SS NCO Tunic fot $34,000?

[djpool]

Very interesting thread. No doubt the uniform is wonderful. However it has no Cufftitle and no history. 10 years ago I would have considered it a perfect addition for the new/mid level collector. Even then it would have been expensive, but still in reach for someone making a salary within the national average. Unfortunately at $34k its probably beyound the reach of most new collectors and thats the shame. I'm afraid at these prices we might be killing the hobby we love. Jim

[Sammler]

Very interesting thread. No doubt the uniform is wonderful. However it has no Cufftitle and no history. 10 years ago I would have considered it a perfect addition for the new/mid level collector. Even then it would have been expensive, but still in reach for someone making a salary within the national average. Unfortunately at $34k its probably beyound the reach of most new collectors and thats the shame. I'm afraid at these prices we might be killing the hobby we love. Jim

Roger that sir,

My concerns as well "Are you guys pricing yourself out of reasonable collecting?"

[blitzkrieg gsd]

Thats exactly whats happening we are pricing out 90% of collectors. Guys who mite be interested in starting to collect wiill see these prices and be over it. They wont even stay long enough to know you can buy other stuff for reasonable prices. Everyone with a little interest in the hobby will start by looking at SS stuff. Then they will see the kind of money it takes to get those items and go back to baseball cards or whatever.

[PANZERPIONIERE]

HA! Baseball cards, that market is long gone, my brother has boxes of them and most are not worth the paper they are printed on!

[djpool]

Well there seem to be a few sub categories of Third Reich collecting popping up that most collectors can participate in ie: Wound badges ($40+), EKIIs ($100+), canteens ($100), butter dishes ($50), mess kits($50), bread bags ($100), etc. So thats positive since it brings new focus and education to often neglected areas. So its still possible to build a nice collection on a budget. Todays budget wise collector will just have to accept that many items that might have been acessible 10 years ago are out of his/her reach today.

jim

HA! Baseball cards, that market is long gone, my brother has boxes of them and most are not worth the paper they are printed on!

[Richard P]

John,

I am not the only one who has made finds like that. Even more came out of the costume shops in Philadelphia like Brooks van Horn. Also some nice material from Western Costume. Some of these are as fresh as the day they were made. If you look at movies made even into the 1960s you can see original Civil War overcoats being worn. It still comes out of estates as well.

Don,

I remember when a friend asked me if I wanted to finance him buying all the military costuming from Warner Brothers. I balked and another person stepped in. I did go and visit the WB Men's Wardrobe while this extraction was going on. Huge building with an overflow of clothing that just laid in the weather. There were at least 5 semi truck trailer loads deposited in several warehouses. I also visited the room at the buyers home where all the "star" worn uniforms were.

In their warehouses there were 12 foot tall piles of original uniforms, U.S., German, French, Civil War, Viet Nam, and on and on. Many uniforms were tagged with "original example." A lot were from Western Costume and other costume houses.

I purchased dozens and dozens of WWI aviation helmets, uniforms, mid war stuff, WWII stuff. There was almost no end to it. A vast amount of money was made by the buyers.

Richard

[phild]

Well there seem to be a few sub categories of Third Reich collecting popping up that most collectors can participate in ie: Wound badges ($40+), EKIIs ($100+), canteens ($100), butter dishes ($50), mess kits($50), bread bags ($100), etc. So thats positive since it brings new focus and education to often neglected areas. So its still possible to build a nice collection on a budget. Todays budget wise collector will just have to accept that many items that might have been acessible 10 years ago are out of his/her reach today.

jim

I agree and I have tried to make this point often. Many new(er) and young collectors want to start out collecting SS, panzer. FJ or Generals uniforms, headgear and related items. Unless they have access to a lot of cash it is not possible nor should it be nor was it ever possible.

As you suggested there are many great items to start out with and hopefully even learn a thing or two on their own before stepping into the bigger leagues.

[Chris_Werner]

It's just the ways of the free market. I would love to own a Ferrari 512 BB, and have been in love with them for years. Even so, my love for Ferraris will not prompt an altruistic owner to sell one to me for less than $500k. It's not greed. It's just the way things are.

[Bobwirtz]

Man I haven't seen this much WHINE at a Wine & Cheese Festival. How many more pages are you guys going to take this whining about prices. Oh woe is me!!! Gee it's unfair that the 1% can afford SS stuff, or classic cars, airplanes, tanks, objects from the Titanic, etc. Get over it and find something else to collect.

[BrianK]

New book coming out, "Breadbags and Butter Dishes of the Third Reich".

[judas]

It's just the ways of the free market. I would love to own a Ferrari 512 BB, and have been in love with them for years. Even so, my love for Ferraris will not prompt an altruistic owner to sell one to me for less than $500k. It's not greed. It's just the way things are.

you dont realy Believe its a free market . not greed tell that to the real world ,

[Chris_Werner]

When it comes to private purchases, greed is just one of the pricing factors in the free market. Some folks are greedier than others. I will give you that. But sellers want to maximize their return on a sale, whether they are dealers or private individual sellers.

I agree that it can be disappointing, but the old canard about "no free lunch" applies here.

[Mark Edward C]

SS tunic

Well, if that one sells for 34k (?), wonder what this will bring? HUmmmmm

[TMurray]

New book coming out, "Breadbags and Butter Dishes of the Third Reich".

Cant wait!! is Gottlieb the author?

And by the way, the tunic looks like it's sold, been removed from Bill's site.

[N.C. Wyeth]

I agree that it can be disappointing, but the old canard about "no free lunch" applies here.

That is, until the day comes that you cannot afford "Lunch" . . . and those that surround you conspire to keep you from affording "Lunch" . . .

Of course, that is what they who preach "no free Lunch" (and "Free-Market"/"Trickle-Down" economics?) really don't want you to stop and think about, isn't it? Simple answer to all, for all with simple minds - if you ask me . . .