choosing 1st refence/guide book?

[Buddy]

as a reletive newbie to collecting Historical militaria of german militaria (ww2)
What would be the recommended 1st "starter"
Book as a reaserch toolfor collecting
all opinions welcome
and I apologize in advance if I start a Flame war

[Gene]

Buddy,
Try to be more specific on what kind of book(s) you're looking for. Are you looking for ones that cover medals and badges? Uniforms? Headgear? SS? Heer? Luftwaffe? Kriegsmarine? You get the picture. There's a lot of areas to consider before we can suggest a book that will suffice.

[Buddy]

Hi Gene:
My intersts of now are SS collar tabs,Cuff bands.
I also collect Weer/SS badges mainly
( figure I have to start some where)
I have an nice general assalt badge & an infantry assalt badge, with an Anti Partisan Badge on the way. I also intrigued by German Crosses & any class IK, should a really mint badge from another branch of service come my way Ill pick it up. Butright now im sticking with Weer/SS badges & medals
Thank you
Best Regards

[Gene]

Try and get Angolia's book "Cloth Insignia of the SS" and establish a very friendly rapport with Bob Hritz! That'll cover you for your SS needs, and as for a badge book get Mike Tucker's. It's available from his website at http://www.authenticmilitaria.com. A few of the badges he highlights have been since found to be repros (and I stress a few) so just ask which ones they are and he'll give you the details.

[Mark S.]

..I have an nice general assalt badge & an infantry assalt badge, with an Anti Partisan Badge on the way...

I pray to God you bought the AP badge from someone reputable with a lifetime guarentee...

May I offer a little advice? Until you get yourself more situated in regards to reference materials, excersise some restraint in regards to buying SS items, less you learn an expensive lesson.

[Rick Research]

I go running like a puppy to have any SS stuff that has fallen into my paws checked, and I've been at this 35 years...

though not "collecting" SS.

That has ALWAYS been dangerous, and is now MORE dangerous than it has ever been.

Mark is right--stay well away from SS stuff to begin with or you are guaranteed to get burned, big time!

SS is most definitely NOT the place to START collecting!

[François SAEZ]

I agree with Mark and Rick, maybe it is better to get started with something else than SS, even if you moved to it later.
Start small in the begining, SS stuff are very expensive and few people can tell what is right (I can't), but the first lessons could be very expensive, and will find you quickly disgusted by the hobby.
Start small and become bigger with time, experience and homework.
In all cases, one book will never be enough to start
Friendly
François

[Newlyn]

I absolutely agree, stay well away from SS items for a good while, Buddy. You can burn your fingers big - time, part with much cash and build a collection of rubbish. No book can surpass seeing and handlimg the gear, and getting to know some guys who really know the subject inside out, and there's a whole lot of those on the forum . As for the Anti-Partisan badge, thats playing with alligators. Good luck

[Buddy]

Point taken,, yet Only one answer to my initial question,, what would be decent Ist reaserch book,, Mikes book on Badges? Angolas book?(out of print?)
I was Burned big time in the begining by NAZISTUFF .CON ANTONY LIPTON.
That how I ended up here
I have 3 SS Collar Tabs from dealers that most folk on this forum refer to when they are stumped. I did as much reaserch as I could ,,Photos,,documents,, extensive phone conversations with the dealers,, this sites research pages. But still I need to educate my self. I agree with whats been said here & research first & buy later is a good philosophy.
Thank you all for you input.
PS in another forum on this site I state that
Ive decided to start easy & go with Weer Badges,,, they seem easy to reaserch & authenticate,, much has been writen on Repos & Fakes
respectfully yours

[Paul Massucci]

Hi Buddy,
Tucker's book is OK with some good technical info, but there are errors in it, that even he himself unlike some others has posted here in he past about. I don't want to dampen sales on it but he ,himself, has said he has a newer one coming out.
Angolia's is a good "general" reference as is Foeman's lastest "re-issue". Detlev Niemann's "cataloge/book" is a very good reference, again "general".
For "in-depth" info on badges, the series done by Gordon Williamson and Jamie Cross are very good. I personally have the printed versions of 4 of them but I understand the CD versions are much better ( Gordon, you 2 have to get someone here in the states to sell to CD's )
The thing is , never " put all your eggs in one basket". Besides investing say $100 in 3 books could save you much more than buying a fake for the same amount.
And then there's always this place and the Association pages, which are bargins in the amount of info you can learn. And then if you like 3rd Reich belt buckles there's always my own website

[Calvin Hall]

Hello Buddy,

In addition to Mike Tucker's book, I recommend Jamie Cross' "Collectors Guide to German Infantry Combat Awards of WWII."

Best of luck.

Calvin

[Mark S.]

God this is driving me crazy...

HEER...not Weer.

[Paul Massucci]

Mark,
you're crazy already living up there with too much dalight in summer and way too much night in winter

[Mark S.]

your telling me?

[Buddy]

>>God this is driving me crazy...
>>HEER...not Weer.

Ok,, I Build a dormer since 7:00AM
then mispell WEER:errrrrHEER
I spell& Type like a 3rd grader
Im Hammered (tired, not drunk)
although Im thinking about it