Those are awesome pictures. Makes me wish I owned a MG08 or MG08/15.
At one time they were selling for 25. including a brass plaque where they were captured. Wish I'da picked one up.
Grizz
Mg08/15
- Thread starter MG1918
- Start date
At one time they were selling for 25. including a brass plaque where they were captured. Wish I'da picked one up.
Grizz
So the question I have is where did this one [ there are 3 others +2 08s] come from..??..http://www.collectorssource.com/deactivated-firearms/german-mg08-15-light-machine-gun.html . Sad day when an actual Canadian War Trophy ends up dewatted and up for grabs to those with a large wad of cash. Just business I guess for the seller...
1812we1 you are so very right it is sad that items like this (and unit marked/captured) are on the open market but I fear it is the next best thing. Museums worldwide are under pressure to keep/maintain pieces they have, and are specifically not allowed to 'keep' multiple multiple items of the same piece. Logistically difficult, and costly, but the argument of some is in a museum why have for example 10 items of the same thing. As a collector, these pieces are better to be on the open market than melted/destroyed - even collectors are custodians of our heritage. :>) Due to Government laws I know of one UK museum that had to destroy three figures worth of WWI lugers. Can you imagine!!!!!! Serial numbers/unit markings etc what a crime, and they were told they could NOT be sold/deactivated so that it demonstrated a certain attitude to gun crime. A typical political act, even the police experts were embarrassed. So that is sad, Australia dumped loads of beautiful WWI MGs in the sea many years ago as another political gesture, despite the museums fighting it so more crime and no doubt regretted. I try and take comfort in the fact generally military museums do try their best to preserve what they have. I am not Canadian but I understand some Canadian Royal Legions are in decline, and many historical items are therefore becoming available. This is very sad and I hope your museums where it is an inevitable fate/closure are doing their best to get in there retrieve pieces for future generations, resources permitting. If dealers are getting the stuff which is clear then I would expect them to at least make a donation into the system. Mark
