An very happy American in Paris 1918-1919

Wesley Strait was one of twins to serve in the AEF in WWI, and his camera skill was put to the test as a signal corps photographer.  His album, in the permanent collection, is huge.  Somehow, Strait managed to get into most of the images, as in the ambulance shot...he is on the stretcher!  He had lots of girlfriends, some of which are shown here...he witnessed the wonders that most Americans then (and perhaps now) had only read about...the Moulin Rouge for instance.  He colored many of the shots, an example here has him with North African French troops...and that's him with the movie camera.  The image with his mom (family resemblence...!!) and either a sister or girlfriend and the family cat is a lovely shot taken before he left for Europe.  As of 1939, Strait was a NY Worlds Fair photographer, and sadly died in 1942 at 49 years of age.  I suppose no one really remembers him, but his photos, and his sense of humor in some of them, survives him in this album.  The shot of Pershing and Beatty et al was taken at the dedication of the tomb of the unknown soldier--inscribed on the strip of photo paper at the bottom are real autographs, not photos.  Enjoy!   

A reader comments on the militaria business...good insights!

Hi,

 

As I mentioned, we may have had some of the same experiences with people along the collection road.

When I started, this was supposed to be a "hobby". I retired early and needed something to do, I love history so this was a natural. Soon I found a niche and settled in. I eventually found the forum, and that has been good news, (and bad news).

 

The people are the good news/bad news of the whole thing. They take themselves too seriously, or believe that they know more then anyone else. Now to defend those remarks.

When it comes to medals, I believe my goal is to learn about the man behind the medals, as well as the medals themselves. In order for the medals to come to life, they have to have the history of the man who was the recipient of those medals. therefore, I must know about both, but especially about the man.

 

For the most part, I find collectors learn about the medals in such depth, that this is all they seem to be able to recite. To the point that they beat up on others who don't know as much, or don't stress certain areas of knowledge that the "wise ones" think necessary.

 

 

Next, is be honest........you may not always be correct, but be honest. That means with money matters too. If you make a mistake, you make a mistake. I do it often enough, I'm not perfect. BUT, I don't try to cheat anybody. Point it out to me, educate me, and I'll apologize and learn to be better in the future. People in the hobby try to take advantage of others. I believe you pointed this out when you mentioned people offering far less then what an item is worth. An experienced collector should know the value of an item, and treat another collector with an honest appraisal of an items value.

If a person is not an experienced collector, and makes a mistake in value, that will soon be apparent to all concerned.

 

I do not sell things on the forum, I don't sell things at all if I can help it. I'm a collector, not a seller. I try and learn and have fun on the forum, occasionally I meet someone like yourself. That's always fun!

 

I've gone on too long. Thank you for reading this far (if you still are reading??).

 

Thanks, (anonymous)
         

D Day 327th Glider uniform from estate in NH, via daughter of vet

This guy was parachuted in, even though he was 327th Glider, I was told there were too few gliders, but he was there in any case.  I bought it from his daughter, a newspaper writer, and in the end she did a story about me...very flattering, and a great story with some very BAD photos of me.  I have found less than 10 lots in 25 years from Normandy D Day guys, sometimes overseas this is spoken of as though they can be had at will here in the states.  I even had one British buyer tell me he would like a 101st lot (NOT 82nd, which he saw as second rate) when I went home to the US, and it needed to have dogtags, and his helmet.  Evidently he had never gone on housecalls.  I almost laughed.  Its rare stuff, and there is much more of it out there now than there ever was then...IE, FAKES.  When the public creates demand, the suppliers get to work and fill the need.  And collectors and investors with more desire than savvy end up with it.  Large named lots, with little or no age and too much great stuff but light on ORIGINAL paper or photos, should be avoided.     

Interesting items from WWII German and Nazi lots over the years

Some more random items from various lots, owned over the course of 25 years, they were of enough notice for me to save images.  The SS eagle came with a 45th Division engineer lot, and the felt patch was not ever to be idnetified...any ideas anyone?  It has to be some unofficial locally worn unit patch. 

Some interesting insignia from years of collecting...WWI items

This is a little random...just some interesting items culled from various collections, all original and many of which I WISH I still owned.  But you know how it is, if you keep it all there is no money to buy the next great thing that comes along.  The wings came from an old NH collection I was honored to purchase, and the rest are from various other sources. 

WWI scrapbook of Ambulance Driver John L Gross, Pittsburgh PA

This is what I love...it tells the whole story...no incredible rarity involved, unless you consider the value of being able to get inside the mind of someone who lived in a different time, and it cannot be done without little details like this.   I enjoy especially the grand piano sitting outdoors (a not-unheard-of surprise encountered by many WWI soldiers) and the little shots of his girl and her mother, and brothers.  She is the one who saved all this, and married him as noted in the clipping.  The families were from Pittsburgh, and specifically the Northside and Bellevue neighborhoods.  This man served early in the US part of the war, when ambulance and medical specialists were needed in foreign armies, who had been depleted over nearly 3 1/2 years of constant combat.  Our boy was attached to a French colonial unit as you can see.  He got the Croix de Guerre with 2 stars, and the US victory medal, and went home as one of the unsung heroes who made it alive and got back to the business of just 'living'. 

The only way to buy Nazi stuff--local estate lot--dirty but real!

Its a tough field, German WWII material.  Recycled garbage sold through the 'big guys', the 'reliable dealers'. The trusted ones.  Lifetime guarantees.  Certificates of authenticity.  Dealers who show up at conventions in ties and on segways.  Important enough to have a line form just to talk to them!  How silly.  If this was the setup you encountered on buying a used car, you would surely be looking for the exit.  DO NOT DEPEND ON THE WORD OF PRIMA-DONNA's.  If you end up with one fake in a bunch of old Nazi stuff you consider an investment, you have lost money.  A savings account at 4% would have been better.  Here are some guidelines I have found to be true in 25+ years of dealing:

 

1.  Insisiting on 'mint' or 'unissued' makes you a target for 'new' and 'repro' and 'damned good fake, hard to tell from the real thing'.  It should look like its 70 years old...and for the best reason on earth...because it IS!!!  If it looks like it was made yesterday, do not look on in wonderment...look on in suspicion. 

2.  Buy from estates or from a dealer who can verify where the material came from...someone who you trust.  Your own instinct tells you things, trust it.  No matter who it telling you about it, if it sounds wrong, walk away.  If you want it too much, your internal warning systems will be squelched.

3.  Don't be in a hurry or have an inflexible agenda.  It makes you a target. 

4.  Avoid buing from the big guys...they also have big prices and big egos.  Not good for anyone.  They are not experts...this is not rocket science, and its not nuclear physics.  Its antiques.  Its not that hard.  The self promoters make it into a complex thing, and its really not.  This makes them look like experts...very nice, if you are them. 

5.  Avoid 'deals'.  A $1000 item being offered to you for $500 or $700 is a sucker price...high enough to make you think they know its real and desirable...but low enough for your love for a deal to overrule your good sense. 

6.  Learn your material before you buy...from museums, old collections (old means MANY years old, not 10 years old).  You have to HANDLE it, hold it, smell it, examine it in detail.  Its like school...you have to do homework before you are ready for the big test.  Lazy collectors are also targets (I like this term 'targets' because the sharks see you like that...avoid it!)

 

These are just a few ideas...I speak of German WWII items but its true of ALL militaria...I do not know everything, nor will I ever know it all, but these are rules I have found to be true across the board.  Good luck! 

WWI German church goers

A lovely moody shot of Germans in a church in WWI, in France, so perhaps a bit 'uninvited', but still a super shot, photo courtesy of Mr. H. 

Brothers in arms

 

The little wife

She wasn't the girl he left behind, she was the war bride he brought home with him!

Christening Image

For the 1st post to a new blog, a few images from the Polish Bomber Squadron album of WO Stanley Polkowski