Just wondering if others here are like me-in this manner.

Does anyone here on this site share a certain passion for something-namely in spending too much money for a certain item that they "cannot live without?"

Im guilty of this happening a few times. However, another time is at hand and I am hoping to score a great half-postcard-sized and original Heersgruppe "A" Staff Offiziers pic of Generalfeldmarshal Gerd von Rundstedt. Not only does this give a great view of the famed GFM, but also great uniform details and such of his "Honorary" Regimental Commanders "Chef" Collartabs-as well as a few of his awards such as the Knights Cross and his Ribbonbar. Also, at least one other Offz in the pic is also an Knights Cross Recipient.

Most here might wonder why this particular photo is so special? Well for one-it's an unpublished pic of the GFM and is a one-of-a-kind pic. Also in that the pic was part of a collection that is SHAMEFULLY being broken apart by a greedy photograph dealer and also that this pic as well as the others offered that I cannot afford-were taken by one of "his" Staff Offizier.

Anyway, has anyone else here way over-spent for an item that they absolutely HAVE to own?

Best regards--Carl.

PS, someone here sent me some good luck and I recently came away with three original and one-of-a-kind snapshot-sized photos of (then) Generalleutnant Heinz Guderian and also when he was a General der Panzertruppen.

Hi Shortgrub, that is a shame they sold off the W-SS Generals itme. I think people really need to look who to sell certain items to who will not only greatly appreciate tha item, but most importantly--will take care of it. They probably sold the item to someone who only wanted to but it because he knew he could make a big profit from it. I have a friend whose Sister is the caretaker of two WWII German Army Offzs Lionhead Swords both of which have REAL Red Rubies in the eyes of the Lions.

Well, he went to visit them in Baltimore a few years ago because his younger Brother died in a car accident. Well, these people were keeping these two swords in the Basement-which is a BIG no-no for items of value. Luckily though, he said he thought that he had impressed upon them to store them in a Cedar Chest-and had cleaned the blades while he was there. He also told them that if they didn't want them-that I was interested in buying both. Im not a "blade" collector but would have liked to have added those two Lionshead swords to my sword collection. I have two of the more common Dovehead swords in my collection and both of mine came with their original scabbards-while those Lionheads were missing both their scabbards. One that has eluded me that I want-just to have atrio of them-is a Pumahead sword/

Quote from ShortGrub

Ringo; I imagine you may be like me in that the story behind or the history of the item means as much as the item itself. The SS sword and cane my Wife's Onkel got in Brazil in the early 1960's. He owned a company that sold dry cleaning equipment and South America as well as Cuba pre-Castro was big business.
During the 40's-60's he came to know many people of business and the SS sword and cane were purchased from the family of a Nazi SS General who escaped. Apparently he needed the cane later in life before he died.
Unfortunately my Wife's Onkel got Parkinson's and had a stroke and I never got the name of the SS General.
My Wife's Grandfather purchased two 1859 Harpers Ferry Springfield Muskets. My Wife's Onkels family sold their rifle and her other Aunt who is 93 has the other one. So far I have not been able to talk them into letting me attain this gun. It is in mint condition and working. They were purchased in I believe 1913 or so.
One thing I did get was a majority of her Grandfathers book collection. He loved history and so do I.

Hi Shortgrub. Tha sure is a nice story and if you ever find a picture of this W-SS General-I might be able to ID him. During it's existance-there were around 100 W-SS Generals-not sure how many Allgemeine SS Generals there were? I have a complete or near complete listing of their names.

I myself, have been (in the near past) in contact with an Waffen SS General-who was the last Commander of the 1st SS Panzer Division (LSSAH) Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (for those who don't know what LSSAH stood for) Anyway, he is a wellknown and an honorable Knights Cross Recipient by the name of Otto Kumm. Kumm was the last living W-SS General and may have passed away sometime in the past two or so years.

Quote from Cindyrella

Hey Boys and Girls,

Yep, I am still kickin'.

Carl, not sure if my answer fits with your question so much, but, I have a habit of seeing things that I know someone will like and I can't resist getting it for them. When it comes to things I like or want, it is easy to place it in my cart, then by the time I walk through the rest of the store I have talked myself out of it...


Cindyrella

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Hi Cindy-glad you doing well;-)) And im the same way when it comes to buying-especially when it comes to my Great Neices ;-))

Oh and yes-your buying habits qualify ;-)) Take care--Carl.

Quote from Jay J. Foraker

Carl - I think we all have these urges from time to time. Something comes within our purveyance and we just have to have it, price no object (within reason, of course). In later years, I have learned to curb my desires. An example is with DVDs - I used to hot-foot it to buy a just-released movie at full price, but these days (especially since I'm on Social Security) I tend to wait a few months and can usually get the item for a bargain price!

Hi Jay, im definately guilty of buying too many new releases for full price. One of the few things I like about Wal-Mart though-is that sometimes their prices beat even those at Deep Discount DvD ;-)) One movie I have not yet seen but am thinking of getting is the new Liam Neesen movie: Taken.

W-M is selling it for I think about $15.99? which is about $4-$5 cheaper than @ Deep Discount.

I have not bought many DvDs from anywhere lately-because I way over-spent on buying WWII photos. Right now im trying for about 15 pics taken by an American Soldier who was in the 82nd Airborne Division. I will not know on these till probably tomorrow sometime. Some of these photos of them were taken of the 82nd Divisions Football team during some expo game they were playing in some Berlin Stadium-after the end of the war of course ;-))

A few others im trying for is only so that I can turn around and sell them. One in particular is a death notice for a man who served in a Panzer Signals unit (Armored Communications unit) which is a rare bird that if I win it? I can easily turn it around and sell it for a nice profit. I never collect death notices and stuff like that but--I could use the profit from selling this to "pay" for some of my over-spending of late ;-)) After I finally get these all said and done for-im not buying anymore pics for awhile--unless it is to try to save a grouping of pics that are wrogfully being split up-just so the greedy dealer can make a huge profit-or if more pics of Generals and Field Marshalls show up. I recently picked up two more Gen der Pztppn (General of Armored Troops) Heinz Guderian-as well as a great shot of Army Group "A"s commander-General Field Marshal, Gerd von. Rundstedt.

Quote from Jay J. Foraker

Hi Carl -
I'm not into collecting as you are (unless one calls a library of classical recordings a collection) but I am highly interested in WWII history, especially about the Nazis. I've been catching programs on both the Military Channel and History Channel. It just amazes me that the Allies won the war in part because instances of luck and happenstance.

Hi Jay, your a bonefide colletor. I think I was born one-thanks to my mom. The first things I ever collected were Britains Toy Soldiers-some history books and such-as well as Comicbooks. I later on graduated to collecting military history magazines-paperbacks-VHS tapes and then militaria. ;-))

This year has been a decent one for me militaria and photo-wise. Since I moved here-I picked up I think two 1939 EKIIs with what is mistakenly called "Austrian Trifold" ribbon-even though that IS the Austrian style of ribbons used ;-)) I recently got for a nice price-a minty pair of Signals Officers Collartabs-which have eluded me for about 15 years of searching for them. I picked up a few months ago-a nice General Assault Badge, a few War Merit Crosses 2nd Cl w/ swords-another Russian Front (Frozen Meat Medal) 6 award documents-and an Silver Infantry Assault Badge. Almost forgot-I also have a one-of-a-kind roster of sorts-for the 2nd Kompanie 1st Panzer Regiment. This is a 2-page doc set-and in pretty bad condition but-all names and such are readable. These men were on the Russian Front and I think took part in the siege of Leningrad (now-St. Petersburg) where Vera lives.

I wish I had know you liked military history of that time-before i had moved I could have given you about 20 books. ;-)) I might still have a few that I no longer need if you want them? Ill check first to see if I do and will let you know their titles and see if you want them ;-))

Take care--Carl.

Well, my collecting purchases has again slowed down to almost nil. All im now interested in getting are books about various subjects.