Matchboxes and holder.

**reichss** · 02-29-2012, 02:47 AM

Any information please on the originality or otherwise of these three boxes of matches?.

The matchbox holder would seem an officially approved item by the ges gesh Berlin mark.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 02-29-2012 02:47 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Nikolaus** · 02-29-2012, 09:16 AM

Hi,
in my opinion all items are after 1945 produced. The first item is from the HIAG "Hilfsgemeinschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit" it means a support Movement from Waffen SS vets after the war.
Regards

**Adrian Stevenson** · 02-29-2012, 10:12 AM

Hi Brad, sorry these are all fantasy/fake.

The metal one with the "Ges" mark is made in Poland and can be found in a variety of designs.

Cheers, Ade.

**Wagriff** · 02-29-2012, 10:24 AM

You type too fast, Ade...I was just going to say that...

**reichss** · 03-17-2012, 01:54 AM

Hi, re the matchbox holder this item was shown in a catalogue of SS items available to purchase at that time, I saw it myself.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-17-2012, 10:22 AM

Then please show it.

Cheers, Ade.

**Glenn66** · 03-17-2012, 12:57 PM

Another request for opinions that will turn into a case of arguing for originality by the owner? I hope not.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-17-2012, 01:03 PM

So do I Glenn.

Cheers, Ade.

**Glenn66** · 03-17-2012, 01:05 PM

I think people need to be realistic about daily consumable items such as these.

It's 1945, the war has been over a few months and supplies of all daily essentials are limited at best or non-existant at worst, people are starving, there is limited infrastructure and transport and industry is more or less ruined. You have some boxes of matches or if you are lucky you somehow scored a carton of matchboxes. You can (a) use them yourself to light fires to keep warm/cook/smoke if you are lucky enough to have tobacco, or (b) trade them for soap, food, fuel, clothing or some other essential item or, (c) think, "i'll keep these stashed away as they'll make a good collectable in 60 years time"

Hands up who thinks 'c' is a likely choice?

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-17-2012, 01:20 PM

C.

Very little original material of this nature survives today.

The cardboard boxes:

1) HIAG was not allowed by law to used the banned symbol of the SS runes. The West German Govt took a keen interest in them as they were considered political and they would not have been allowed to get away with this.
2) The others are simply copies of wartime paperwork stuck onto old matchboxes: What is the point of this? ANY Party item had to got through RZM contracting channels. People could not simply order items willy-nilly. There were strict laws against it. No makers label of the matches, simply because the original labels have been steamed off.

The Polish made fake metal matchbox cover is complete nonsense. The marking displays a total ignorance of what the marking means. No company makers name for starters. "Ges. Gesch" means gesetzlich geschützt - Registered (patent/design/trademark) So for whom! Berlin 6 is just a Postal district.

I would put the matches to good use and burn these. The metal one needs to go into the re-cycling skip.

Cheers, Ade.