New case for my GPB set.....

[bobcam1]

Rather than let them languish in the cardboard box they were living in, I received a new home today, for my non-matching GPB set.

I know these cases generate varied opinions on whether or not they were actually issued, but I simply like the way they look in this replica case that I obtained from Reddick Militaria.

It's a much better way to display these beauties...I hope you agree....

[Seiler]

Nice "Presentation".Keeps them safe.
Seiler.

[der-hase-fee]

Looks great. Do they give volume discount ?

[andrewb]

[QUOTE=bobcam1;5599025]
It's a much better way to display these beauties...I hope you agree....




I totally agree. Looks much better. Some repo items serve a good purpose.

Regards,
AB.

[bobcam1]

Looks great. Do they give volume discount ?

I believe they do, yes...

[JoeW]

I'm sorry but IMO I think a small riker mount would have served just fine. Every dime you give to that guy's company serves to damage the field of collecting. He has "produced" reproductions in all field of militaria for many years with no markings indicating repro.

[Coburg]

Good for you mate. Looks good to me

Jim

[andrewb]

Joe,

I see where you're coming from but when it's clearly a repo and when the time comes to sell, the owner makes mention of this, then I see no problem.

Not only does it look good, it protects the investment as well.


Regards,
AB.

[Coburg]

Joe,

I see where you're coming from but when it's clearly a repo and when the time comes to sell, the owner makes mention of this, then I see no problem.

Not only does it look good, it protects the investment as well.


Regards,
AB.

Ditto

[Br. James]

While I agree that this new case provides an attractive safeguard and display for your treasured GPBs, I must also agree with Joe. People like Reddick potentially do immeasurable harm to our hobby by creating facsimilies of historical period pieces which can easily get into the mainstream, where continuation of the fact that the case (in this instance) is not of the period can quickly get lost. And once lost, the unsuspecting collector can be duped just as easily tomorrow as he could decades ago.

Br. James

[bobcam1]

While I agree that this new case provides an attractive safeguard and display for your treasured GPBs, I must also agree with Joe. People like Reddick potentially do immeasurable harm to our hobby by creating facsimilies of historical period pieces which can easily get into the mainstream, where continuation of the fact that the case (in this instance) is not of the period can quickly get lost. And once lost, the unsuspecting collector can be duped just as easily tomorrow as he could decades ago.

Br. James

This case will never get into the mainstream...If the time ever comes to sell these badges, it will be without the case, which will probably be destroyed.....

While respecting all opinions, I'll stand by my decision to purchase it....Thanks, all...

[JoeW]

Joe,

I see where you're coming from but when it's clearly a repo and when the time comes to sell, the owner makes mention of this, then I see no problem.

Not only does it look good, it protects the investment as well.
Regards,
AB.

AB, I wish all collectors would be like Bobcam1. Oh that our ranks were filled all with such scrupulous souls.

[Br. James]

How true, Joe! We will ALL surrender our collections one day -- that's why we should see ourselves as 'caretakers of history' and never 'owners' of anything, for in the end none of this ends with us. I'm sure countless collectors have given up their collections in haste over time, either because of sudden death, incapacitation or the need for ready cash, and pieces in the genre of this GPB case have found their way into the collecting stream, without any sign of acknowledged fakery. Nowadays when I attend gun shows, I see more and more dealers proffering medals, daggers, etc. which are obviously fake -- obvious to ME anyway -- and when I try and engage these dealers, I realize that they are simply ignorant of what is good and what is not. So they are accepting their products at face value and offering them for sale in the same vein...and that is exactly how bad items get into the mainstream of our hobby.

I have been studying and collecting TR for over 50 years and I can still remember when some of the first fakers started advertising in hobby newsletters; they originally tried to play upon the extreme rarity of certain items, such as the KC w/Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds or the Grand Cross or SA/SS daggers w/full Röhm inscriptions or the BO or the Coburg Badge or the GPB -- always using the ploy of "buy this as a stand-in in your collection until you find an original piece." It didn't take long for businesses like Reddick Enterprises to realize that there was a whole new market out there, ready to be harvested, and very soon the collector newsletters were featuring copies of the lowest ranks of medals and daggers -- EKII and I, Spanges, SA Sport Badges, Anschluss Awards, HJ and DJ badges, etc. -- for prices like $9.95 or even less!! And the enticing qualification of "buy this piece now as a stand-in and fill in your collection later" dropped out of the ads. This is how it remains today, and private collections have been full of these knock-offs and fakes designed to fool the collecting public ever since.

Br. James

[John Pepera]

Br. James,

ACCURATELY AND PERFECTLY STATED

John

[bobcam1]

Br. James,
Although I'm rather uncomfortable at being linked to the subtext of your response, I COMPLETELY agree with your assessment.

I can't speak for others, but I have safeguards in place for the distribution of my meager collection in the event of a catastrophic occurrence involving my health. The cataloging software that I use, has had specific notes attached, regarding the few items that I have that are replicas. Currently, only four cases/boxes fall into that category. I have a note affixed to the descriptions of those items that indicates that they are NOT to be included in the distribution or sale of the items in my collection, but rather destroyed as they have even no intrinsic value.

It would be foolish of me to think that everyone would follow this example, but during the time that I am the caretaker of these items, my intention is to display and enjoy them, to my personal satisfaction.

If this upsets my fellow collectors, whose opinions I ALWAYS respect, let me offer my apologies for having done so.

I almost regret having started a thread that expressed my pleasure in putting together a display that pleased me, and that I wished to share with others, but the value of the dialog that it started, takes the edge off of that regret.