Why is so rare a maroon beret???

[Vic]

After 15 years collecting german militaria, I visited France and Pegasus bridge and my romance with british airborne troops began...I have found all sorts of German insignias, Kc winner items, Kcwith oak leaves...a lot of german militaria stuff of all types and top quality that can be found regulary in several dealers and fairs...but near no maroon berets!!! why?...

[lnijherald]

I believe much of the insignia you describe are made from metal. A much more durable material than wool and cotton.
Apart from that, a relative small amount was made, they didn't last very long and there's a great bunch of collectors out there who want one.

Cheers, Luc

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

If you play it slowly and network with other collectors/dealers you'll realise finding one isn't that difficult and they are not as rare as you may think. However, find a nice unquestionable example and it won't be cheap.

I don't know what it is about red berets but they seem to have received much greater interest than any other item of British Airborne headgear or uniform in the last couple of years and price increases have been disproportionately high. Perhaps they have reached that point where they are regarded as "classic items" by not only British Airborne collectors but other non British militaria collectors?

Jack.

[lambstew]

If you play it slowly and network with other collectors/dealers you'll realise finding one isn't that difficult and they are not as rare as you may think. However, find a nice unquestionable example and it won't be cheap.

I don't know what it is about red berets but they seem to have received much greater interest than any other item of British Airborne headgear or uniform in the last couple of years and price increases have been disproportionately high. Perhaps they have reached that point where they are regarded as "classic items" by not only British Airborne collectors but other non British militaria collectors?

Jack.

Right you are Jack. AND to top it all off there are those bloody 'colonials' who are also after those berets because their para boys just so happened to be issued with the same... On top of that there is further interest world wide (IE USA) and especially in other parts of europe such as the Netherlands, Belgium & France. The 'elite' has always been highly coveted and collected and a maroon beret says it all and is very representative and easier to find then say an original PARACHUTE REGIMENT battledress blouse which are almost next to impossible to find these days. I believe they all reside in your fine collection Jack if I am not mistaken...

If you happen to find an original airborne beret it's as good as investing in real estate if not better..

Cheers,

Konrad

[Mark Gibson]

Be patient Victor...you will find one eventually, just don't be in too much of a hurry. A mistake which we've all made is rushing in to find a good beret and this can lead to buying a bad one. I did with one a few years ago and again with another earlier this year which is a good beret that had received fake markings to make it more attractive. I was able to remove those markings quite easily and now have a very nice 1943 dated Kangol beret with faded markings; much more preferable to what it was sold to me as.
Thankfully I now know what to look for and patiently await the right examples to appear (including a '44 dated Supak which I picked up in the last month). They are out there.

Best wishes

Mark

P.S. I'm one of the Bloody 'Colonials' who also collects the occassional Airborne item.

[Vic]

Thank you very much for the opinions.
Well, I am from Spain. Here there is around 2 militaria shops in which is possible to find German stuff, more or less good, and also 2 auction houses that mainly offer German militaria and spanish as well.
In Spain there are German militaria collectors but near no british one!, in fact I only know a good collection here.

So that british militaria is impossible to get here, only possible at dealers and fellows of the WAF.

I have seen anyway in this little time that I ciollect british militaria, that few dealers also have a section devoted to that and also that few items are ready for sell...that is another difficult aspect for me..anyway I try to learn day by day aspects about british militaria thata at my 41 years and near 20 of german collecting is becoming really interesting.

I will have to be patient and have the eyes well opened anyway...

Please...any beret at sight?...

[hayleyp]

a

hi vic i sell ww2 british items ,and have not found a para beret to sell as of the hi price ,but other dealers are out there i will look out for one for you ,i will contact you by email with the dealers number if i see one ,, a book you may consider getting is by b.l. davis, its a good reference i have attached a photo they sell for about £35 SECOND HAND ,,will

[Vic]

Thank you very much!
Please, where could I find the book?

[hayleyp]

book

vic i will look at my stock i may have one,i will let you know tonite when i finish work cheers will edit; i have two in stock sent you a pm,, first box i looked in usually its the last i have about 70 boxs

[Vic]

[WWIIBuff]

Need a beret

Vic I am also in the market for a beret, actually I want to have two of them eventually. I think we must both be patient.

I don't think I'd be considered one of those "colonials" though, I think I'd be considered a "colonist".

[cw2311]

Para beret!

WOW, nice beret! put me on the want list, I too would like to buy a maroon beret!

[lnijherald]

I think we are getting the message now.

Luc

[yellow]

Ive never really understood the fascination with the maroon beret myself. Sure enough they were not just given away but there were a lot of Airborne troops during WW2.........two divisions of them!

Wool and leather are both two materials which decompose rather quickly if they are not stored correctly. Maroon berets will become rarer as collectors find the ones they have not stored correctly will eventually drop to bits. It is for this reason I am not a fan of the beret........but who am I to judge!

One thing Ive found about Airborne collectors is their strange philosophy to collect the same item over and over again. Once you have a 1943 Kangol in the best condition possible in your collection why buy another unattributed 1943 Kangol in a lesser condition? Are Airborne collectors the most greedy of all militraria collectors? Vic, I think the reason why they are rare is because there are collectors out there with boxes full! Its exactly same situation with my own collecting niche.

[cbuehler]

Ive never really understood the fascination with the maroon beret myself. Sure enough they were not just given away but there were a lot of Airborne troops during WW2.........two divisions of them!

Wool and leather are both two materials which decompose rather quickly if they are not stored correctly. Maroon berets will become rarer as collectors find the ones they have not stored correctly will eventually drop to bits. It is for this reason I am not a fan of the beret........but who am I to judge!

One thing Ive found about Airborne collectors is their strange philosophy to collect the same item over and over again. Once you have a 1943 Kangol in the best condition possible in your collection why buy another unattributed 1943 Kangol in a lesser condition? Are Airborne collectors the most greedy of all militraria collectors? Vic, I think the reason why they are rare is because there are collectors out there with boxes full! Its exactly same situation with my own collecting niche.

I would have to agree with Yellow's assessment here. They are not really all that rare, just way overpriced in my opinion.

CB