What Was Your First TR Collecting Reference Book?

[wessel]

What an interesting topic, and some old favs!
Mine was in 1965, by F. J. Stephens...55 pages and the size of a small paperback.
You can still see where I ticked them off as I found them, and unbelievably my 5th acquisition was an SS Officers! In those days you could get one for £10! Regretably, all now sold!

[wessel]

..
I never did find a TENO!

[feldpost 58]

Hi!

A trip down memory lane on this thread
My very first TR period collectors - i would not even call it a book! "pamphlet" would be more appropriate; was a title called "Decorations Of The Third Reich".
Bought this magnificent title from a stall holder on Newcastle's (UK) quayside Sunday market in approximately 1971.
If I recall correctly it was an eight by ten inch softcover mimeographed "book" comprising of about 30 double sided line drawings of most TR period medals/badges.
All copies had been hand stapled, and it was a real kitchen sink production.
The Brian L. Davis book was a few years away being one of my "three choices" when I later joined "The Military Book Society" in about 1974.
This was THE ultimate reference book for me at the time.
Collected a small amount of items, (all very cheap in those days but I was a child with pocket money) then gave up.
The "good old days"?
Dealers were trying to rob me, even then as a 13 year old kid!

Best wishes,

Cynical John

[Silesien]

The very first one was the red-covered "Nazi Decorations & Medals 1933-1945" by James A. Sawicki, bought in 1959 at a gun store in Erie, PA, along with a Silver Wound Badge & a white-gripped Army dagger for $15. The 2d one was Dick Raidl's red-covered "Daggers & Dress Bayonets of the 3d Reich" , bought from Ron Fabian of Cleveland, Ohio in 1960 at the Girard PA Gun Show, ( my first gun show ): Ron had bought a big dagger collection from a collector named EB? Rogers & many of the Rogers daggers were pictured in the book. Two early books I bought in 1968 which I'm glad I still have, were "Foreign Volunteers of Hitler's Germany" by Warren Odegard & Richard Deeter, & " A Collectors Guide, Vol.2, Headgear" by Stan Bozich. Another early bird book was "Stahlhelm" by Floyd R. Tubbs, 1971, bought fom the author, & autographed to me.

[bertastan]

Mine from 1985, Author Colonel Robert Harry Rankin, published by The House of Collectibles

[Tony]

Here's mine which I bought new in 1972
It's well used and still have it. It's a collector's item now

Tony

[BCraig]

Mine from 1985, Author Colonel Robert Harry Rankin, published by The House of Collectibles

Now this book brings back the early memories of collecting. I think the copy that I had eventually fell apart after thumbing through it so many times.

Now it’s nearly 30 years later, and it was the inspiration for years of collecting and also eventually led to some great European travel as well.

Just for the nostalgia, I had to buy a used copy of it off of Amazon today.

[AndyC]

Well mine was also German Army Uniforms 1933-45 by Brian L Davis.John and I still have it.


Andy

[feldpost 58]

Hi AndyC,

I also still have my copy of the Brian L. Davis book, and it is still one of the best basic guides to German army uniform in my opinion.
Full of good photos of rare badges etc.
Really kindled my interest in militaria!

Best wishes,

John.

[BergführerKiser]

Grüß Di' Kameraden,

Definitely Brian L. Davis' GERMAN ARMY UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA 1933-1945...I still have my 1972 First American Edition! Bought another copy of the book a few years ago...still one of the best references out there IMHO.

Of course the Ballantine series in color was great.

I also like Andrew Mollo's book ARMY UNIFORMS OF WORLD WAR 2.


Horrido!

Patrick

[Tim Curley]

My first reference book was Brian L. Davis' book on German Army Uniforms. Picked it up around 1974.

I have several newer printings of his book and it is well worth the money. The information has held up well and despite having many more reference books on hand now, I still frequently use his book.

[JAndrew]

First book was Dodkins and Littlejohn back in the 1960's. Still have it and full of margin notes about fakes, especially Souval fakes. Also the classified adds in the back of Argosy magazine (DAK pith helmets fresh from the warehouse for $5 and MP-44 for 49.99 - still have that add that I cut out and saved.) and their great article on "Million Dollar Medals of World War 2" in beautiful color. The Spanish Cross in silver with swords was valued at $50. Many of us thought that was a bit high.
JAndrew

[stonemint]

Not my first book, but probably one of the worst books in terms of pictures and pricing. The "author" simply razored-out pictures of items from other books, and then re-photographed them.
The prices were absurdly low, even for 1978--the theory was that the book was simply a ruse to get vets to sell their items at rock-bottom prices.

I tossed my copy long ago, but this is what the cover looked like.
Maybe some other members still have theirs and can scan some sample pages:

[Darrell]

I had those two shown by Stonemint and Paul above at one point. Went to someone else years ago on a house cleaning operation.

I can imagine the young folks viewing this thread (between sending text messages on their phone of course) ... saying ... whhaaaaaaaaaaatt .... books ... huh?

[Ron Weinand]

Stonemint: I loved "BIG RED" and this is what I used to buy with in the motels.