didn't like the "my item is good, your item is bad" discussions. So....made a bundle by selling. Retired and still pay my new hobbies with the SA-bucks.
Recently came across this site after many years and "joined" just to take a quick peek...
Guess back in the days I was on f the first to join. Started the SA-uniform section. Lot of nice guys here, back then.
You might remember me....curious who can dig up my NN in those days.
And.....I always wonder why there are hardly any SA-items on the market......scarce? not collectible?...
We had a fine SA-bunch back then.....Erich Benndorf, Ed Stadnicki, Bob Coleman, "Salzburger".......
Sooooo good to hear from you and to see you post. You are right, like a re-union of sorts I sold my political collection to Craig 12 or more years ago I have amassed a decent collection of headgear and tunics again but they are tougher to acquire. God!!!! Eric and Ed Bob and Salzburger Great chaps great days keep posting cheers and best, Ryan
Yoh Ryan,
Yep, those were the days.
Cheers
Hans (Holland)
They sure were.................................I'm pretty soon I will be done with this all soon enough. cheers and best, Ryan
I was a so called lurker for a year before I join and this was the first site I became active posting and had a great time here. I have moved on from dress edged weapons to issued edged weapons with unit markings.
Dow,
Thanks for stopping by. Always good to hear from you.
Any chance of seeing a few of those weapons with unit markings ?
Dave
Wow Tex,
Got any vertical hangers?
Awsome display. Would like to see the full view of the case, looks super. And all the items in it of course.
To have large units like that to hold a dozen or so daggers in one drawer is great.
Well done all around.
Ed
I'm in the middle of moving and the cases are gone now; downsizing houses.
Had them custom made from red oak. 4 drawers on the bottom and 'display' on the top. Had 3 of them.
Much of the collection has been disbursed. Friends dealers and auctions have taken their 'bite'.
4 vertical hangers left and two of the Officers 'teardrop' hangers left.
All of the SS dolches (my heart of hearts) remain. I may take them to the grave??
Dave,
I don't have quite as much time as I would like for the hobby but I'll try to.
Tex,
Your displays are terrific and very inspiring!
Dam nice Tex!
- well guess ,' better to have loved than,,[?],,,oh well you know what I mean.
Might be 'disbursed',,but it will always be yours!
Got to admit is like selling your children...?.
Glad your back.. You could always just make a new password or contact Vern or Dave..
Good to see some new stuff!..
-
- All very very nice,,thanks for posting.. , Quick question,,,Did the Nazi's make the stag handle Police bayo with a sawtooth back?
I still check in but post little.
Orpo
Holly Bayonet!! Nice collection, and the Porepee's, very nice.
Always wanted a police PPK and P-08.
Ed
Glad your back.. You could always just make a new password or contact Vern or Dave..
Good to see some new stuff!..
-
- All very very nice,,thanks for posting.. , Quick question,,,Did the Nazi's make the stag handle Police bayo with a sawtooth back?
The regulation stag handle Police bayonet did not have a sawback. It is possible that some private purchase Seitengewehre had a sawback or a sawback removed. Of course the Fire Police KS98 with checkered black plastic grips came as a sawback like the regular FW bayonets with plain or sawback blades. So, I guess never say never.
George, I like that etched fire bayo.
Could you post pictures of the etch and maker mark, if any?
J
John
That is a nice one, and rare to be sure.
Not too many around.
JR has one on his site now, from 1931.
Ed
John,
I believe it is a Pack with a 25 year service time etch.
I have two that are both Packs, one long and one short.
All the years that I have been doing hotel buys, I have had plenty of firemans dress bayonets, but never one with an engraved blade.Must bring a premium price, compared to the army ones.
Robert, etched fire bayos are pretty rare. Most encounters are fake.
So, if a plain blade fire bayo retails for $300 or so, an etched blade would add about $2,000+ to that.
My opinion, of course, but look at any that are for sale.
J
JohnZ
Only one I have seen for sale as of late is $2500.00
Ed
been here for awhile but so much to do and no time to do it.
I have bought a lot of engraved army dress bayonets. No firemans engraved bayonet. But only one engraved SS bayonet, it was sold to Dr. Ron Distelhorst, more then 25 years ago. My question is, why do you not see more etched SS dress bayonets? The SS was big enough, but then again no etched bayonets, makes no sense to me.
Bob,
It would depend a lot on what the senior SS officers thought or recommended.
Also, unlike the Army, the SS was a new organization with no history or traditions. Bayonets may have looked good on parade, but as a weapon they were something of the past.
One of the founding members
I am back, been off this forum for over a decade. Decided to come back , started collecting again last February after fully retiring from the Police. I am still too young for Social Security so I’m working part time as a bodyguard for one of Hollywoods big names. I am still very interested in SS uniforms and insignias and keep a large photo collection of real and fake insignias and uniforms, my interests expanded into Heer uniforms where I am still a novice but trying to learn as much as possible. I recognize some of the names here from long ago. Hope everyone is well and I will be checking in from time to time to see what’s new.
Hello, John,
Good to see you after 10 years.
Dave
I was asked to join by Craig early on and have been here since.
Not quite 20 years for me yet. Joined in June 2002.... Still popin now & then to see what's happening.
Don
Gailen David urged me to sign up.
There are quite a few of the original cast around, but some to read a lot but not post.
Dave
I quit collecting a few years ago but still check the forum to see what's happening. My impression is that interest in the subject matter is declining, but I have heard that in some areas there is a little increase in interest. Its a great hobby, but unfortunately there have been a few dishonest dealers who screwed a lot of people. It would be really difficult for a beginner to get started in the hobby today and be able to buy with confidence, in my opinion.
I have collected a lot of different things over the years, cartridges, Iron crosses, autographs, Eickhorn swords and World War Two relics in general. My main interest was in swords because except for the really expensive ones, as a rule they have not been faked . Everything else has been faked so well even the experts are fooled.
I hope the hobby continues to thrive, I had a lot of fun over the years and dont regret it for one minute!
Joe S
Hi Joe good to see you're still here, from time to time. Warelics and WAF are really still quite active. Other forums are also....... there just seems to be a very substantial steady and general decline in activity on this forum. There have been threads and much discussion as to why. The lack of posts and activity is easy to see. Paul VonDrak did his best over the past year to "kick start" things. He felt generally bad that GDC was a shell of its former self. I think he had some success though it was very limited. The interest and members just weren't/aren't there. Unfortunately he passed away suddenly and there seems to be no interest in carrying on his noble effort. The major dealers will continually tell you that both the MAX and SOS sales are fantastic. They state the hobby is in good shape. I strongly believe that the general interest is still there and growing......at least the interest in 3rd Reich memorabilia remains strong cheers and best, R
I remember Craig when he was starting GDC and selling Gurkha knives he imported. I started with, and still have most, SA and SS daggers then moving on to Allach Porcelain. I was very sad to read of Pvon's passing. I bought some beautiful 1st Lufts's from him a few years back. I still check in now and then and have my early GDC 'party pins'.
Kept most of what I collected YEARS ago.
When they started faking black wound badges and death cards, I knew it was 'all over'...............
many of us are here 20 yrs.. Some were just 'lurkers;!
ALL the military sites are doing slow,,,and I'm not counting the 50 questions a day
"is this SS eagle / skull / helmet good! - * Yes the shows seem to slightly increasing again but still not many younger collectors.
Tex,, you hit it with "When they started faking black wound badges and death cards, I knew it was 'all over"
I just go to the MAX now because its close. Meet up with some of the old crew,,we have a great time.. IF there is something weird/interesting there I'll grab it.."
Hi, Mark,
I remember you from when you were in Florida !
I'm told that the shows (SOS, MAX, Allentown, Drawbridge, etc) have been much better this year and last year after some lean years.
I am still here. Mail business is very good. I think a lot of people have given up going to shows and are on line. The increased cost of travel and rooms is eating away at the loose money for relics IMO.
I was a lurker for a long time before joining. Absolutely love it here.
George
Really nice things, condition, condition.
Where are the shows near KC that have the military stuff??
I would be interested in going.
Ed
I picked up the shortened Bavaian Pol. short sword, on the left, at the Leavenworth, KS show. The Prison Police Litwika tunic with a single breast pocket I got from a local picker. The Motorized Gendarmerie Capt. tunic came from the Wichita Military Show put on by the Wichita Military Collector Club. This tunic is named and I was able to research him and trace his career from a Feldjaeger to the W-SS. The flag came from an area collector who was downsizing and I tried to buy it for years. The Saxon Polizei Pickelhaube from Zittau came from SOS. So, five out of six locally sourced in the last couple of years.
The next local show is the Kansas City Military Collector Club show on Saturday May 6, 2023. Held at the American Legion, 7500 W 75th, Overland Park, KS from 0900 - 1500 hours on Saturday only.
Thanks George. I have been to the Wichita shows several times. I will look up the Leavenworth show, and the KC show.
Thanks again
Ed
Still here though I don't post as much as I used to. Still a great and informative site
George, you additions to the collection are astounding. Well done. Did you make the SOS this year? I had my tables but don't recall you stopping by. Of course,might be my memory.
Looking back, I see that I posted quite a bit in the first and second decades of this century (sounds strange doesnt it), but then tappered off. Like Gendarmerie 1 who has been absent for quite a while, I started using other sites.
Thanks for the kudos Joe. I did not make it to the last SOS. I am unable to continue to go to SOS so I gave up my tables last year. The two guys I went with had recent health issues and I can no longer walk the show as my feet give out. Still a great show though.
Thanks for helping me ID my Motorized Gendarmerie tunic. I really appreciate your assistance. I recently picked up that Polizei NCO white tunic that was discussed on the other forum so stuff still pops up. Now I need to find a white backed enlisted sleeve eagle and some buttons for it. A rare and obscure tunic IMHO.
George