UBB.threads Forums Uniform & Accessories Helmet Forum Coolest of the cool SS helmet I picked up

I was lucky enough to buy 2 or 3 �blackies� from the ultimate SS collection. I consider it a great privilege to be a temporary custodian of these and it definitely has filled the �Indiana Jones� complex we all have at times. For a helmet collector this is analogous to finding the lost Ark!
Best Wishes,
Bob

2

Enjoy them in good health, Bob. It is now time for others to have the pleasure of temporarily owning them...which as collectors, is all we do. We "own" these for a while and then move them on to the next generation of collector.

This may come as a shock to some but I have revealed my decision to most of the collecting fraternity with whom I correspond almost daily. I am shifting my focus slightly and will be putting a few complete SS (black of course) mannequins together and then calling the actual collecting quits. I have kept three of my precious "blackies" and the rest are on their way to other collectors via Bob. If you are at all interested in owning one I would suggest that you contact Bob.

I still plan on being a member of this forum and helping others with their SS helmet questions. Just because I no longer collect them doesn't mean that I will no longer stay abreast of the hobby, nor does it diminish my interest in the history and study of the TR era. I love this stuff and will continue to research and learn.

Cheers,

Hi Bob,

I sent you a Personal Message. Please contact me when you have the time.

[email protected]

Wow!


A very nice example.

Joe Semen

But, but, but, but. Arrrghhh! Where is $10,000 when you need it???

That must have been a tough decision Darryl. I hope they find deserving new homes.


Glenn

Glenn,

Yes, it was a very difficult decision but it was one that I have been pondering for about a year now. So it was not something I did without thinking it through.

As collectors we all go through stages in our collecting life and this one has come and now gone. I always did find it difficult to focus on just one thing and now I will be able to collect a bunch of different items to make up a couple of complete SS uniforms...shirts, ties, belts and buckles, boots, a dagger, a bayonet and possibly an SS NCO's sword (anyone have any leads for me?). After those have been located and acquired I will just sit back and enjoy the research and the history...and watch others add to their wonderful collections.

Cheers,

I was just going to begin urging Darryl to tour his collection. =(

Very so!
Bob , I send you some emails, look into them time permittin''
regards HJ

Enjoy

Cheers
Don

Must be a very hard deciscion Darryl, but it will be a challenge to collect a full display mannequin.
I hope you will succeed in your new assignment.

(maybe Bob can sent your ex-helmets just for a weekend like kids by a divorce)

I was astounded when I heard the news. Didn't know what to say, at first. But, undoubtedly, a great fortune to Bob. You're a lucky guy, Bob! Congratulations with the seizure of the Holy Grail! Darryl, you are clever not having told anybody your decision before you carried it out. Had I known it beforehand, I would have done my best to dissuade you from selling them all at once. But I understand keeping a huge collection is far more difficult than buying an item. Anyway, I'm happy to hear you say you'll keep on sharing your precious knowledge here, my friend. Best Regards,

Shu

Hi Shu,

Thanks for the well wishes. Yes, the decision would have been much more difficult if others had tried to dissuade me from selling. However as I stated, I am not actually leaving the hobby...I am just shifting gears, slowing down a little and refocussing. I will still be here on the forum to provide comments and opinions when asked.

By the way, my daughter is now in your country for a month as an exchange student. She is in the Osaka region.

Cheers,

Hi Darryl,
Osaka is far away from Tokyo. But that's another big city yet in close vicinity to the ancient city of Kyoto. It's a good place to see both new and old things. Modernity and tradition exist side by side there. Hope she will like the place. How'bout coming to visit me in Japan sometime if you ever have a chance, Darryl? Not many Westerners visit Japan for vacation, but they do in business. Kelly Hicks came here a couple of times and, just a couple of months ago, I met Prorege here who came on business. We enjoyed a good militaria talk, a good Japanese meal, and, of course, plenty of Sake! Friendship is surely fun part of this hobby.

Shu

Darryl has no excuses as he should be able to acquire a cheap flight. I know that you would both have an amazing time, not to mention that he would have the opportunity to see your collection in the flesh and in its entirety. I am certain that his family would love to visit their daughter in Japan....compliments of the helmet proceeds. I am taking my family to the cottage for a week on the proceeds of my latest sale, but then I didn't own 21 Allgemeine helmets cheers, Ryan

I think this is hard proof of the old cliche, "It's lonely at the top."

NIIIIIICE...............CONGRATS

Darryl - good luck in your new collecting field, SS cloth is a challenge in itself.

....and I can highly recommend you to visit Shu in Japan, we had a fantastic evening out there. Shu is an absolutely great guy and a very experienced collector as you know.

Shu,

I would love to travel to Japan (been there only once) and visit with you. We certainly don't get much time to really socialize at the MAX and SOS...too much "business" going on there. And, contrary to Ryan's comments I can't get cheap flights. I sure wish I could, but my company does not have any affiliations/agreements with other long-haul carriers and we don't fly to Japan...yet.

Prorege,

Sorry to be misunderstood but I am not changing my collecting field. I am actually going to stop collecting once I get my SS mannequins together. I have other priorities for the money and will place it towards those. No, I simply plan on reading and studying the period, of which I have always been a student and helping others navigate their way through the murky waters of SS helmet collecting. The three "blackies" that I am keeping will suit me just fine and the black SS uniforms are something I have always liked ever since I began collecting years ago. Once I have them completed I will post some images for you to see.

My other collecting interest is and always has been, the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) flight gear from the early post-war era, 1950s and '60s. I have a large collection of that material. The funny thing is...just one of my black helmets is more expensive than my entire RCAF collection combined. Blows my mind!

Cheers,

Hi Darryl only kidding about the cheap flight...I was pretty certain that Skyservice didn't fly to Japan. Don't you have any contacts with the competition and perhaps get a jumpseat or standby cheers, Ryan

Jumpseat to Japan??? Whoaaaaaaaaa...
Paul