What "different" items do you own?

[JaimeH]

Most collectors go for uniforms, helmets medals, guns etc. What kind of strange or not usually collected materials do you have?
I own a mint WWII German hypodermic needle sterilizer, with folding canister, kerosine burner. A mint Luftwaffe compass (I use it for deer hunting in the winter, the strap is large for heavy clothing). Japanese Kirin beer bottles from a sunken ship, a cigarette lighter engraved with the occupation zones of Germany (circa 1945-46).

[Sebastian Bianchi]

I collect packs of cigarettes and tobacco packs from the era. It seems like everyone smoked back then too. I have an unopened pack of K98 bullets, and a couple of other little trinkets.

Seba

[Richard]

A well marked cavalry saddle complete with marked saddlebags and horseshoeing kit. Several award plaques for participants in various events (Sternfahrt 1934, Sailboat race winner, SA Skiing competition plaque), really large dry goods sack with huge eagle and swas like seen in Schindler's list, dated field telephone, cigarette packs with National seal, stereoview photo book complete with 3-d glasses, lots of books - both fiction (NSDAP hero type stories for the youth) and non-fiction (books on battles, campaigns, art, history, cigarette albums). I was really into the off beat stuff and still get the "oddment" bug every now and then because the stuff is usually pretty cheap and there isn't a lot of competition. Case in point, the saddle was found by a collector friend of mine at a ranch in Texas. The guy had brought it back after the war and was still using it. He sold it to my friend for $10. My friend had trouble getting rid of it and finally sold it to a local militaria shop also for $10. The militaria shop had it taking up space for nearly a year and it wouldn't sell so I picked it up for the exact same $10. I added the saddlebags and horseshoeing kit later for an additional $25. I admit it takes up some space, but it makes a pretty cool display.

[Chris Boonzaier]

A friend has a Beer bottle, one of those with the wire and porcelin lid, the lettering in raised glass
"SS Kantine, konzentrationslager Dachau"
And the same on the porcelin lid.
its empty >:-(

I have the original report written by my wifes Grandfather about VD rates of the 3rd Uboot flottile in La Rochelle as well as his cased set of Autopsy knives and scalpels (rescued them from her Grandmaother who was using them for arts and crafts)

[Liontas]

a Dsus fastener for a F-84B Thunderjet! I know its not German, but it was my Dad's during Korea. I kind of looks like a melted wrench, and its a lot of fun to explain to people what it is (it removes pannels from the aircraft, kind of like a wrench)

[reichpapers]

I have the patent document for the landing gear shock obsorbers on the Folke-Wulf 190. I also have an SS Triumph Standard 12 typewriter.

[reichpapers]

I have the patent document for the landing gear shock obsorbers on the Folke-Wulf 190. I also have an SS Triumph Standard 12 typewriter.

[MtnMan]

Hi,

I suppose since I have been in electronics for the past 37 years I guess that fits the oddest German object I have.

It is a medium sized attache case, complete with locks and a key. Which contains a complete calibration setup for a radio transmitter of that era. It has 4 of the old style meters, 3 transformers for "stepping down",marked with the red "signals" blitz radio operators would wear on a qualification shoulder patch. Also there is a helical coil, with many taps, plus the interconnecting,"cloth" covered wiring. All in purple velvet lined compartments. Even found some paper calibration tags, where it was inspected for accuracy, back then. In such good condition it could be used for that purpose, today.
It looks just like a normal attache case, so I have imaged a technician being dispatched in civilian clothes to recalibrate a small transmitter/relay station/in the middle of nowhere,or in an embassy during the war years.

Besides daggers and badges I like the quirky stuff, too.

Joe

[Warren O]

I have a piece of 88mm flak pulled from the engine of an 8th Air Force B-24 along with the steering column cover that states Ford Vultee. The plane was lost over Germany the day after these items were removed.
Warren

[dynnis]

I have 2/3 of the front panel of a FW 190, with nearly all the instruments and guages. Also control column, or stick of the same plane.

[Gun Toter]

A number of years ago I had an inmate registration card for a prisoner at the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. He was apparently a political prisoner as he was an Italian of Roman Catholic religion and was sent from Trieste by the SD, according to the card. Most likely he was a member of a resistance unit. If I remember correctly he was in his 20's. It listed his place of birth and mothers name along with height, weight, etc and there was some handwritten entries also, but I cant remember what they were. Most of it was typewritten. I dont have it any longer. kind of eerie. I was always going to try to research the person, but there was not much information beyond the personal info on the card and the explanation I got was that meant he would have been sent there for execution.

[Tim Walker]

I have a neat orange porcelin sign with black letters that say's Allgauer Beobachter,
Nationalsozialistische Tageszeitung, Das Amtsblatt(Party Emblem)aller Behorden, Gegrundet 1930, Bestes Insertionsorgan, Das Blatt der deutschen Familie, Die NS=Presse istmassgebend! It has a hole in each corner, and on the right bottom in tiny letters it says union-werke A.G. Radesbeul-Dresden.3784/1 It looks like something that would have been put at the entrance of a building.Pretty Neat.

[mcgann]

I have a victorian man trap, which i like to set to catch people when they are shooting inocent deer.Jamie

[Steve in Florida]

Mostly WWII stuff. Uniform, equipment and weapon ensembles. Got some neat odd & end stuff...an ID plate from an ME109 (wish I had all that FW190 stuff ), a complete 88mm round sans powder and explosive, a set of Israeli Defense Force fatigues with insignia, lower engine access panel from a P-51D, original poster and lobby card set from The Eagle Has Landed from 1976/77, Army of Darkness "Ash" action figure with removeable chainsaw arm, Lara Croft Tomb Raider Area 51 action figure with twin MAC 10's (woo hoo ! ), and the Doug and Bob McKenzie action figures complete with donuts, beer and back bacon, eh .......

[ 06 July 2001: Message edited by: Steve in Florida ]

[GregK]

I've got several movie and television used props. I've got a German tunic from Combat! as well as a couple of stick grenades used in the show. I have other German tunics and caps from various other Hollywood productions such as The Dirty Dozen, The Eagle Has Landed, Where Eagles Dare, Hogan's Heroes, and some other lesser known productions.