Just how stupid am I - Opinions Please!

[bwanek1]

Happy Holidays, All.

I have a collection of WWII German militaria, but I normally only collect combat decorations and insignia and I have no interest in police items. So, when my grandfather gave me a police cartouche many years ago, which he had been given from a veteran friend of his, I didn't care much about it and put it away. At one point I showed it to a dealer who told me it was not particularly rare or valuable (probably because he wanted it), so, while selling off some other items from my collection recently on eBay, I put this up with a "buy it now" price of $100. After it was purchased in only a few short minutes, I decided to do what I should have done before selling it and I did some research online. I found two lesser examples selling for several times more.

So, just to put some more numbers to my stupidity, would any of you experts care to look at these photos and tell me what I should have gotten for this item?

By the way, I was unaware of the existence of this forum when I sold it.

Thanks,
Brad

[Excuse the red box - I was trying to not offend the eBay police]

[David North]

Brad

I have resized your images, as the ones that you have so kindly submitted, can apparently cause problems to some of the chaps using a "dial up" connection and I am sure that you do not want to feel the wrath of Herr Ortmann!

Anyway, why not look at the sale of this quite splendid, early period (converted Weimar) Polizei Kartuschkasten in perhaps a more philanthropic and seasonal light, insofar as you have made someone very happy this Christmas.

Regards,

David

[David North]

02

[David North]

03

[Frans H.]

Happy Holidays, All.

I have a collection of WWII German militaria, but I normally only collect combat decorations and insignia and I have no interest in police items. So, when my grandfather gave me a police cartouche many years ago, which he had been given from a veteran friend of his, I didn't care much about it and put it away. At one point I showed it to a dealer who told me it was not particularly rare or valuable (probably because he wanted it), so, while selling off some other items from my collection recently on eBay, I put this up with a "buy it now" price of $100. After it was purchased in only a few short minutes, I decided to do what I should have done before selling it and I did some research online. I found two lesser examples selling for several times more.

So, just to put some more numbers to my stupidity, would any of you experts care to look at these photos and tell me what I should have gotten for this item?

By the way, I was unaware of the existence of this forum when I sold it.

Thanks,
Brad

[Excuse the red box - I was trying to not offend the eBay police]

Hello Brad!

If I am not mistaking this is a almost mint Police Gendarmerie Officer's Cartouche Box. A identical example is listed at Grenadier Military Antiques for $475. This is a dealer who is one of the sponsors of this site. It is listed under the chapter German Field Gear. I would take a look there if I was you.

Greetings,

Frans

[bwanek1]

Well I'll be damned! There it is! The rough edges of the insignia are identical in both photos:

http://web.iwebcenters.com/grenadier...item62802.ctlg

The small consolation I tried to find in having made some collector very happy through my ignorance has vaporized.

That is not to say that I harbor any resentment for the gentleman who is now profiting from my blunder. On the contrary, I salute him and I hope others may learn from my mistake.

I wish a happy and healthy New Year to you all...and a prosperous one to my new friend at Grenadier!

Brad

[gary9]

Hello Brad

Dont feel too bad, it has probably gone to a good home. I picked one up from manions this year for the same kind of price, I was just lucky that no one else had spotted it, and I was the only person to bid. I also picked up an officers in black with the officers silver strap for 250 euro, on one of those crapy auction site, that only three people had bid on.

[leib grenadier]

Dear Brad:

I must have bought it from the guy that you sold it to. Did he live in Monrovia California? If so it is the same box. Don't feel too bad, as I had to pay through the nose for it, and I am making a very small profit.

All the best,
Bruce
Grenadier Military Antiques

Well I'll be damned! There it is! The rough edges of the insignia are identical in both photos:

http://web.iwebcenters.com/grenadier...item62802.ctlg

The small consolation I tried to find in having made some collector very happy through my ignorance has vaporized.

That is not to say that I harbor any resentment for the gentleman who is now profiting from my blunder. On the contrary, I salute him and I hope others may learn from my mistake.

I wish a happy and healthy New Year to you all...and a prosperous one to my new friend at Grenadier!

Brad

[bwanek1]

Hello, Bruce.

Yup, that was the guy. It sounds like he turned a quick profit. I hope you are able to sell it soon and get some return on your investment. Above all, I'd like to see it finally end up in the hands of a collector who has been anxious to find one. Lord knows it has gone underappreciated by me for twenty years!

Happy New Year,
Brad

Dear Brad:

I must have bought it from the guy that you sold it to. Did he live in Monrovia California? If so it is the same box. Don't feel too bad, as I had to pay through the nose for it, and I am making a very small profit.

All the best,
Bruce
Grenadier Military Antiques

[Dave C.]

Brad, you are killing me, I can't beleive you let that rare Gendarmerie example go for a $100 on eBan, no less I missed it! I've needed one for a long time and also was tring to buy it from the same person before it ended up on a website for $475 and as I was informed, it has sold.

[bwanek1]

OK, if you don't think my absolutely stupid sale was funny enough, here's another laugh at my expense.

I put the lousy $100 towards Christmas presents and yesterday, while my wife was taking some of the clothes I gave her back to a store to exchange for different sizes/colors, she accidentally left the bag containing $200 worth of my gifts to her in the parking lot and drove off.

I must be paying for some previous sins!

[David North]

Brad

I do not think that there are many collectors who embrace a "Schadenfreude" mentality when they are aware of a story like this and instead, regard it very much as a fact of life. It happens to us all in one way or another, although here, possibly a quite brilliant example towards the power of the Forum.

My worry is that these misfortunes often come in threes.

Assume that you are encapsulating yourself in bubble wrap and locking yourself in the house over the New Year.

Regards,

David

[bwanek1]

Brad

I do not think that there are many collectors who embrace a "Schadenfreude" mentality when they are aware of a story like this and instead, regard it very much as a fact of life. It happens to us all in one way or another, although here, possibly a quite brilliant example towards the power of the Forum.

My worry is that these misfortunes often come in threes.

Assume that you are encapsulating yourself in bubble wrap and locking yourself in the house over the New Year.

Regards,

David

While trying to assemble the puppet theater we gave our daughters for Christmas I sliced my finger open and had to go to the hospital and get it stitched up. That makes three...I'm done.

Happy New Year, All!

Brad

P.S. All joking aside, I consider myself truly blessed in far too many ways to have the right to complain about anything! I was just looking to offer everyone a few laughs.