The year of 1974 was a crossroads. I would turn 12 years old that year, caught somewhere between being a kid and being a young adult. I had been working a regular schedule of afternoons at our family-owned grocery store since I had been 10, but I still liked my days off to go play with my cousin and best friend who I simply called “Jed”.
    His nickname was derived from us both watching more than a healthy share of "Beverly Hillbillies." But that year, we were struck by a different rerun—"The Adventures of Daniel Boone." This fit in with my 19th century fascination quite well. When Jed and I played together, we reenacted scenes of Boone and his side-kick Mingo (because I was older, I usually portrayed the former).
    Jed and I took the time with a drawknife to shave down two 2”x4”s into rather good-looking muskets. These were great, but because I always yearned for authenticity in detail. The wooden rifles left me empty: There was no hammer or frizzen to cock and certainly no ramrod to drop down the barrel.
    As luck would have it, one of the local hardware stores had a huge toy department in their basement. There, between Funmakers and Strombecker race tracks were two “Authentic Kentucky Rifle cap guns”. They were marked $7.99. To say that temptation was great would be an understatement.
    You see, earlier that year, my dad gave me permission to start saving my money for something I had pestered him about for more than a year: An honest-to-goodness reproduction Model 1863 Remington “Zouave” Rifle. Century Firearms was advertising your choice of a “Zouave” or a Model 1841 Mississippi Rifle for $69.99. I knew the Zouave was not really a typical Civil War long arm, but I didn’t know of any others for sale. I had sent $2 to Connecticut Valley Arms (“CVA”) for their catalog of reproductions, but it was filled with civilian-styled longarms, some reproduction Model 1851 Colts and a Zouave rifle. But theirs cost $99.99. The higher price worked in my favor when I showed my Dad the Century Arms’ Zouave costing thirty dollars less.
    As the summer drew to a close and I neared that all-important 12th birthday, I had to make a decision—I had $23 dollars in my box marked “Money for Musket”. Should I take $8 from the box for a toy? Or should I save it for a real musket? I spent countless hours considering my options.  
    By the time school started in September, Jed had bought one of the toy muskets. I continued in our Daniel Boone adventures carrying my “pine musket”. A few days later, my 12th birthday finally came and with it, several dollars in the form of gifts. Dad made me put most of it in the bank. A few dollars, however, he allowed to go into the “Money for Musket” box.
    The days grew shorter. I had to work at the store after school. Jed and I could really only play together on Saturdays...our Boone and Mingo adventures became less frequent.
    Then, one night after Dad and I locked the store at 6 p.m., he said to me, “Let’s go to La Crosse.” The Wisconsin city was about 23 miles away. I wasn’t sure why we were going, but I thought maybe a visit to McDonalds might be in the mix.
    Dad drove to Holiday Sports Center—one of the best gun shops in the area. We walked over to the muzzleloaders. There were three: a Thompson Center “Hawkins”, A CVA “Kentucky Rifle” and a Model 1863 Remington “Zouave”. The man behind the counter showed us all three and answered both Dad’s and my questions. I could shoulder the Hawkins, but the Zouave was just too heavy. I couldn’t hold it up for a count of three.
    Finally, Dad asked me which one I liked....of course the Zouave! Who cared if it was too big? It was a CIVIL WAR muzzleloader! The other two were just “fantasy” pieces, as far as I was concerned. So, Dad relented, and bought the rifle that I wanted, not the one that best suited me.
    After we stowed the purchase in the back of our Chrysler station wagon, I climbed into the front seat. I didn’t know what to do...I was 12 now....a “young man” by everyone’s description. Nevertheless, I slid across the bench seat next to him and planted a kiss on his evening-whiskered cheek. “Thanks Dad. I love you.”
    I don’t remember him saying much other than some general remarks about how I knew how to handle a weapon and that this was no toy. Nor do I remember the 23-mile ride back to Caledonia, but I am sure I burst into the house to tell my mom and older brothers and sister.
    I never gave that toy musket at the hardware store another thought.


What was your first firearm? Share your story with us in our “Comments” section below.

Keep treating others the way you hope to be treated,
John Adams-Graf
Editor, Military Trader and Military Vehicles Magazine

    Many of you have probably been noticing the changes at the auction-giant’s website. Most have been subtle, but the intent is obvious: The day of the “private auction” is coming to an end.

    Perhaps you have read some of the “leaked” intelligence from former eBay insiders, or just noticed that the way you post or bid is a little different. Change is in the air, and it is signaling the end of a great collecting era.

    From a collector’s point of view, it has been a glorious period. From the earliest days of eBay, wonderful items have appeared for sale that would never have seen the light of day. Closets emptied, attics filtered, and old trunks burst forth with great, never-before-offered items. We all gobbled them up. We even were some of the folks pedaling the goods.

    But all good things must come to an end...and eBay has implemented the beginning of the end. First to fall are outside photo hosts and invoicing services. It’s eBay’s way or the highway. And forget about “just say ‘no’ to Paypal. EBay is sick of having to police transactions outside of their control, so are about to implement a “Pay by Paypal only” attitude. This is great from a buyer’s point of view. Nothing is more frustrating than a seller demanding, “I only take money orders or certified checks”. Thanks for this change, eBay.

    However, the reaction to seller and buyer whining doesn’t stop there. Currently, eBay is providing big incentives to sellers who list with “buy it now” and with multiples of the same items. They encourage sellers to establish storefronts (the current “buzzword” in the “let’s make money for nothing” corporate idea of the Internet).

    Sure, lots of folks are going to complain. They are going to cry out, “it isn’t fair!” Well, boo-hoo...eBay offered collectors a great venue for buying and selling between collectors. But, you know how collectors and weekend dealers can be... ‘high maintenance’ doesn’t begin to describe them! It seems the folks at eBay have tired of dealing with low-end sales and all the drama that go with them.

    But, it is eBay’s window...if they want to close it—whether it is good for you, me or the man in the moon—it is up to them. All I can say is, ‘thanks for the good run, eBay’ and hope that supply and demand will prevail. If they close the window to private collectors, well, that just might open a door for something new...

Greetings,
   
    Fall is here, and with it comes the autumn auction and show season. I am on the road and will be at the Battlefield Show in St. Paul and the MAX Show in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Two weekends ago, I was in Spooner, Wisconsin, for the Spooner Military Vehicle Preservation Group’s annual party. Always a blast, this year hosts Kevin and Thea Kronlund treated everyone to amphibious rides in their WWII DUKW, LVT, GPA and M29C “Weasel."

    This year, though, is the first time I have been excited about attending shows from the collecting angle. During the past six or seven years, I was satisfied with buying online, either from dealers or auctions. However, the luster has worn off a bit, for me. I think dealers are realizing that all of the buyers are found online. As eBay changes and imparts far more listing fees and strips sellers of any ability to leave accurate feedback, I have been seeing far more good stuff turning up at the shows.

    So, it became clear to me – if I was going to add to my WWI photo collection, AEF Tank Corps display or mountains of WWII Mountain Division stuff, I had to go to where the relics were appearing. Low and behold, it has been at the shows.

    At the Spring Battlefield Show, I was able to buy about $500 worth of quality WWI doughboy photos, in addition to having had the chance (but missed it!) at a killer Tank Corps painted helmet. At last year’s SOS, I added a very fine 302nd Heavy Tank Bn. panoramic photo to my collection and a Second Pattern Ski Cap. That is better than I have been doing on eBay lately!  The quality is just not showing up like it used to.

    The same is true on the vehicle front. I had been in the market for a Weasel for several years, but now that I am living “down south,” I have lost my weasel-lust. However, I have been seeing several for sale at shows and have not been seeing them online like I did three years ago.

    So the moral of this tale? If you want the good stuff, I strongly recommend hitting the shows. You might just be surprised what you find! Drop me a note with a picture of your latetest “score.” Maybe we can put together a little spread in Military Trader and/or Military Vehicles.

  

Greetings,
   
    Trends in the military hobby are not always difficult to predict: Items that soldiers were eager to find as souvenirs have become the hot collectibles today. For example, German Luger pistols and Japanese “Samurai” swords were probably the most popular souvenir during WWII and today, these remain some of the most sought-after pieces. As prices on the more obvious relics sky-rocketed, other more obscure areas of specialization have emerged. Some of the hottest trends include:

Purple Hearts

Photo courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    First instituted by George Washington, the United States revived the “Purple Heart” in 1932 to honor soldiers who sustained injuries in combat. Soldiers who had sustained wounds prior to that date could apply for and receive one of the new medals. Collectors clamor for Purple Hearts that are attributed to World War I, Spanish-American War or even Civil War veterans. Purple Hearts with the name of the recipient engraved on the back command the highest prices.

WWI “Groupings”

Photo courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    Once considered by collectors as plentiful and not worth the space they occupy in a closet, U.S. World War I uniforms have increased in value ten-fold in the last twenty years. The highest prices are paid for uniforms with unit insignia on the left sleeve and additional materials (such as photo albums, paperwork, mess gear, helmet or accouterments) that originally belonged to the soldier. Dog tags that confirm the soldier’s identification really help to confirm top-dollar value.

WWII Women’s Uniforms

Photo courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    Overlooked for years, the military contribution made by women to the Allied efforts in World War II have caught the imagination of scholars and collectors. In addition to uniforms of Commonwealth auxiliary formations, uniforms and groupings  of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC and later, WAC), Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), Women’s Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) and U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARs) have become the target of advanced collectors.

Trench Art

Photo courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    Hammered out by bored soldiers and erstwhile suppliers of the immediate postwar souvenir market, trench art has suddenly gained a place in both the folk art and militaria arena. Pieces that include any sort of unit insignia or identification command the highest prices among military collectors. Folk art collectors pay the most for intricate designs.

Vietnam “in country” items

Photo courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    Relics of the Vietnam War are gaining attention. Most sought-after are uniforms and insignia that were worn and/or created “in country” as opposed to “as issued in the U.S.” However, these non-regulation items are also the easiest to fake, so novice collectors should take great care before buying in this area.

WWII U.S. Paratrooper material

Photo courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    Uniforms and equipment of any elite formation always command the most interest and highest prices. However, HBO’s Band of Brothers mini-series chronicling the history of a company of 101st Airborne troopers catapulted the demand for paratrooper uniforms, helmets, insignia and ephemera. Items with a clear provenance to a specific paratrooper garner the highest prices.

Identified Medal Groupings

Photo courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    Medal collectors clamor for any medal grouping that can be linked to a specific soldier, regardless of nationality. Original boxes or cases in which the medals were issued and supporting award documents drive medals to their strongest values.

Personal correspondence/Diaries

Photo courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    Diaries and letters provide intimate views of a soldier’s experience. Once regarded as fodder for historians, letter groupings and diaries have fast become one of the hottest growth areas among military collectors. Quality of content is what drives the prices: Battle descriptions and lengthy writing on daily activities are far more desirable than simply comments like “marched 15 miles today—weather fine.”

German WWI “Spiked” Helmets

Photo courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    Probably the most recognized symbol of German aggression during World War I was the Pickelhaube—the “spiked helmet.” Already fallen from use by the time U.S  troops entered the war in 1917, spiked helmets were, nevertheless, the most sought-after souvenir to send back home. Doughboys, Marines and sailors all wanted one, but had no idea of the variety of helmets the German states had produced. For years, collectors have recognized the value of variations in German spiked helmets. Several good references are available. With the advent of the 90th anniversary of the Armistice ending WWI, spiked helmets have resurged in popularity.

U.S. WWI and WWII painted Helmets


Photos courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    During WWI, steel helmets were issued without any sort of insignia. However, soldiers with too much time—and a little bit of paint—created their decoration, often copying the camouflage patterns they saw on German steel helmets. By World War II, helmets were still issued without insignia, however many units specified painting instructions that the troops followed. Painted helmets from either war are prime collectibles but again, exercise caution—the prices these helmets fetch provide incentive to unscrupulous modern-day painters.

German WWII Daggers and Swords

Photos courtesy of www.advanceguardmilitaria.com
   
    During the 1930s, Americans who watched newsreels of Germany’s rise to power identified a few key symbols of the German war machine: Their distinctive helmets, jackboots and a preponderance of daggers and swords. After American soldiers landed in Europe, these items became some of the most sought-after trophies. Collectors then, and today, embraced the variety of daggers and swords, quickly identifying rarity and relative value. A resurgence in dagger and swords has occurred as many veterans pass away, leaving their war souvenirs for a new generation to enjoy.

German Lugers

Photo courtesy of Rock Island Auction Company
   
    Firearms have always been popular trophy choices. American soldiers first discovered—and fell in love with—the smooth-operating, sleekly-designed Luger pistols during World War I. The design continued through the Second World War and the popularity among souvenir hunters never waned. Like so much of Germany’s military materiel, Lugers were made in a seemingly endless array of variations by a number of factories. There are several fine references that the collector can consult to determine value, including Aaron Davis’ Standard Catalog of Luger: Indentification & Pricing for all Models, Every Variation (KP Books, 2006).

Civil War Images

Photo courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc.

    Photography was merely 21 years old when South Carolina secessionists bombarded the Federal installation at Fort Sumter, effectively beginning the four-year American Civil War. Daguerreoypes, the first form of photography had already fallen from favor and the much easier-to-view tintypes, ambrotypes and paper carte de visites dominated popular culture. Americans flocked to studios to have their “likenesses captured.” When the Civil War erupted, soldiers continued the trend, flooding studios so that loved ones could retain an image of them while gone to war. Today, these photographs stand as witnesses to the individuals who sacrificed. Collectors pay the highest prices for photographs of identified soldiers, soldiers holding weapons and of soldiers wearing unusual uniforms. Premiums are paid for images of identified Confederates.

“Custeriana”

Photos courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc.
   
    George Armstrong Custer attained such a level of celebrity during and after his life, that the hobby has provided its own label to memorabilia related to the general: “Custeriana.” A daring—and often outspoken—officer during the Civil War, Custer cemented his own place in history and collecting lore when he attacked a superior force of native Americans at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876. Ever since the first reports of the battle hit the newspapers a few weeks later, collectors began clamoring for relics of Custer, the battle and the soldiers who served with him.

    What trends have you been seeing? Drop by our new Reader Forum and leave your comments.

    John Adams-Graf
    Editor, Military Trader and Military Vehicles Magazine

Greetings,
   
    A clear sign that a collector is getting older is the day when he or she utters the phrase, “We need to get the young involved.” I hear that a lot at different shows every year. So, I gave it some thought. What does a person really mean when they say this?
   
    Well, on the surface, it implies that a person feels very strongly about their hobby, and he feels others need to take it just as seriously. The best way to validate their passions is to see the interest carried on by the next generation. That seems to be a plausible line of reasoning. After all, it is how all traditions become just that—traditions.
   
    I have bored more than a few school groups with tales of the Mexican-American War and taken military vehicles to various public outings where kids could climb into the trucks, crawl behind mounted machine guns, or ride in the jeeps. However, I must confess, I didn’t do it so much because I wanted to “get the kids involved,” but rather, the stuff genuinely excites me and I am eager to share it with anyone who will listen! I guess, deep down, I am hoping that they will care about it just as much as I do.
   
    I haven’t used the “hard-sell” on the kids, though. I figure history and military material culture is a personal choice. If kids are exposed to military heritage and it sparks an interest, then they will follow the light. However, we have all seen the history teacher who can kill a kid’s interest faster than a can of Raid on Missouri fire-ants! It is a delicate sale, for sure.
   
    Having worked in living history museums for many years in the 1980s and 1990s, I saw more than my share of disinterested kids. However, there were always a handful who came forward and asked good questions. It was clear the spark had been ignited deep inside of them. I wonder if any of those kids are fanning those flames today?

“Get the Kids Involved”: A Missed Opportunity
   
    Last February, as I was tearing down my booth at a major show (believe me, I have learned my lesson about mentioning which show!), I witnessed a curious flip-flop on the “we have to get the kids involved” attitude. Oblivious to the balancing act I was performing with boxes, swords, helmets on a two-wheeled car, a fellow dealer accosted me, “I think is deplorable that the show shuts down early on Sunday!” he bellowed. I replied, “I am just a dealer like you...I have no say in the show hours.” He didn’t hear that...he had practiced this dialogue many times, and I was just the current victim. “What if a single mother wants to bring her kids to the show?” he continued. “Our hobby depends on the kids getting involved.” I muttered something about, “I wondered how many single mothers knew there was a show that weekend, and if they did...” Well, I just kept pushing my load toward the door.
   
    When I returned to get the next pile, there were three young Boy Scouts at this dealer’s table! The Scouts were there to help tear down the tables. Because this dealer was one of the last to put away his wares, he still had cool things to capture the boys’ attention. As I past the table, I heard one of the Scouts ask if he could look at a bayonet. “NO!” was the terse answer this dealer gave the kid. He then berated the kid telling him not to touch or handle things on his table.
   
    Seriously. I can’t make this stuff up! The same guy who had stopped me in my path not more than five minutes earlier to tell me how the show promoters had to keep the show open for the sake of single mothers and their kids, just shot down a legitimate sign of interest from a kid—and a Boy Scout, no less!
   
    I have thought about this episode many times since then. I have pondered if there is an implied obligation to pass on history—or if just treating each other with respect will accomplish the task without making it a campaign. If that dealer had taken the time to show the Scout the bayonet, tell him a little about it, and probably answer some questions, he could have been a hero for a moment. No special program or campaign would have been necessary...he could have just given the kid a few moments of common courtesy. Sure, he probably wouldn’t have made a sale, but at least, he would have been “getting the kids involved.”

Greetings,
   
During the drive back from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Military Relic Show, I had plenty of time to think about the hobby and about shows in general. Show promoters struggle to coordinate relic and military vehicle shows and are faced by a customer base who is going through a change in their show-going habits.
   
There once was a day I couldn't drive past an antique shop without stopping, no matter how late I was for something. It has been four years, however, since I have set foot in an antique store. Why? I do all my buying and hunting online. My network of people who "know what I like" is connected to me via cell phone and e-mail. Now, when I stop the car, it is for a quality rest room or some chicken strips.
   
Show promoters are up against the same competition. Their struggle is to deliver customers to a room full of dealers. Is there a secret formula for a successful show?
   
Now mind you, some shows, like the MAX Show, the Show of Shows or the MVPA National Conventional, have a momentum grounded in consistency and legend. The staying power of these is based, in part, on their reputation and consistencies. However, two smaller shows without the national reputations of those larger shows seem to have "cracked the code."
   
First, I have to say that Bob Johnson has figured out how to run a successful show. I have been going to Battlefield Shows since I was 18 years old. Every time I go, the dealer tables are full (all the way through Sunday afternoon!) and the aisles are full of public.
   
The other — and now I am sounding provincial because this show is in the upper Midwest as well — is the Iola Military Vehicle Show. I can attest, firsthand, that Iola is in the middle of nowhere! How could any show flourish that is at least 30 miles from the nearest four-lane road?
   
The fundamental element that makes both the Battlefield Show in the Twin Cities metro and the Iola Military Vehicle Show in the Wisconsin version of the "outback" is "piggy-backing." Granted, that term in the untamed Wisconsin woodlands might have different meanings, but I am talking about offering a multitude of entertainment choices to the customer.
   
In the Twin Cities, the relic show takes place on the State Fairgrounds at the same time as a huge antique show and similar-sized gun show. At Iola, the MV show occurs concurrently with a tractor show, a gun show and radio-controlled airplane "ballets." In both cases, the collector can spend the whole day with entertainment opportunities for the whole family. He or she doesn't need to sneak off in the early morning to go to the show and get home before noon so that some "family time" can also occur.
   
This piggy-back formula is also good for the customer: Plenty to do, food is there and the chance of spouse or kids becoming bored is minimized. The formula is good for dealers: plenty of potential customers who haven't seen your stock show after show (but you better take the time to price your stuff...It's a different generation and they aren't going to put up with your old-school method of throwing unpriced items on your table).
   
To use that corporate-speak that drove me to the hills of Missouri...it's time to offer multiple platforms to monetize your business, people (man how I hate that corporate speak!). In other words, the competition for leisure time is greater than ever. If you want people to come to shows, think in terms of the "total weekend experience" for the whole family. Give them customers, and the dealers will come.