SS Stick Pin manufactured by Otto Gahr

[Pieter Verbruggen]

I've been looking for an SS member's stick pin by Gahr for 25 years, and never have seen one other than J.R. Cone's book! I've seen one's by Hoffstatter that look good, nice enamel, correct size (14.5 mm) and nice pin, but I've always wanted a Gahr pin. Glad to see others are interested in this fine stick pin. I must say also that most of the SS member's Stick pins out there are fakes.

....A Hoffstatter pin is UNCOMPARABLE with a Gahr one. It's like comparing a Kettenkrad with a Königstiger .

Pieter.

PS: The Gahr werkstätte made a lot of beautiful things...eg. the Deutscland Erwache standarts.

[Pieter Verbruggen]

For what it's worth, mine is in the same red little box as John's.
Pieter.

[ErichS]

Anything made by Gahr was top notch including the TK Ring!

[Mike Clayton]

Has any one seen the Bender publication : The Military Advisor summer 1990 issue? John Angolia talks about the SS member's stick pin by Hoffstatter in detail. At the end of the article he says that the firm of K. Gahr also produced the stick pin. Looking in my RZM code book #87 was Karoline Gahr. My Question is: are we sure that the SS member's pin was produced by Otto Gahr? I don't know enough about the pin myself, I just wish I could find one. Just thought I'd mention the article. Hopefully some one out there knows.

Mike

[John Pepera]

Mike,

The article that you refer to in The Military Trader authored by John Angolia has several inconsitencies and misinformation.

There is a great informing and educational article related to the SS Zivil Abzeichen in the works as soon as the author gets going, crosses a couple of 'T's and dots a few of the 'I's and gets off his butt and gets going. (too many irons in the fire)

Mike, what do you mean, "do we know that Gahr made the SS ZA pin"?

John

[JoeW]

Mike, Otto Gahr died in 1932 and his wife Karolina carried on the firm. Besides being a commercial jeweler, she operated the firm under RZM guidelines and received the licensing number. She survived the war and lived until 1969. Perhaps that wasn't made clear in the Angolia article. The firm's history is discussed in the Arthur Meyer book about the Otto Gahr firm.

John, I resent that. I am surprised you remembered where the darn Gahr pin was so you could photograph it. The Allach article went off the Bender last week.

[Mike Clayton]

John, I'm not questioning wheather the pin was made by Gahr, I didn't know enough history about the Gahr firm and JoeW just enlighten me. Thanks Joe. So really, Angloia is right, K. Gahr did make the pins, as most were probably made after 1932. I thought that maybe Otto Gahr and K Gahr were two different firms. I've learned more about this pin and have seen more pictures of it in two days, than I have in 25 years. Thanks to all of you!!!! I didn't know this forum existed until two days ago.

Regards, Mike

[Pieter Verbruggen]

Mike,

The article that you refer to in The Military Trader authored by John Angolia has several inconsitencies and misinformation.

There is a great informing and educational article related to the SS Zivil Abzeichen in the works as soon as the author gets going, crosses a couple of 'T's and dots a few of the 'I's and gets off his butt and gets going. (too many irons in the fire)

Mike, what do you mean, "do we know that Gahr made the SS ZA pin"?

John

...Yes...the Military Advisor.... you know....
Pieter.

[JoeW]

Pieter, The Military Advisor has had its share of inconsistency in the past. But most recent issues have featured well documented article by Wim Saris, Clyde Davis and others.

[Pieter Verbruggen]

Pieter, The Military Advisor has had its share of inconsistency in the past. But most recent issues have featured well documented article by Wim Saris, Clyde Davis and others.

...I have to admit the recent issues are woth buying, no problem at all!!!
But I would love to see an International magazine to give a little of extra info and corrections of what was published in the past...you know what I mean, and a lot of collectors still take these articles for real.
Pieter.

[JoeW]

Patzwall tried his international (English/German) edition for awhile, but it soon languished with lack of US interest. And I am afraid it was a portent of the future. It seems that most new collectors seek their information on the web rather than spending money on literature: magazines, books and even source material.
When those of us with literature have left the collecting circuit, from where will information come?

[Mike Clayton]

I agree whole heartedly with that Joe! I've got more books than I do military collectibles. I love finding a new book at a show with lots of pictures and loads of information. No one can collect it all, or find it all, and it's nice to see what's out there. Nazi Germany made an unbelieveable variety of military items. I'm always seeing something different at each show.
Mike

[John Pepera]

Mi culpa - mi culpa.

Of course, Pieter is correct in stating that the source of the related article was "The Military Advisor", the Roger Bender bi-monthly publication not "The Military Trader"

I would also favor a new or the resurection of a new international military collectables publication by a qualified source.

Thanks again Pieter for enlightening an 'old' and at times, languishing brain but, please quit laughing at me!

John

[Pieter Verbruggen]

Mi culpa - mi culpa.

Of course, Pieter is correct in stating that the source of the related article was "The Military Advisor", the Roger Bender bi-monthly publication not "The Military Trader"

I would also favor a new or the resurection of a new international military collectables publication by a qualified source.

Thanks again Pieter for enlightening an 'old' and at times, languishing brain but, please quit laughing at me!

John

...I never laugh at you John, I respect you too much for it!!! And I mean this!
pieter.

[John Pepera]

Pieter,

I know that you are far to nice than to laugh at anyone. In jest, I was refering to your little smiling and lauging cartoon face.

Enjoy the season.

John