UBB.threads Forums General Interest Community Center Who?s still on this site after 20 years?

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

Been around a while -

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.

I am still around although I have cut back on going to shows, concentrating more on area shows.

I am still collecting Police uniforms and "stuff" and things keep popping up locally. A few things that I have acquired in the last couple of years...

George

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