Monday, February 8, 2016
It always amazes me when I see some random piece of equipment going for big bucks in this category. Would you believe that the halftrack antenna is almost at $400. The grouping of stuff from Lemuel Rodney Custis is to the bottom right.
A German sniper badge - not sure I've had that one listed before and I confess I don't know much about it. I guess you have to have an eagle eye to be a sniper.
Medals, knives and other unusual items are in this third block today of the Hot Finds Newsletter. All these items are from countries that took part in the war representing the smaller categories in WWII.
The named group pictured below is from a member of the 26th Division and the 102nd "Charter Oak" Regiment. Just to be thorough the seller even has a picture of the man's tombstone. I guess that's going the extra mile to provide documentation.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
I recently saw a story on the news where in Ireland someone paid over a million dollars for a photograph of a potato. So clearly art is in the eyes of the beholder. So is it "trench art" if you glue a couple of German coins onto a zippo lighter?
I know some collectors like to decorate their man caves with banners and artwork. I don't think the Italian fascist banner below would work in my hideout but clearly somebody want to have it.
I frequently have RAF items featured in this block and the dress uniform today fills that spot. However, it's not wowing me with bids so I think there are a lot more of these decorative uniforms that survived rather than some of the other RAF pieces that sell for a lot more when I find them.
Tucked away in the WW1 block you can sometimes find a real hidden treasure. Check out the framed art below that features a neat collection of early aviation items including a balloon pin.
Monday, February 1, 2016
You are in luck if you are interested in Airborne items today. I've got a couple of Screaming Eagle auctions along with some paratrooper boots that are over $200 in bidding.
I always have to be careful about listing one of those death head rings in the issue because fakes are everywhere. Luckily most of the readers are sufficient experts in their niche fields to spot a counterfeit piece.
The third block in the Hot Finds is always saved for items from Canada, the U.K., Russia and Japan. I think if you click through here you won't be disappointed at the variety I put together in this block.
I showed my 8th grade history students a documentary about Gettysburg today in class. One of the segments that dealt with the savagery of war reminded me that WWI was another calamitous war that showed how mankind's ability to innovate in war meant building more lethal ways to do damage on the battlefield.