Verifiable sources

[wilhelm Saris]

Two more pages from my gorget-book: one with the Stahlhelm flag bearer's patch and one with flags from the organization.

sta-patch 001.jpg

sta-flag 003.jpg

maybe people do regret nog having purchased the book.

[Berghof]

For those interested four randon chosen pages from my personal "working copy", to give an impression of flags and their use:

Very nice Wilhelm. Thanks for sharing.


.

[Military]

Thanks for sharing.

Mil

[wilhelm Saris]

Thanks for sharing.

Mil

see also the thread about Stahlhelm / Stahlhelmbund in community forums. There is more to see!

[wilhelm Saris]

see also the thread about Stahlhelm / Stahlhelmbund in community forums. There is more to see!

and so I can continue for hours, but I think my Publisher will make complaints.
But he should see it as an advertisement for the book.

Sa -1-.jpg

[Mr.Jerry D]

If this is in the wrong place, feel free to move.

A lot of people on this forum have knowledge with a good amount of it garnered from their years of collecting/experiences. However, I rarely see if ever, any academic or research based sources being cited or shared backing up claims. crwflags.com does cite some books in their write ups. This expands way beyond flags. The blacklight test is at best, controversial due to recent literature and no one in their right mind is going to cut a part of their flag if there are no loose strings to run a burn test. I think it would be helpful for younger collectors like myself if the seasoned folks could expand on how they sourced the knowledge to determine something is authentic rather than saying "X is stitched like ABC so its good". Why? Who told you that? Where did you gather that knowledge? What makes you think that is an accurate source of truth? etc. As fakes get better and items continue to get exposed as fakes, it is critical for the maintaining of accuracy in this hobby that verifiable sources of truth are documented and maintained as much as possible.

Many of us have been fortunate to be able to obtain original things directly from veterans, and even now from families of the veterans. Part of what makes up the "collector experience" is seeing several things over and over "out of the woodwork". For instance the "Baklan cross" panzer ID flags were questioned by many, but those of us that had pulled them out of GI footlockers knew they certainly existed- we did know why they weren't widely used- but we knew they were real. Then a few years ago some photos of them in use finally turned up. I always encourage new collectors to go to shows and look at and actually handle things and look at and study the details. (both from respected dealers AND from those sketchy guys selling known fakes). Once you start seeing (and touching) how things were made, printed and sewn you can get a "feel" for the materials typically used and commonalities that they shared. There are still outliers, those oddball flags that fall outside the norm- and early ones tend to be a bit all over the board. But experiential knowledge coupled with the great information from books (and this forum) will serve you best.

[oldflagswanted]

Another WW2 Flag Book ...

OFW - As always, thanks for providing a well thought
out and contributing answer with substance. I'll take
a look at the selections you've highlighted

... see Alberto Brisone's WW2 Italian flag book
(ISBN 88-7133-245-8), by Hobby & Work 1996.
In bilingual Italian & English text, all the flags
and banners of Italian Fascism. Illustrated in full
color photos and contemporary photos.
........OFW


<table id="post8503937" class="tborder" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="6" width="100%" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="alt1" id="td_post_8503937">
</td></tr><tr> <td class="alt2"> </td> <td class="alt1" align="right"> </td></tr></tbody></table>