Fairs

I went to the fair today and only one seller had awards and militaria, at high prices. However, there were a lot of cheap books to be found.

Between 1-4 November, there will be the second edition of the "Polemos" book fair at the Art Gallery of the Military Circle in Bucharest.

The opening is on November 1 at 13.00. The daily program is 10-19 and the admission is free.

19 publishing houses will take part with military-related books: Albatros, Centrul Tehnic-Editorial al Armatei, Detectiv, Editura Academiei Nationale de Informatii, Editura Institutului Revolutiei Romane din Decembrie 1989, Editura Militara, Editura Ministerului Administratiei si Internelor, Editura Universitatii Nationale de Aparare „Carol I”, Gandirea Militara Romaneasca, Institutul National pentru Memoria Exilului Romanesc, Institutul pentru Studii Politice de Aparare si Istorie Militara, Magazin Istoric, Trustul Editorial Lider, Semne si Artemis, Societatea Editorilor din Romania, Societatea Scriitorilor Militari, Trustul de Presa al Ministerului Apararii, Tritonic Media, Top Form.

Tomorrow there will be a fair in Brasov and I will also be there.

Announced fairs this year (2007):

Sourses:http://transylvanian-numismatics.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=760&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15
http://www.wtcb.ro/romantique-gallery.html

Although the dates don't match it is all that I was able to find today.

For those interested:
TARGUL ANTICARILOR - Bucuresti, 30 martie - 01 aprilie
in front of "Primaria Sector 2", Piata Bucur Obor.

Went there today and saw a lot of militaria at fair prices.
Photos, awards and insignia, swords, daggers, bayonets (50RON for a m91 Nagant bayonet), helmets of all sorts, other antiques, fakes, etc....

It sounds like it was a perfect place for some nice bargains, have you bought anything?

Well, speaking for TR items only, something is quite odd here:

1. Prices are at least 2X for what they practice on the market outside Romania. Speaking in my case (photos and paper items), I was asked for EUR 10/picture.
All the other items (TR ones) where either fakes, or overpriced:

a) I saw some Romanian Signal magazines (worse shape than you can imagine), and the guy was asking EUR 20/piece.
There was another place with TR items, but all the cloth and metal were fakes, they had some Willrich postcards at EUR 35/piece (fakes too). Only the pics were good.

2. Speaking of pics, I managed to haggle and snap a a part of a very nice and rare Sturmpanzer grup. That was the first candid photo of a Bison I in action I have ever seen outside the PK photos. I will post it sooner. Unfortunately, I could not afford the whole group, so I had to choose the best photos available. These were obviously from an album, because I have seen snapshots from 1940 (from the barracks), 1941 (Russia) and 1942 (Italy if I am not mistaking).

3. The rest of the TR photos could be described into 5 main categories:

a) The rest of the Sturmpanzer group (7 photos) - grade B to C in terms of quality.
A Kavallerie group (approximately 8 photos) - grade B in quality, showing pre-war exercises and parades only. Dates - from 1935 to 1937.
c) A very rare Musikcorps group (4 photos) - grade A in quality.
d) An SS (group) - 2 out of focus pictures, however, there was the Totenkopf on a Schirmutze, and an unknown cufftitle. The guy was an older fellow, so I presume it was from the 1944 timeframe, when the SS recruited some force from the Landschutzen units, in order to cover the demand for guards - grade C in quality.
e) The usual melange of out of the album fotos, but only from the 1937-1939 period. Not any single award, only a couple of KVK ribbons, and a SA sports badge - grade C to D in quality.

4. TR original items: a Black Wound badge, a West Wall Medal and an Ostmedaille (all overpriced as hell), on a mark-up of at least 70 % over the usual market price in Europe.

5. TR fakes (presented as original) - a Silver Wound Badge, and an EK2.
6. TR fakes (presented as copies) - EK 1, U-boot badge, ABP in Gold, a Luft Observer Badge, a numbered PAB with no numbers, various cloth ( a DKIG, some tabs, and a couple of rank chevrons), some cufftitles (SS and Polizei), some daggers (KM, Heer and Luft), and of course, the "swastica marked" watches.

I was surprised I had not seen the famous M36 tunic from the last fair. That was a laugh, and I wanted to see it again (M36 waffenrock with infanterie collar tabs, and Luft badges, presented as an Pilot's Tunic).


So, that was the report on the TR items. Perhaps other members will jump in with their own bits of information, regarding their particular branch of the hobby.

Cheers,

Al

Hallo Alexei2102

With regards High Prices, one Dealer at the Timisoara Collectors meeting (Saturday 31 April) was asking 250 Euro for a "Z" marked WW1 Iron Cross II Class.

What planet are these guys from

Enterance Fee at Timisoara 5 RON, your entry ticket gets you a FREE Coffee (old coffee machine 10 - 15 minute wait for the free coffee!!!!)

Some pictures from Timisoara:




This must be some kind of a record, same PLM, same dealers table for 4 years




General expression to be found on the faces of most dealers at making NO SALES!!!

Lower your prices guys, instead of trying to rip people off.

Just because its old, in S*@t condition dosent mean its worth lots of money








With so many FAKE Third Reich Pieces flooding the market, many collectors around the world are not buying anything unless it comes from a well-known dealer with a money back guarantee offered as well.

My advice if you are new to collecting stay well away from iii reich stuff until you get a lot of reference books and do some seroius studying on the subject, it will save you getting ripped off.

Kevin in Deva

This post has been edited by New Connaught Ranger on April 02, 2007 07:24 am

Hello Kevin. Quick question: can you tell me the prices for the two swords from the last picture? ... Just curious...

Hello gents,

As promised, here are the photos I managed to snap out of the Bucur Obor fair.

Cheers,

Al
















I presume those surrendering are Russian Soldiers, so that makes the Bison I part of the Pz.Jg.Abt.152 or Pz.Jg.Abt.742 of 52.Inf.Div.

This post has been edited by Alexei2102 on April 02, 2007 06:51 pm

Sorry Mannlicher,

no idea, I never asked, the seller is from Arad and more than likely will be at the Collectors Fair in Deva on the 21st of April 2007. (He also travels to the Fairs in Brasov.)

If he has them with him in Deva I will make a point to ask him.

Kevin in Deva

The definition in the picture shown is to small to tell who they are, it could just as easly be a training exercise.



The only marking I see on the Bison is the letter "E".



Kevin in Deva.

Hello Kevin,

Indeed, it could very well be a training exercise. Unfortunately there is no writing on the back of the foto, so we may never know.

Cheers,


Al

Thanks Kevin. Much appreciated

Is this the same AFV?


[From eBay]

Gen. Dénes