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Grandpa's posthumous war souvenirs surprise


Bob Hudson
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Bob Hudson

I got a call this week with a story similar to one I've heard more than once in the last few years:

 

"Grandpa/dad/my husband passed away and we found a box full of Nazi stuff we never knew he had from World War II."

 

This was actually in two trunks along with the veteran's 8th Infantry Division uniform: sadly the insects really ate it up over the decades this was all hidden away in a corner of the garage. The insects (silverfish I assume) also dug into the TR caps he brought home (all of which have missing or damaged visors and other problems). Before the family called me they did determine that a German helmet cover he brought home could be listed on ebay because it had no swastika on it. They got $1,450 for that !

 

I picked up the rest from them today and the more I look at these ravaged caps, the more I wonder "Why?"

 

There was a K98 bayonet and one of those short Japanese samurai-type swords called a wakizashi. How that got into the batch is beyond me, but there is a color photo of a WWII-era Marine in with some documents so he may be a relative who brought that home.

 

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Bob Hudson

Those white pieces are a stack of a dozen of the emblems that were sewn on to sport shirts: never used apparently.

 

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Bob Hudson

I suspect there are still lot of war trophy stashes still hidden away in garages, attics and basements and I'm sure a lot of widows have taken great pains to put such items in the trash without anyone else finding out about it. :)

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vintageproductions

Great stuff Bob. Would love to have seen the camo cover in with this stuff.

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Bob Hudson

Great stuff Bob. Would love to have seen the camo cover in with this stuff.

 

Here it is from their ebay listing

 

helmcover.jpg

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Bob Hudson

The stuff I got - the caps at least - are in pretty poor condition. Anyone know of a good visor repair person?

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USCapturephotos

Bob. I do. Let me get back to you as I have to look up his name and number. He's not cheap but uses all original threads, parts, etc and several high level German head gear collectors have recommended him.

Paul

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That bullion Army visor is still pretty groovy! I assume the green hat(s) with just the cockade are Imperial or Reichswehr?

 

 

Mark sends

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Bob Hudson

That bullion Army visor is still pretty groovy! I assume the green hat(s) with just the cockade are Imperial or Reichswehr?

 

 

Mark sends

 

They seem similar to rural police - gendarmerie - hats but do seem to be earlier, pre-WWII.

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USCapturephotos

Hey Bob. Still enjoying this great find of yours. Am going to pm you now with the email of the fellow who restores peaked caps. I have heard nothing but good things about his work.

Paul

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Rakkasan187

Bob,

 

Those are some really nice pieces. I am glad you were able to obtain them.. Best of luck restoring the hats, I am sure that once restored they will look great. They look pretty good now..

 

Thanks for sharing

 

Leigh

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Bob Hudson

Nice Heer splinter cover. Decent find Bob,Kurt

sadly his grandson sold that before he called me....

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R Michael

Bob, I see the hadle is missng from the wakizashi but what does the blade look like? Great pickups!

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I have a single sided camo cover.It's over a M40 army helmet.A friend got it from the vet.Niether of us removed the cover.Was the sold cover reversible? Some were white on the other side.the infantry visor looks fairly decent.

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Bob Hudson

That bullion Army visor is still pretty groovy! I assume the green hat(s) with just the cockade are Imperial or Reichswehr?

 

 

Mark sends

 

The visor on the Army cap is loosely basted on - it actually belongs to the DAF cap (which itself has an NSKOV insignia on it). The two green caps are pre-1938 Customs (Zoll) caps. The grandson knew nothing about these things until he pulled the trunk out of a corner of a garage recently, so perhaps his father's generation played with these when they were kids.

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