I admit that I originally became involved in a divergent, somewhat off-topic discussion on what I am about to say, in another thread about MAX Show finds. So, before I went off-topic any further, I decided to just post a seperate thread in the appropriate forum. So, here goes:
I was unable to attend The MAX show this year, as I had planned. Instead I went to the very large and local National Gun Day and JAG Show in Louisville, Kentucky, as a consolation. On occasion, (usually more occasions than not), I've actually found some better stuff there than I have previously found at the bigger shows.
For example, at a previous Gun Day/JAG Show, I found a couple of very reasonably-priced SS-Ausweiss' definitely worth more than I paid! Just yesterday, I found what has turned out to be a 100% original photograph of Hitler, with General Keitel and Admiral Raeder. Hitler is sitting on a bench looking at papers opposite Keitel and Raeder who are engaged in conversation. It is a very casual, unposed picture, looking as if none of them really knew or cared that they were being photographed. It's also a larger than usual picture, which is an added bonus!
I've been a photographer for nearly 25 years now, and it sure looks good to me. I also showed it to another photographer with even more experience than me, and he also said it is undoubtedly an original photograph. Among other things, it has some convincing cracks in a thicker emulsion which is characteristic of older photos. It is also nothing I or anybody I know has ever seen published in any of the reference books. It may be a never-before-anywhere published photo for all I know. What's better is that I got it for a very reasonable price ($200.00), less than I believe it is really worth. I sure doubt I could have found a deal like that at the MAX or the SOS where everybody is looking for that kind of thing! Most people at a Gun Show are not really looking for militaria so much, and even fewer are looking for original Third Reich photos--a great advantage, indeed! Anyway, I've always wanted a real photo like that, and that's what I got at a good price, someplace where I would have least expected to find it. Sometimes the best stuff isn't at the biggest places or at the biggest prices.
So, to further compare how gun shows (with peripheral but frequent photo finds) compare to specific larger Third Reich militaria shows, I will ask this question: For those photo collectors out there who scoured this year's MAX for period pictures, how successful were you? How many were there, and what was the price range or average price for them? I myself attended the MAX Show last year looking for period photos, SS-Ausweis', and various paper products, and I found nothing. Maybe, however, I was just there too late, or looking soon enough in the wrong places. Ironically, I've found many such things I've wanted at better deals, at a gun show, where competition and prices were exceptionally low. As we all know, that combination of things is very good indeed, and definitely cause for celebration. So, for that, I'll appropriately post the party-hat smiley...
Chris
I was unable to attend The MAX show this year, as I had planned. Instead I went to the very large and local National Gun Day and JAG Show in Louisville, Kentucky, as a consolation. On occasion, (usually more occasions than not), I've actually found some better stuff there than I have previously found at the bigger shows.
For example, at a previous Gun Day/JAG Show, I found a couple of very reasonably-priced SS-Ausweiss' definitely worth more than I paid! Just yesterday, I found what has turned out to be a 100% original photograph of Hitler, with General Keitel and Admiral Raeder. Hitler is sitting on a bench looking at papers opposite Keitel and Raeder who are engaged in conversation. It is a very casual, unposed picture, looking as if none of them really knew or cared that they were being photographed. It's also a larger than usual picture, which is an added bonus!
I've been a photographer for nearly 25 years now, and it sure looks good to me. I also showed it to another photographer with even more experience than me, and he also said it is undoubtedly an original photograph. Among other things, it has some convincing cracks in a thicker emulsion which is characteristic of older photos. It is also nothing I or anybody I know has ever seen published in any of the reference books. It may be a never-before-anywhere published photo for all I know. What's better is that I got it for a very reasonable price ($200.00), less than I believe it is really worth. I sure doubt I could have found a deal like that at the MAX or the SOS where everybody is looking for that kind of thing! Most people at a Gun Show are not really looking for militaria so much, and even fewer are looking for original Third Reich photos--a great advantage, indeed! Anyway, I've always wanted a real photo like that, and that's what I got at a good price, someplace where I would have least expected to find it. Sometimes the best stuff isn't at the biggest places or at the biggest prices.
So, to further compare how gun shows (with peripheral but frequent photo finds) compare to specific larger Third Reich militaria shows, I will ask this question: For those photo collectors out there who scoured this year's MAX for period pictures, how successful were you? How many were there, and what was the price range or average price for them? I myself attended the MAX Show last year looking for period photos, SS-Ausweis', and various paper products, and I found nothing. Maybe, however, I was just there too late, or looking soon enough in the wrong places. Ironically, I've found many such things I've wanted at better deals, at a gun show, where competition and prices were exceptionally low. As we all know, that combination of things is very good indeed, and definitely cause for celebration. So, for that, I'll appropriately post the party-hat smiley...
Chris
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