Sos banned !!!

[Anderson]

" we have the opportunity to demonstrate to those unfamiliar with our hobby that collecting truly is a historical pursuit and not a political activity. The past may be in your collection room.. but the future of this hobby is in your hands."

Very well said. And a valid point. Collectors are often individualists who don't advertise their interests. But the time may be coming when more effort is needed to educate the public as to what Militaria collectors actually represent. Rather than just putting on auctions and sales perhaps there is a need in conjunction with historical societies to organise historical displays for communities and schools. Done carefully to educate about past wars and local military history, I think we can guide public perception to see us as historians and custodians of historical artifacts. By doing nothing, we allow others to dictate the narrative.

[HoundsTooth]

Really glad that the show is going ahead, I know some people have already booked their flights and hotel. But, no nazi Christmas balls??? Is it still worth going?
nick

[real steel]

Really glad that the show is going ahead, I know some people have already booked their flights and hotel. But, no nazi Christmas balls??? Is it still worth going?
nick

Well Nick, you just forfeited your Christmas gift from me. Will give the Christmas ornaments to someone else I guess
D.

[Composite]

....actually I was surprised at the quoted attendance numbers...surely there's a zero or two missing there

[jimmy72]

Well Nick, you just forfeited your Christmas gift from me. Will give the Christmas ornaments to someone else I guess
D.

No worries ! Loads of Xmas bulbs available on mili321 ... they are being made every year ! Haha !
You just won’t get the Waaalter fairy tale to accompany said purchase .

[Pauls1970]

Most of the comments in this thread are most definitely echoed amongst us collectors worldwide, I for one, if asked, explain it exactly, it's purely a hobby, centred around Germany 1920-45, history wise & artefact wise, the latter taking a lot a longer to acquire due to the many fakes out there, so the hobby is very much like collecting stamps or antiques, just different & going forward, preserving genuine period made items for future historians, collectors & museums.
Regards
Paul

[jimmy72]

Well stated , Paul ! Unfortunately, not all share your thoughts on the acquisition and sale of artifacts. Let’s have a look at Waaalter’s sales pitch ...


YouTube

[HoundsTooth]

Well stated , Paul ! Unfortunately, not all share your thoughts on the acquisition and sale of artifacts. Let’s have a look at Waaalter’s sales pitch ...
YouTube

Good video, thanks for sharing.
I don't like Wittmann one bit, this video and others discredit him. There's the other video where he happily appraises fake SS helmets.
For that reason I will not buy a dagger or anything else from him.
Nick

[Pauls1970]

Well stated , Paul ! Unfortunately, not all share your thoughts on the acquisition and sale of artifacts. Let’s have a look at Waaalter’s sales pitch ...


YouTube

Unbelievable, surely no buyers ! What next...... I dread to think ! Thanks for the link !
With this hobby of ours, I do find that 'want' items for me change, 20 odd years ago in the wake of Saving Private Ryan, I collected WW2 US for about 4-5 years, then over the years through reading books on events during or leading up to WW2, I'll focus on something, a badge, piece of equipment or headgear that represents something that has taken an interest in me & off I go again on the 'quest', speaking as an average collector, I would imagine we're all pretty much the same, wether it be stamps, antiques, paintings etc.. Hopefully there are enough sensible people out there to realise who & what we represent !
Regards
Paul

[The Devil's Bank]

The "Politically Correct" brigade will ban every thing if they get their way.

I'm quite sure that a lot of these historical artifacts, were indeed brought back home by "OUR" service men/women.

Service men that were on active duty, some who gave/lost their lives for these sorry excuses for human beings to exist.

I'm waiting for them to ban all Museums, airshows, tourist attractions, that include any thing they don't like.

Are they going to ban Volkswagen cars? Mercedes-Benz cars? I very much doubt it.

Do they really believe that grown men/women (that's us), who had Grandparents killed, injured, during the wars, would insult their memory?

I visited Arnhem in Holland many years ago, and talked to one of our veteran paratroopers, who was captured there.

We had a great chat and I remember the laughter when he said the Fuhrer used to break wind when giving speeches..

So, the Politically correct brigade will ban probably that now, as we are copying the Fuhrer, when breaking wind.

I love going to the Militaria shows and meeting like minded people (many with kids) and being amazed at all the historical stuff for sale.

It's MY CHOICE. I pay my money to enter, play with the (deactivated) guns, look at the stuff I can't afford

I laugh at the repro' gear passed as genuine, and the bits of barbed wire that came from the local DIY shop..

I put WW1 helmets on my head and wonder how any one could wear them for any length of time.

It's all great fun. Here's some pictures of (UK) Liverpool and Preston Militaria Fairs.