2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 1, 2014 16:44:04 GMT -5
I enjoy swinging through my local flea markets and thrift shops as well as stopping into them on off times during my travels. 95% of the time when you make a swing through you will not find anything of interest but when you do the treasures can be amazing and the prices unbeatable. In a dozen years of visiting my local three Value Villages I have recovered a perfect and large size WW2 US leather tanker helmet and goggles, well over a half dozen M43 jackets in assorted sizes, a couple pair of double buckle boots, two M41 jackets in nice shape (including a size 42 I found today). Some wool slacks (probably Korean war vintage but looked right). several wool GI coats, and easily a dozen Ww2/ Korea wool enlisted and officers shirts. In addition I have found bayonets, coveralls, a mountain division parka and hat, mussette bags and GP ammunition pouches ammo boxes and a wide assortment of hats and GI sweaters. consistency is the key, go regularly and don't be discouraged when items aren't there. (They usually aren't). When you do find a treasure look more carefully in other sections. Often times poor grandpa died and his old Army stuff was donated to the flea market charity. When I found the tanker helmet, sure enough there was an M43 field jacket with armor patches a pair of HBT coveralls and some winter bib trousers and a couple GI wool shirts scattered through the store over the next few days. all of these things went into my collection or up on EBAY.
It is such a great feeling when you find a cool item and are able to give it a good home. The shop really doesn't know what they have, price them stupid cheap and only stick out things that are in really nice wearable shape, sadly they probably chuck a lot of uniform items we'd love to have. What have you all found at flea markets?
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Post by ssgjoe on Mar 1, 2014 20:11:22 GMT -5
This isn't my story, but a collector I know bought an original M35 German Steel Helmet for $2.50. That's probably the best deal I have heard of so far.
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Post by insterburger on Mar 1, 2014 20:53:59 GMT -5
I was in an antique store in the middle of nowhere in upstate NY once and found an original Afrika Korps pith helmet. It was rough-- the leather edging was badly worn, other general wear, and the front of the visor had broken off inside the cloth (you could feel the movement of the loose piece, but the exterior cloth was intact so it looked fine and displayed well). No shields and the inside was stamped "Made in Germany" so my guess is that it was from unissued war stocks that were sold on the civilian market later. Eight bucks. The lady who rang me up said that a little boy had his eye on it as a play hat and would be disappointed it had sold. I felt a little bad for him, but I also knew it was something that belonged in the hands of a serious collector. And that's just where it went. I ended up selling it on Ebay for close to $100.
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Post by ssgjoe on Mar 1, 2014 23:23:09 GMT -5
That's quite a profit you made! Personally, I think pith helmets look dumb. Whether its on a German soldier or a British archaeologist. I just don't like the look. But still, that's not a bad deal for it.
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Post by insterburger on Mar 2, 2014 8:19:49 GMT -5
Like a lot of gear, pith helmets aren't about looks but function. The wide brim is to keep the sun off the face and neck, and the thickness of the pith is to provide a lightweight depth of material to insulate from the beating heat of the sun. More effective solutions have come about since then, but I'm sure the soldiers (and arachaeologists) who used them were more grateful for the cover than concerned about their style. I'm guessing that if your work had you spending all day every day under the hot African sun, you'd be standing in line to get one too.
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Post by ssgjoe on Mar 2, 2014 11:43:43 GMT -5
Oh I'm sure. But if I did an AfrikaKorps impression, I'd just use a tan stahlhelm.
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Post by wilhelmmoa on Mar 2, 2014 15:53:48 GMT -5
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shiftysgarand
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Post by shiftysgarand on Mar 2, 2014 18:28:12 GMT -5
How much was that???
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Post by LϟϟAH1944 on Mar 2, 2014 19:13:42 GMT -5
If it was from Bastogne, I'd highly doubt its authenticity...having been there, 99.9% of everything was fake or put together..even rebadged east german visors for $900...
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 2, 2014 19:15:06 GMT -5
Wilhelmmoa, in you Avatar you have a BC1000 on your back. It looks awesome, where did you get it?
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shiftysgarand
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Post by shiftysgarand on Mar 2, 2014 19:46:39 GMT -5
If it was from Bastogne, I'd highly doubt its authenticity...having been there, 99.9% of everything was fake or put together..even rebadged east german visors for $900... I doubted it too, if it was reasonably priced, it's fake, if it's outrageously expensive, I bet it's fake too. I've seen my fair share of expensive fakes. On ebay there are periodically women's boots that resemble corcorans being advertised as authentic wwii and being sold at prices of like $700. What's sad is that people buy them..
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Post by Post on Mar 3, 2014 17:25:02 GMT -5
Wilhelmmoa, in you Avatar you have a BC1000 on your back. It looks awesome, where did you get it? It's my friends, I am the BC-1000 operator in my blank fire unit. We have two and we use them to communicate ate the bigger events. I'm pretty sure it's real because everyone who has seen it says it's real, my father keeps refusing to tell me how much he payed, he is like that with anything related to money.
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Post by wilhelmmoa on Mar 3, 2014 17:26:39 GMT -5
Wow that was weird, that post was me but it must have logged me out or something.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 3, 2014 20:48:17 GMT -5
Strange. I can't imagine anyone builds a complete WW2 functional BC 1000 if it has vintage transistors, tubes and such. way back when there was a fellow who made fiberglass replica shells which were very cool. i bought a couple and rigged GMRS modern radios in the handsets. They offer the authentic look but reliability and function of modern radios so kind of the best of both worlds. He never was able to sell enough of them to get a return on his molds and set up costs although he was able to resell the original he used for more then he bought it for. years ago I tried to buy his molds but couldn't acquire them cheap enough to accept the risk of selling them myself.
Its been quite a few years so I should make another run at him. i do think I'd have better luck marketing and selling them then he did. The market would include reenactors, movie prop folks, military vehicle guys, WW2 airsofters (tiny market) and military display folks. They were rediculously expensive to make as he had them set up. (too much plastic required) but i think i could reduce that requirement. He wanted them to feature authentic weight where I don't. Weight is something that is easily added by folks who want it. With lower weight shipping cost is less and frankly they are way way easier to lug...Duh! airsoft is supposed to be fun! an actual BC1000 was heavy!
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Post by kilroysbrother on Mar 3, 2014 20:58:50 GMT -5
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 4, 2014 0:35:56 GMT -5
Nice looking coat.
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