What did I just buy M42

[Blackdog]

Should have posted pics before you brought…..many issues with this lid, good luck returning it.

[AlphaWolfe]

Appreciate the help guys. Auction houses sure have lost their integrity

[ruddersrangers44]

Even salty S/D m42's usually fetch $4000-$5000.hope you get a refund without any problems.

[MAP]

Appreciate the help guys. Auction houses sure have lost their integrity

There are some very good auction houses that do there best to authenticate items, but sadly many don't.

[ruddersrangers44]

That's very true Michael,most Auction houses in the Uk just push rubbish through and sometimes only supply one picture too.

[Gwar]

Appreciate the help guys. Auction houses sure have lost their integrity

It is ultimately the buyer that is responsible for the purchase, the integrity lies within you, take the time to learn about the items you wish to collect, study, read threads and buy books, and always when in doubt ask here before plunking down you $$$, ( No malice intended ) we have all bought stinkers, learn from it and become a better collector.

[Schwerpunkt]

That's very true Michael,most Auction houses in the Uk just push rubbish through and sometimes only supply one picture too.

I have never bought 1 helmet from an auction house since I started collecting almost 25 years ago. I think the allure is that you expect to get helmets cheaper. Unfortunately that is often not the case. On top of that if you are new collector with no knowledge on the subject auctions can be a trap as a lot of fakes are sold by auction houses not experienced in militaria. While a helmet bought from a dealer with warranty can be shipped back.

[Pal]

I noticed you mentioned “jb millitary antiques”
Reliable or not as I am attending an auction there in November an would like to know what I am getting into.
Thanks for any assistance.

[MAP]

I noticed you mentioned “jb millitary antiques”
Reliable or not as I am attending an auction there in November an would like to know what I am getting into.
Thanks for any assistance.

I think GWAR sums it up well in post #16.

We are responsible. So if there is something you are interested in that is coming up for auction, do your homework and post for other opinions.

If the information provided from the auction house is not adequate and they are not willing to provide more details, then just walk a way. None of this stuff is so rare there won't be another opportunity down the road.

[AndyM35]

Pal, for it’s worth, I also live in Australia and have only ever purchased a couple of small items from dealers down here. That may be partly due to my areas of collecting and the lack of dealers who sell items in those particular fields, but overall I find the overseas offerings better in both quality and quantity. I’ve seen some of the offerings in the JB catalogues and haven’t been impressed with some of the items. In the thread below you can read some discussion about JB Military Antiques.
Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen 100 - real or good fake?

At the end of the day, you’ll only get out of this hobby what you put into it. If you’re truly passionate and have patience, you should be able to avoid most of the pitfalls and until such time or when you want a second option, you the 100’s of years of collective experience in the members of this forum. It’s great resource and with the search box on the top right of the page, you’ve got another great resource to get you started.

Good luck!
Andy