Prices of British WW2 Militaria

[DJT]

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[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Des, interesting subject

E Bay does have a great deal to answer for. People do now use it as a benchmark on prices. Even though I don't think this is realistic. Two people fighting over an item does lead to crazy prices that might never be realised again.

I think a lot has to do with the rising prices of other kit, mainly German which is making new blood turn to collecting British items. I am seeing the same trend in Russian kit.

My advice is "buy now" on 1937 pattern webbing while it is still around and still fairly common. There is a steady rise in price that has been going on over the past few years.

I know you were joking but I have bought wings at 25p each The lady seller said "that is just military stuff" with a bit of contempt in her voice like it was crap £20 was the norm for years. I would not buy at those E Bay prices. One has to draw the line somewhere.

Tankers holsters. Harlan does have a bit to answer for on those. But I do have 7 unpublished photos of those in use by the Indep. Para Platoon in my personal collection. So there is a bit of truth being them being used. Prior to me obtaining those photos there was just the one well known pic of Capt John Killick of 89 FSS wearing the one in Arnhem. (Sadly he passed away only last year)

I would really like to hear everyone elses take on this subject too so please post your thoughts.

Cheers, Ade.

[Blindpew]

I spent a lot of last year trawling e-bay to get bits and peices to complete various bits of '37 webbing.
Finally managed to do it and have a complete set now and a 'battle-set' spare.
The hardest things to get were the long cross-straps, I think there may be 'extra-long' somewhere but I never saw any for sale.
I got a good start with a shop in Perth, Fergusons, where they do a 'complete' set-up of '37, but a mish-mash of brass and black buckled fittings.I obviously was after the brass style.
Any the set in the shop were and I think still are £35, not too bad a price considering.(no entrenching tool though).
E-bay prices have creeped up, even in the last year with the odd couple of quid going onto things like 'l-straps', were £1-50, but now more like £4-50.

The mag pouches did surprise me a little and I should really get back to Fergusons to see if he has any lying around!
I have a couple of holsters one for a baretta I think, and probably not British, the other for a revolver, fairley common I'd say, going for around £5-£10.

I'm sure I've mentioned it before but theres a few old timers round here that were German Pow's that stayed.One of the stories is that the British webbing was much sought after by the Germans as it was far superior in construction and design to theirs.
I can only guess what sort of bits would be favoured, perhaps rifle slings?

I wonder if there are any period photos of Germans with bits of British webbing? - I know photos of some M35-42' helmets with British nets being worn exist.

The '08 webbing is my next venture but it will be an arm and a leg.A friend who does reenacting was going to get a repro set from some 'indian-dealer', for about £100, I will be making sure it is not the same dealer that has now got a bad reputation.-

[Garth Thompson]

Very interesting thread here.

<O></O>

I think there is no one simple answer but several factors coming together.



The internet, not just Ebay, is a major factor in increasing interest in military collectibles. Easy access to reference sites, dealer sites, forums just like this one and all manner of information has increased exponentionally in the last few years. This has created a whole new generation of collectors who no longer need to slog through shows, fairs, rummage sales, etc to find their goodies. They can now collect, identify and price their bits from the comfort of their homes.<O></O>



Ebay is obviously huge. Here in the states it is almost impossible to go into an antique shop or mall that doesn't have a computer. These people are in business and want the maximum price for their items. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know they are checking to see they are identifying and seeing what an item sells for. Consequently adjusting the price, realistic or not, to what they see. The traditional "pickers" now take their goodies home and stick them on the internet rather than offering the stuff to the local boys.



Extraordinarily high prices and the "fake paranoia" of Third Reich collecting have driven many collectors into British and US collecting. Collecting is a compulsion. A collector will collect something and if you are used to paying several hundred dollars or pounds for one badge or a thousand or so for a tunic then the allied militaria seems cheap. Consequently demand increases and prices rise, basic Economics 101.



What seems outrageous today will be a bargain in the near future. Just a few thoughts.

Garth

[petermac]

Interesting one,

I too feel that both the internet and steeply rising prices in the traditionally popular field of German militaria are prompting people, especially beginners (often with no knowledge of the rarity or otherwise of what they are buying and a bit of money in their pockets) to buy into new fields.

I've been a long time collector of No4 bayonets (over 20 years) and have noticed that prices, after remaining relatively stable for most of that time have started to climb to the point where I'm not willing to buy. The same applies to webbing frogs for these bayonets. When you see fairly common No4 MkII* spikes going for upwards of £15 each I start to wonder what is going on. Of course, here I'm being a hypocrite because I've also offloaded all my duplicates and spares to cash in on the higher prices.

I don't think the current position is healthy, nor that it can go on for ever. This kind of price inflation over relatively common items usually presages a collapse in the market as it shows a desire to buy into anything regardless of the intrinsic value of the items.

Hold on to your hats but in the meantime offload your duplicates whilst ye may.

Happy collecting, Peter

[Greg Kubasek]

While just trying to start leveling out my budding collection with Canadian gear I am shocked at what prices I have seen. Especially medals!

That being said the prices I have seen I think are pretty fair when you compare them to their German counterparts. I mean If I wanted to right now I could go through the online german dealers and buy just about any thing I wanted... SS wrapper, Panzer Beret, Knights Cross.. etc. really anything that is considered "rare" on the German side is for sale on any site on any given day.

.. Now.. do you think I can find any Canadian online dealers? Can I find any combat worn battledresses? They are just not out there on the open market I don't think. What I am going to have to do to build my Canadian collection is scour antique shops and militaria stores and army surpluses accross the province and hope I can turn some stuff up?


Sorry for the disjointed response.. It's early on a Sunday morning and I only have one cup of coffee in my so my brain is not clicking at full speed yet


Greg

[Allan H.]

I think a part of the reason that WWII British kit is rising in value is due to the fact that german and American airborne items are so prohibitively expensive. For years, you could find anything British para (except the bloody trousers) for very reasonable prices. I bought a first pattern para smock withing the last five years for less than 100 UKP. While today, the price is at least double, the long and the short of it is that you can still puttogether a complete British para mannequin for less money than the 1942 US jump jacket and trousers will cost you. You can even find the helmet (though that is getting a lot harder) where you will grow old trying to find a real and un-messed with US para helmet, liner and chincup.
I will bet that fewer than 10% of serious US airborne collectors have an original example in their collections. The repros were "pretty good" twenty years ago. They are damned near perfect today!
I am not the least bit surpised that this stuff is going up in value and in price, and I believe the prices will only continue to spiral upward as US and German para prices begin to plateau.
Allan

[Garth Thompson]

I just found an absolutely classic example of our discussion currently on Ebay.

Item # 6540378477 listed as a USMC Detachment in Iceland shoulder patch. In actuality a British WW2 49th Infantry Division patch, oh yes the marine detachment was authorized this patch however there is no indication or provenance this particular one was used by a marine. The patch is currently at $102.50 with 11 hours to go. A couple of years ago you couldn't give this patch away for $5.

More new collectors with more money + less real material = high prices.

No reflection on the seller, he is a decent sort just getting what the market will bear.

Garth

[Aave Johns]

Helmet nets

I can only guess what sort of bits would be favoured, perhaps rifle slings?

I wonder if there are any period photos of Germans with bits of British webbing? - I know photos of some M35-42' helmets with British nets being worn exist.

I don't know about the use of webbing, but I can confirm that helmet nets were a popular item to the German soldier. My Great-Uncle was in Crete with elements of the 2/12th Batt. when it was invaded by the Krauts. He was involved in the final day of fighting and after running out of ammo and a bit of hand-to-hand combat when they surrended to the German paras, one of the first things they were relieved of equipment wise was their helmet nets.

Regards;
Johnsy