Please, opinion...

[Vic]

I am beginning to collect british para items but as I was german militaria collector for 15 years I need expert opinion about this, please:
http://cgi.ebay.com/WW2-British-Airb...QQcmdZViewItem
Thanks!
victor.

[byterock]

Run away as fast as you can from anything on ebay to do with Commonwealth airbore forces if you are a novice.

You are better off asking if members of the form are willing to part with thier stuff as a fair price.

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

"No" in a word!

There are lots of posts/threads on berets on forum. Just search for "red beret", read all the info and you'll be an expert by morning!

Jack.

[Vic]

Thanks I will do it!!

[Vic]

Excuse me all, please, as said I am beginning to collect british para items and I have a lot to learn and read. I am reading about it for weeks but I have lack of experience about british para militaria.
I will try to lear from all of you.
15 years of german militaria collection is too much....

Hey, Jack...I sent you two PM in the past with no answer!

Thanks again!

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Victor,

Admittedly, I am slow to respond to PMs sometime but to be honest I forgot about yours completely. If I remember correctly you asked me if I had an Airborne BD or "para" beret for sale.

Original untouched Airborne BDs or "para" berets don't "grow on trees" and are rarely offered for sale. They are both widely faked items of militaria and command lots of money, so you have to be very careful when buying.

My best advice would be to research the subject as much as possible using books, internet etc. and ask lots of specific questions. Also if there's piece you are considering buying make sure you post it here as there are a good handful of people who know their stuff.

Jack.

[DJT]

If you look in the eBay thread, you will see I red flagged that particular beret.

I can only echo what the others have said. When it comes to Allied items of an airborne/elite/special nature then you need to know your subject inside out or you and your wallet will be taken for a painful ride. I am sure you would advise the same to someone who just started collecting German items and wanted to buy a FJ or SS helmet.

[Vic]

Thank you very much for your advices.
In a while I will post the beret that I got today from a Spanish top colector.

[lnijherald]

Victor, don't call this a para beret, it is an airborne beret worn by many other fine mine than just paras.

On the subject, I think armyoutfitters' beret is a genuine British airborne beret. The date has been tempered with but otherwise it looks ok.

Cheers, Luc

[Mons 1914]

Good advice given Victor, read the threads on this forum their's wealth of information to be had.
Reading accounts & reference books can't be over looked either, what has happend on the German side is increasing more & more on the Allied Airborne side!

If in doubt ask here.

Scott

[Gary Jucha]

1942

Must agree that the beret looks to have a "tampered with" date.
... notice the "2" of the 1942 ..... there seems to be a "strategic" lightening of the colour, .. but infact all the numbers do not seem to be crisp enough ..

Gary J.

[Mark Gibson]

I don't like the look of the '2' either as the smudging around it compared to the rest is just a little too obviously messed with. I had asked the seller for extra interior pics but he hasn't been forthcoming, and that was over a week ago, so I really don't hold out any hopes of this being an original WW2 period Airborne beret at all.
Of course I'm still looking for a nice one myself and have been in the cue for a while. A cue which seems to be getting larger by the day.

Best of luck to all

Mark