New Imperial Collector.

[JensF.]

Again north...:

[JensF.]

...and jumping back to the south:

[JensF.]

...and closing with classic

[Kai-Steffen M.]

thank you- finally some württemberg stuff- mecklenburg sucks

Gruß, KSM

[JensF.]

Want more?

[Ralph A]

Thanks fellas

These items are spectacular. I have some research to do. I'm still thinking "Bavarian" as I seem to have started down this path already with the MVO... but I'll keep an open mind.

The fabulous, visually striking presence these items have is the first thing that appealed to me. It's OK to just enjoy them for their aesthetic appeal. With the Third Reich stuff, there is no "visual appeal" per se; the awards and decorations are "enjoyed" for their odd history and macabre flavor. The Nazis were notoriously gaudy in design (Albert Speer's father, when shown the plans for all the new buildings &etc. responded "You are all crazy").

I always get the "creeps" when I handle Nazi stuff, sort of like the feeling an aficionado of Steven King novels and slasher flicks might get. They are just creeeepy in a "cool" kind of way.

This will make me no friends amongst my Nazi collecting colleagues, but it's true.

The Imperial items are different in this respect. Elegant and refined. I think of a time of chivalry and balls and courts and honor. Princes and princesses and fabulous dress uniforms. Champagne. With Third Reich; gangsters and befuddled, misled heroes. Ignominious defeat. Holocaust...

How can I put it? With the Nazi stuff you get beer and a billy club. With Imperial you get wine and cheese.

There are times when you want either, or both.

I'll keep on adding to my Third Reich collection, but I'm not going to try and, say, collect every known maker of IAB's or anything like that. I'm going to pick a subsection of Imperial items and specialize there instead.

I appreciate all the help I can get and am looking forward to learning more.

Best regards to all of you, and thanks once again. Post some more!!

-Ralph

[Ralph A]

By the way....

....I'm waiting to see the PLM! Who has one?

I was ready to plunk down some serious cash for a KC, but started thinking....

I'm not sure I want to spend that kind of money on something with a swastika on it.

I saw a PLM recently somewhere; maybe @ Niemann's....

Great. Now whatever good standing (if any) I had with the Third Reich collectors is out the window now.

[Christian L]

unbelieveable !!!!!!!!!!!!
i've never seen so much beauties in so a short time!
please go on with it
chears for sharing christian

[Dave Danner]

How about Bavarian and Württemberg (and Prussia)?



Or Bavaria and Saxe-Meiningen (and Austria and Bulgaria and Prussia)?





Dave

[Dave Danner]

Farther north - Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Finland:

[Dave Danner]

Back south, Baden:
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Dave

[Ralph A]

Exquisite!

I'm running out of adjectives.

Dave, what is the medal on the far right of the post you marked "Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Finland"? I'm assuming it is Finnish.

[AndyD]

Excuse my ignorance,but am i right in thinking that this beauty was awarded to Germans too???

[AndyD]

T'other side!

[Rick Research]

Not during the First World War. Rumania was stomped and occupied by the Central Powers in WW1, which unfortunately led them to back the wrong side in the next war as a result.

Other WW1 Allies--

Finland