Finds in the Antique Shops of North Carolina

**Sir Payne** · 07-04-2012, 01:25 AM

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 my family who appreciates militaria, and he said he use to have this exact type of dress bayonet when he was in high school, and it's now somewhere in my grandparents house. I had no idea my dad had any WWII stuff back in the day. I'm going to sell this one and keep my dad's bayonet.

Regards,

Corey

**Duzig** · 07-04-2012, 02:04 AM

Hello Corey,
Nice items you have there. I have an argentine bayonet just like you show also. Regarding garage sales & tag sales down here in NC. For myself I find it very discouraging. Usually the sale will be from 7 am to 11 am, and very little militaria have I found. It also seems as if many places the people will have very few items of anything for sale, I'd be ashamed to advertise that as a garage sale. Another thing that I find annoying down in NC is that you'll see one sign for a garage sale, travel 10 miles etc, and not find another sign. It may just be I'm biased because I was originally from Long Island NY and I could literally walk out the door and within a 20 block range find garage sales on every block, not to mention lots of tag sales and the like. One thing I do like about finding stuff in North Carolina are the thrift stores and some of the antique stores. I have found some nice porcelain items, a few civil war bullets and buttons and in a Habitat store a nice wooden plate from Berchtesgaden in addition to US military jackets and the like. The few flea markets I have gone to down here also have some nice interesting items. In any case nice items you have there and continued good luck in finding stuff.
Duzig(Bill)

**big ned** · 07-04-2012, 02:08 AM

by cgp1066

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.

Hi Corey,

It's a pre WW1 Royal Navy Commanders Fore & Aft hat by Gieves. Strangely enough the IJN copied this hat for their own use, but it was made in Japan. The U.S. Navy did have a contract with Gieves to supply Officers hats, but the design was slightly different in some ways.

Regards, Ned.

**Sir Payne** · 07-04-2012, 02:22 AM

I know exactly what you mean Bill, the garage sales here are not that great. I have been to about 20 in the last few weeks, all I found was a pair of Japanese binoculars and a last ditch Japanese bayonet. They were both at the same garage sale! I gave up freestyling garage sales, now I will only drop by if I can call and talk to the seller in advance to see what items they have for sale.

There is a Confederate fort called Ft. Fisher in Wilmington, where I go to school. The antique stores in that area carry tons of Civil War artifacts because they just fly off the shelves. I've seen authentic Confederate flags, kepis, rifles, bullets, cannonballs, pictures, etc. So it really depends on the area where you are located.

Regards,

Corey

**Sir Payne** · 07-04-2012, 02:31 AM

by big ned

It's a pre WW1 Royal Navy Commanders Fore & Aft hat by Gieves. Strangely enough the IJN copied this hat for their own use, but it was made in Japan. The U.S. Navy did have a contract with Gieves to supply Officers hats, but the design was slightly different in some ways.

Regards, Ned.

Great info Ned, The description on the price tag said it was an 18th century French hat, yet the price was extremely low. He even had the box priced separately from the hat, and the box was more expensive! I don't know what the seller was thinking? These are very attractive caps and I love the look of them, so I don't blame the IJN for copying the design. I think I'm going to save up my money and buy a nicer example. Mine looks like it was ran over by a truck.

Regards,

Corey

**big ned** · 07-04-2012, 03:15 AM

by cgp1066

Great info Ned, The description on the price tag said it was an 18th century French hat, yet the price was extremely low. He even had the box priced separately from the hat, and the box was more expensive! I don't know what the seller was thinking? These are very attractive caps and I love the look of them, so I don't blame the IJN for copying the design. I think I'm going to save up my money and buy a nicer example. Mine looks like it was ran over by a truck.

Regards,

Corey

No worries mate,

FYI, one of these, in near mint condition with it's very tidy case AND bullion wire epaulettes recently sold at auction over here for just over £600 plus commission. So they are a reasonable deal I guess if you're into 'Hornblower'!

**Adrian Stevenson** · 07-04-2012, 07:37 AM

by cgp1066

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?

This one is staying with me!

Hi Corey, he was not DAK, here are the units to which the Feldpost number typed onto the paper slip are assigned to:

49073

(1.5.1942-19.10.1942) Verb.Staffel der Luftwaffe 68,

(12.3.1943-7.9.1943) gestrichen,

(8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 28.2.1944 5. Batterie gemischte Flak-Abteilung 355 (v),

(8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 21.4.1944 5. Batterie gemischte Flak-Abteilung 355 (o),

(25.11.1944-8.5.1945) 8.2.1945 gestrichen.

More info here on where they were posted:

gemischte Flak-Abteilung 355

Tan paint does not always equal DAK. But from the info I have given you, it can be seen they were posted in the South of France, hence the paint.

Cheers, Ade.

**Sir Payne** · 07-04-2012, 05:42 PM

Thank you Ade for taking the time to get me that information. Any idea what the "LGPA" means?

Regards

**António Fragoeiro** · 07-04-2012, 05:51 PM

Great finds.
In my opinion, i would not trade the cap for any medal.
Cheers.
Nuno

**Sir Payne** · 07-04-2012, 06:24 PM

I'll tell you what guys, I am on a role. Yesterday I bought the camo gas mask/canister with the British bicorn, and today I bought this great piece of headgear from another antique store. Once again, I love it too much, so it's staying in my collection.

IMG_4342.jpg

I left the house around 8 this morning, drove two hours straight, and finally arrived in Burlington, NC, my shopping destination. I spotted this helmet being displayed in a glass cabinet, surrounded by toy cars. No description was written on the tag, but judging from its location and price, I'm going to assume the cosigner thought it was just an old toy helmet.

I at first thought the helmet may be an eastern European dragoon/cavalry helmet from the mid-late 19th century. Just now I found beneath the crest on the back of the helmet the words, "Siraudin Paris" and "56". Most likely it is French made, probably 1860's - 1890's, Cuirassier? If anybody has any other info on it then let me know.