What else do you collect beside toy soldiers (2 Viewers)

[PolarBear]

Code 3 FDNY Fire Trucks

The FireHouse was custom made for our son who also collects FDNY. At the top of this page is a Ladder Company. In the Firehouse is an Engine Company. My latest addition at the bottom of the page is the Rescue truck which I received for Christmas.
Here is a link to the maker of the Firehouse. http://twinwhistle.com


Watching Dennis Leary's Rescue Me got me interested.

 

[zblang]

I've been grabbing up some coronation cups to add to my collection.

The first is the Coronation cup of Csar Nicholas II. It is also referred to as The Khodynka Cup of Sorrows.
"The beaker is among many that were distributed along with food presents and commemorative scarves to celebrate the coronation of Nicholas II, as had been the long-standing tradition. On the morning of 18 May 1896, over half a million revelers gathered on the ragged Khodynka Field in Moscow in anticipation of the presents and especially the commemorative cups (enameled tableware was still a great novelty at the time). That was far more than the field could safely accommodate, especially considering the many trenches and pits that dotted the plain in front of the Tsar's podium, because the entire area was normally used as a military training ground. A rumor swept through the crowd that the cups contained a gold coin. In the confusion and stampede that ensued, over a thousand people were trampled to death in what has become known as the Khodynka Tragedy. This event was taken as an omen of things to come for the rest of Nicholas' reign. The coronation cup became known in Russia as the Cup of Sorrows and the Tsar himself got the nickname of "Bloody Nicholas" – despite his best efforts to compensate the families of the victims. It was the Tsarina who named it the "cup of sorrows."

 

[zblang]

This is the coronation cup of George V of England from 1911

 

[Louis Badolato]

Those cups are amazing, Zach!^&cool^&cool

 

[Louis Badolato]

I won an auction for this Steiff WWI French Infantry Officer Doll, in near mint condition:

 

[zblang]

Louis, how many in your collection now? It’s a very cool collection in my book!

 

[Napoleon1er]

I love the cups, especially the Russian one. It really captures an interesting moment in history.

Louis -- that doll is in gorgeous, and the condition is insane for what it is.

I just picked up two new rifles this past weekend. Both were steals for the prices I paid, but they are both in need of restoration since they have both been sporterized. For those who don't know firearms, this means that both are military issues rifles, but someone modified them to mimic the appearance of commercial sporting firearms. One is a Yugoslavian made Spanish contract Mauser with a cut down stock and commercial front sight. I am buying a new (well, old) stock for it and getting an original sight put on. The other is a Krag–Jørgensen that was cut down to carbine length by the Springfield Arsenal and put in a carbine stock, which was then sporterized. I am buying a new carbine stock, and I have already replaced the bolt since it had a small crack.

 

[DMNamiot]

I love the cups, especially the Russian one. It really captures an interesting moment in history.

Louis -- that doll is in gorgeous, and the condition is insane for what it is.

I just picked up two new rifles this past weekend. Both were steals for the prices I paid, but they are both in need of restoration since they have both been sporterized. For those who don't know firearms, this means that both are military issues rifles, but someone modified them to mimic the appearance of commercial sporting firearms. One is a Yugoslavian made Spanish contract Mauser with a cut down stock and commercial front sight. I am buying a new (well, old) stock for it and getting an original sight put on. The other is a Krag–Jørgensen that was cut down to carbine length by the Springfield Arsenal and put in a carbine stock, which was then sporterized. I am buying a new carbine stock, and I have already replaced the bolt since it had a small crack.

Interesting in the rifles. If you plan to shot them make sure you get them proof tested by a gun smith. Post some photos once you get them restored

 

[Louis Badolato]

Louis, how many in your collection now? It’s a very cool collection in my book!

I presently have 20 soldiers, 2 sailors, a police officer, a Boy Scout, and a German University Student with Dueling Scars; and my son has Graf Zeppelin, Admiral Peary, an Eskimo and a handful over other pre-1920 Steiff Dolls.

 

[Napoleon1er]

Interesting in the rifles. If you plan to shot them make sure you get them proof tested by a gun smith. Post some photos once you get them restored

The Mauser guts are actually in perfect condition, but I DEFINITELY need to get the Krag checked!

 

[Louis Badolato]

The repairs on my Steiff WWI German Uhlan are finally completed and he should ship back to me today! Here are before and after photos of the amazing restoration work:

 

[Napoleon1er]

Today I got a long-awaited item in the mail from Israel. I always wish I could post more pictures here, but almost everything I own is packed up. On a whim, I dug out most of my collection of Israeli militaria and laid it all out to photograph. I also snapped a few photographs of some other things I took out of storage for safekeeping.

Here is an overview of around 80% of what I have (there are a few things squirreled away in boxes).
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A closeup of items from the Palestine Police.

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A closeup of 1948 and later items.

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[Napoleon1er]

Here is a key with a list o what the items are.

1. A Jewish Civil Defense helmet, WWII era
2. Insignia of the Jewish Brigade
3. British officer's rank from the Arab Legion
4. Assorted British insignia from the Mandate
5. A civilian pith helmet from a hat maker in Mandatory Tel Aviv
6. A fireman's helmet from Mandatory Tel Aviv
7. A very rare pith helmet from the Palestine Police
8. A sash from the Palestine Police
9. Insignia from the Palestine Police
10. Batons from the Palestine Police
11. A paper spike from the Mandatory Palestine Government
12. A bandoleer from a Jewish auxiliary unit of the Palestine Police
13. A whistle from a civil defense unit, likely late Mandate or early State
14. A holster from the Palestine Police that was given to a Jewish auxiliary who was a member of the Haganah
15. An extremely rare hat from the Jewish Settlement Police, an auxiliary of the Palestine Police
16. A sock cap from British stocks owned by a member of the Haganah who defected to ETZEL
17. A rare Haganah knife
18. Assorted hats with a mixture of British and Jewish markings from the Mandate that were then used in the War of Independence
19. Shirts used in the War of Independence, likely by "former" Haganah troops
20. A rare British style but Israeli made cap from 1948
21. A hitelmacher (hat maker) hat that was the first issue hat of the IDF in 1948 as a result of a gift from New York Jewish hat makers
22. A very rare Alexandroni Brigade knife from 1948
23. Two FN made Yugoslavian Mauser bayonets with Israeli acceptance markings from 1948-1950
24. Two Israeli made Lee-Enfield bayonets from 1949
25. A pristine Israeli-made Mauser bayonet from 1949
26. An Israeli Intelligence beret from the early 1950s
27. A menorah shaped like a wrench from an Israeli Engineer unit from the 1960s
28. The decorations of a soldier who served in the Jewish Brigade, Haganah, Etzel, War of Independence, and Suez Crisis
29. A pair of wire cutters made by the IDF, likely 1949-early 1950s
30. A menorah made from the butt stock of a Lee-Enfield that served in the War of Independence

 

[Napoleon1er]

Some of my firearms.

Some of the items left out.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Some of my firearms.

Some of the items left out.

Great collection! I love the Israeli stuff!:salute::

 

[zblang]

Very cool stuff!

 

[Louis Badolato]

The Steiff WWI French Infantryman in a Dress or Officer's Uniform arrived today. Here it is on display with a WWI French Artillery Officer's Uniform:

 

[Louis Badolato]

The Uhlan made it home in time for the Symposium! Here are some photos of it displayed with another Steiff Uhlan doll wearing the blue with yellow facings uniform of the 19th Guard Uhlans, and a real Chapzka (helmet) and Ulanka (tunic), although the tunic is from a regiment of Chevaulegers (who also wore Ulankas):

 

[Louis Badolato]

The gentleman who performed the restoration took photos of the real Ulanka and a mint Steiff Uhlan from a reference book, and recreated the German Eagle plate on the Ulanka:

 

[Louis Badolato]

I just picked up the Pre-WWI German Ulanka Tunic that the Blue and Yellow Steiff Lancer doll is wearing: