Article about: Here is the last one for now. I won this one this weekend at an auction. It is a German dress bayonet with portepee knot and frog scabbard. I showed the bayonet to my dad, the only member of
For those of you who do not know, during the summer, when I am out of school, I spend my weekends hunting for WWII militaria to buy and resale to fund other items for my collection or to trade, since I have no job. Probably 70% of the items I come across are reproductions or fakes, so it can be a risky business. The golden rule is, "Don't mistake temptation for opportunity". Yes, I have on occasion carried a fake item home with me, only to have my dreams crushed by the fine members of this forum Nonetheless, it is a very fun experience and well worth the risk.
I mainly "hunt" in garage sales, antique stores, and local auctions. As you will see, I find all sorts of random items. In this thread I will post pictures of these WW1/2 items I come across. Most of the finds are for resale only, but a rare few land gracefully into my own collection. Make sure you check back regularly, and I hope you enjoy the thread.
I would like to thank Joe (aka: GIZMO8Z) for his fantastic thread "Finds in the Garbage" that has provided us all with hours of entertainment, and that has inspired me to create this thread. For those interested, Joe's thread can be found at this link: Finds in the GARBAGE!
EDIT: I forgot to mention, the pictures may look blurry, so just click on the photos for better detail. thanks
This is a beautiful pair of BMJ manufactured 10 X 50 binoculars I picked up in an antique store a few weeks ago. They were used by reconnaissance units in tropical areas. Here is a link to the thread about these: https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/field...-store-189081/
Luftwaffe Gravity knife I acquired recently. It was a dropped listing from eBay. Gravity knives are considered illegal to own, buy, or sale in many countries; therefore, eBay prohibits their being listed. I simply contacted the seller before eBay removed the listing and he gave me a good price. I ended up trading this knife to another collector for a M40 helmet. Here is the link about the knife: https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/dagge...rsberg-173585/
Just picked this Luftwaffe Officer's Sidecap up a few days ago from an auction. It originally came with a grouping of other Luftwaffe apparel, none of which were related. It is a great piece; however, I think I overpaid a bit. I traded this cap for a couple of minty medals last week.
This is a leather 305th Bomb Group, 8th airforce A2 jacket patch. I still can't believe I got it for 20 bucks! I'm glad to report the new owner is very thrilled to have it. The 305th Bomb Group was one of the most highly decorated B17 bomber groups during WWII. This was one of the hardest pieces I have ever had to give up, but I'm glad it found a good home.
Here is a nice battle damaged Japanese landing force canteen. It was only in my possession for about 15 minutes
According to the auction house, the vet picked it up on Iwo Jima. He apparently shot it as it was lying on the ground. Not sure how true it is, but still an interesting story.
German made Argentine bayonet. Also an auction buy. These bayos are pretty common, and usually in very good condition like this one. I won this one in an online auction, so it doesn't exactly fit the category of the thread. When it came up for bidding online, I pressed "Bid Now - $55.00" about a millisecond after 2 others pressed it. The bayonet shot up to $110 instantly! And guess who accidentally won it.. yep, you guessed it. I had to pay twice as much as I actually bid
This is one of the best pieces that has ever passed through my hands. It is complete, matching, numbered, and personalized. The gas mask is in great condition. The canister is painted with DAK (Afrika Korps) desert camo. Attached to the canister is some kind of pouch marked "Gerbruder Wendler GMBH Solingen". Pouch has a swastika stamp as well. Also attached to the canister is a small lanyard. I just bought this item from a local antique store today.
The original owner's name is O. Putze. He was an NCO stationed at some point in Paris, France. If somebody could give me more information I would be eternally grateful. The canister, canister strap, and gas mask strap are named to Putze. However, the name tag from the gas mask strap has fallen off and glued to the lid (pictured).
The set also came with a cleaning cloth, which I had never seen before. Anybody know if these were issued with the gas mask?
I'll be honest, I have no idea what this is. I'm guessing it is a British naval bicorn from WWI. I came across it today while pilfering through a bunch of junk in an antique mall. I love the look of it; although it is a bit too small for my head. Any information will earn you brownie points
It looks very similar to the For and Aft navy admiral hat on Time Traveler Militaria. Same basic design and decorations.
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