Collectors of war memorabilia?

[khorgor]

hi everyone.

i was wondering if anyone here collects war memorabilia such as uniforms and medals.

I went to a collectors fair today. was quite interesting with the sheer amount of stuff concerned with the war times. It was also very surprising on how much german stuff was there including several hitler youth items (including a original belt buckle!)

I ended up the day with a russian medal for the patriotic war (1985 medal), 1st class.
After getting home, I did my research and found I paid double its worth....
oh well. lesson learnt.

anyways. what do you folks have and collect?

 

[thegoodsgt]

Here's a good militaria forum.

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/

 

[khorgor]

noooo not another forum :-D I'm member of way too many already!

haha thanks anyways. but I'll skip. just interested in what you guys have that's all.

#edit# I just checked it out. not my cup of tea.. its all centered on the US stuff. I'm a bit more of a foreign collector....
thanks anyways steven

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Hi!

I only collect russian stuff.

Here some pics of my collection of badges, orders and medals.

Regards

 

[billyturnip]

Hi Martin, is that all WWII Soviet stuff or later? It's a subject I know nothing about.

I have three or four WWI medals but that's all as far as militaria goes.

Roger.

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Hi!

These are all Soviet orders, badges and medals from 1943 to 1989.

The golden star on top is the highest Soviet order "Hero the Soviet union" of pure gold from the second world war.

In the upper row you see other very high honourings, on the left the "Lenin Order" (gold / platinum) the "Order of the Red Banner" and the "Fame Order in silver (second class)", a bravery honouring.

The medals are Orders for participation in special battles, for example, the taking of Budapest or Berlin.

In the second picture you can see the "Order for Internationalistic Help" (fight application in Afghanistan) and the medallion below on the left with two flags it was lent to all Afghanistan fighters.

Then we still have the order "red star" from the early 2nd world war and others.

Moreover, the "guard badge" with the red flag, the Insignum for élite troops of the red army.


Regards

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Thank you, chippy, for your warning, but my collection comes exclusively from "sources" of the "Western Group of the Red Army" a Soviet élite unit which was stationed earlier in Eastern Germany.

To the really valuable pieces I also own the lending documents or little red booklets (as they were in the USSR) with the Name of the person which was decorated and matching Numbers on the order and the document.

At that time one could get in our country such things as well, for the soviet soldiers wanted to get western money (D-Mark) - today, however, many forgeries from the far east are at the market, there you are right!

However, special care is offered with German orders from the Nazi time!

Hundred times more "knights crosses" are to be bought than were lent between 1939 and 1945.

Regards

 

[garyjd]

The thing is fakes even sometimes get past those very knowledgable about their given subject. Within the Civil War community modern wetplate photographs of authentic reenactors are sometimes spotted being sold by dealers as period images. ~Gary

 

[Barke02]

Hi Scott,

When I was young I wanted to collect German wehrmacht and Luftwaffe uniforms, but they were way out of my price range (and still are!). Because I didn't know what I was buying, I ended up with a lot of cheap post war crap.

Funnily enough it helped me develop as a sculptor....if I can't own the originals ,I'll sculpt my own miniature versions of them!

These days there are SO many excellent reproductions out there that unless you have 100% provenance then the chances are it's a fake! This particularly applies to SS and US airborne gear..... GUARANTEED FAKE !!!

It's truly unfortunate that we live in a decade where the last of the veterans of WWII will pass on, as it is their memories that truly bring the past to life. Six years ago I interviewed an anti-aircraft gunner who was stationed at Fort Borstal during 1940 (and helped to bring down a Dornier-17 on 15th September (now Battle of Britain Day) . I had been distracted for a couple of years by starting a family of my own, but then suddenly I remembered that it was important to record his memories before it was too late.....alas he had died 2 days before I tried to visit him.

Aren't we a lucky bunch of modellers, to have lived our lives in peace!

Cheers,
Jon (that bloody hippy!)

 

[khorgor]

wow martin. what a great collection!

which version of the patriotic war medal did you get? without seeing the reverse, I only know its a 1st class.

you are a very lucky man to have those sources and get such high awards and the rare ones too. thanks for your photos.

thanks for your input john. I think I will stay away from uniform and knives for the exact reason - price and probability of fakes.

anyways - I'm off to a few more collector fares soon so will be interesting to see what comes up

and on a side note - gotta hate it when something you like turns out to be super rare....

 

[jcichon]

I collect a lot of WWII militaria from medals to flags, you name it and I may have it. I have collected for many years and its a hobby I love but can no longer afford. Today, prices have skyrocketed and many things I picked up for a pittance 10 or 15 years ago now sell for ten times or more than what I paid for them. But I love knowing that I own a peice of history from one of the most difficult periods in our world history. I keep saying I will start to sell some of my collection but dont know where I would even begin!

 

[billyturnip]

Martin, thanks for the explanation of your collection, very interesting.

Roger.

 

[namgazgary]

Hi Khorgar

yes i have a collection from the vietnam conflict , mainly badges , metal and sewn and a couple of silk made 'in country' , some inert ammo , challenge coins , even an unissued butt stock from an m-79 blooper , that is soon to be the base for a 120mm m-79 verlinden figure , i like to tie my figures in some way , just offers that little bit extra other than a polished wood base , haven't got into uniforms . but i do think militaria can complement your figures in a display case .

Gaz

 

[khorgor]

but i do think militaria can complement your figures in a display case .

yes! I have been thinking the exact thing the last few days. Would make any model display fantastic for sure

when I catch up on some of my painting back log I'm going to search for a russian bust or kit so I can can display it with my medal I got

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Can You show us that medal (front- and backside)?

Maybee, it is possible to tell You the period, it is from...

Regards

 

[khorgor]

martin, from my research, its a 1985 version of the 1st class. part of a number of medals allocated to union troops.

So unfortunately, its not one of the rarer medals, but I'm still pleased I managed to get the 1st class without even knowing what I was getting.

the back of the medal is smooth with a raised mark and a engraved serial number.

here is a net picture of whats closest to it:
http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=17149

mine is a bit more golden though.

oh - martin, if I may enquire - what do you think of this website? worth purchasing from?

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Hi!

This is really the 1st class of the "ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННАЯ ВОЙНА" (Order of the (Great) Patriotic War).

The second World war is called in the Soviet Union "Great Patriotic War", however the invasion of Napoleon 1812 they call the "Patriotic War".

The order is of pure gold of (583rd) and pure silver!

There were highly complicated however very concrete lending regulations.

To receive this 1st class, one already had to have the Lenin order and have accomplished other actions important to war.

I can tell to you some details, if You want.

The first receivers of the order 1st class were Soviet artillerymen who had destroyed an agreed number of heavy, middle or light tanks according to the order statute:

In May, 1942 they had, members of the 32nd and 42nd guard battalion in the battle with Charkow under their commander captain I. I. Kriklij, 200 tanks of the German armed forces except battle sedate what only 32 own were sacrificed for.

In the history of the order I class there are also specific features to report, "К-21" on the 5th of July, 1942 the German battleship "Tirpitz" was fired by the occupying of the submarine in the Barents Sea by torpedos.

All members of the crew received the order of the first class – although their torpedos had not hit, nevertheless, at all.

In 1985, the order 1st class was awarded to the 40th anniversary of the victory over the fascism, by order of the presidium of the uppermost Soviet to the still living war ex-servicemen (hero of the Soviet Union or bearers of the victory order) like marshals, generals, admirals and war-disabled people.

Also the order II class went to war ex-serviceman from partisan's unities and undergrounds if they had not already received earlier this honouring, as well as to participant of the Russian-Japanese war.

On account of the assignment criteria and the duration of the fightings in the Second World War can be derived that ten thousands these orders have received - he had become with it a "mass-produced article".

The price of 35 USD is to me not too expensive - although your copy might come on account of the high number from the post-war period (1985).

Regards

 

[khorgor]

"In 1985, the order 1st class was awarded to the 40th anniversary of the victory over the fascism, by order of the presidium of the uppermost Soviet to the still living war ex-servicemen (hero of the Soviet Union or bearers of the victory order) like marshals, generals, admirals and war-disabled people."

Hi Martin. thanks so much for all the info thats great!!!
in regards to the quote above, I was aware of the 40th celebration details. But I had no idea that the award was only given to holders of those two high awards.

Its quite exciting knowing this medal belonged to a high ranking Unionist (is that the term? )

please find below real photos of my medal. sorry I was a bit lazy last night and did a web search.

 

[Martin Antonenko]

I congratulate you, because you have acquired a very nice piece!

The order is original and comes from 1985 and is very well-preserved.

Unfortunately, I myself own only one copy of the 2nd class - not so well-preserved, but also from 1985.

Because the backs of both classes were identical, I have compared your and mine copies:

At Your copy everything is to be seen what should be there:

1. The stamp of the manufacturer

2. The number of the order, with black varnish pencil painted and branded:

3. The screw screw to fasten the order to the clothes:

Moreover, one more screw cap should exist - if your copy is complete-...

... to fasten around the order.


Here I have searched for you one picture from a collector's catalogue on which all variations of the order are to be seen:

On top the variations from 1942/1943 - particularly the 1st class is very expensive (on the left)!

Below the variations, how they between 1943 and 1946 (some bearers got the honouring only a year later) and then in 1985 were lent.

And at last: In phonetic russian the name of the order is spoken as "Otetschestnaja Woina".

Kindly regards from Germany!

 

[khorgor]

Hi Martin,

thanks so much for all your help. you have been great!

just to let you know, I do have the screw cap end, I just took it off for the photo of the serial number.

thanks once again. I'm very happy I ened up with a great original piece. Now to decide what to get for my next piece! :-D