ID Soviet Navy Cap tallies

[Michael Ryan]

Hi Salothsar, Once again may I thank you for your assistance and knowledge. I realy appreciate your help.. Do you mind me contacting you? I do not want to pester you with questions but if you are happy to advise me then I will continue on an occasional basis. Are you a collector or is your interest accademic? I collect a variety of militaria including Russian caps and insignia hence the cap tallies. With German tallies I can generally work out what the tally says but with Russian, its impossible. I have even tried using a Russian alphabet but to no avail. I am assuming that your location "Eastern Pa" is Pennsylvania? Are you Russian or are you just very knowledgeable on matters Russian? If I can ever return your assistance, please do not hessitate to ask.

With thanks and best wishes once again Michael R

[salothsar]

Hi
I certainly don't mind answering any questions I can help you with. I am a retired Professor and one of my areas of interest was the USSR. I collect Soviet memorabilia, as well as NSDAP collar tabs and daggers. I am in Pennsylvania, but I spent a lot of time in Ukraine when I was a bit younger. The Cyrillic alphabet is a problem for many people, personally I have always been mystified by Arabic and Hindi.

[Michael Ryan]

Hi once again and thank you for your comments. Do you have a name? I too collect both Russian and German and have a collection of daggers and bayonets. I have always wanted to collect collar patches as ranks and service branches fastenate me. So much so that I have a fairly large collection of RAF badges specialising in rank insignia, shoulder boards and sliders etc. In my Russian bits I have some nice General Officer's uniforms and caps as well as other caps for various organisations and medal and badges etc. I am not very knowledgeable on Russian Militaria but I do like it and collect it as a side line to my other interests.
Right, Thank you once again and very best wishes Michael R

[salothsar]

Hi Michael
My name is Stu, I had an extensive collection of early Soviet badges , orders and medals and Supreme Soviet Badges. I have sold many things and have turned back to German. If you have any questions I have either had or seen it all from the Kiev Arsenal Badges, Screwback Lenin with Tractor, Order of the Great Patriotic War 1st class #7(nillions were awarded) to Brezhnev's Supreme Soviet Badge, and am happy to answer any questions.
Best Stu

[Michael Ryan]

Hi Stu, Thank you for your message and allowing me to ask questions etc. I too am keen on German although I have slowed down considderably in the last few years due to cost and authenticity etc. I still collect edged weapons and medals etc and have now extended into West and East German as well as pre 1945. I was looking at your advert for the dagger and was thinking about buying it from you but I already have several. Do you have any other blades available for sale or trade? I am heavily into swords and would be interested to see any swords you may have available. What else are you interested in?
Regards Michael R

[salothsar]

Hi Michael
It is a really nice dagger, but there seems to be little interest even with the bargain price. I guess the market is on a downswing, if I put out any German dagger at the price a couple of years ago there would have been a stampede....such a shame. My main interest lies in political daggers and memorabilia both Communist and NSDAP. I used to have most of the Eickhorn series of swords but sold them some years back. You are right about fakes/price it just keeps getting worse.
Cheers
Stu

[Michael Ryan]

Hi Stu, Thank you for your reply. Would you like to send me some photos of the dagger and we may have ourselves a deal? I have most of the Eickhorne Field Marshal series and am very keen on swords. If you would like to see some of them, check out the thread "Anyone else like German swords". I have been exhibiting some of my sword collection. I think that you will like them!! I have been collecting daggers for quite a few years but have failed to aquire most of the high priced stuff. I served in the Royal Air Force most of my working life and the pay was pretty abismal ergo, I could only afford to buy the lower end daggers so I went into swords. With swords, I believe that you get a nice chunk for your money and I have seen few spurious swords but a lot of spurious daggers. I still buy or trade the odd dagger but would not consider myself a true dagger collector. My dagger collection numbers circa 60 or there about. Are you selling off any other items?? I am more military based than political so other than an SS EM cap and and a couple of Political Leader's caps, I have little or nothing of a political nature in my collection or not that I recall. If you would like any photos, let me know.
Cheers for now Michael R

[salothsar]

Hi Michael
I know what you are talking about. I saw your swords....real beauties...do you have an SS Degen? My very first German item was a "Wrangel" I got in a junk shop...the guy thought it was a fake because as he assured me.."The Japs had swords, the Germans didn't" got it for a song..The highpoint of my collection was a minty NPEA dagger I got from Wittman about 25 years ago for $3250, I subsequently sold it (wish Id kept it) when the wall came down...I had Ukrainian friends who told me to bring $.... and just about everything was for sale! I bought stuff directly out of museum displays in Moscow and Kiev and came back with a wife...those were the days! (early 90s.) I was a cop for 11 years then completed my Doctorate and taught history at University. ...I taught Soviet Studies and Comparative Communist Studies (that didn't last too long)...I also started a Holocaust Studies program and a Terrorist Studies Course at the U. I will get off some scans of the dagger to you, it is really a nice early dagger, I only thought scabbard may have been repainted as the 2 screws are missing, but no other reason. I appreciate your interest in it ( my pension is nowhere close to when I was working!) and I have to get my car seen to. What is your direct email? Send me an email to chartmoose@live.com and I will send scans to you! I would like to see your collection, if you could include some scans it would be great.
Cheers
Stu