This is pretty cool...

Claven2

Claven2

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Someone is selling Carl Menckhoff's Pour Le Merite award on the 'bay. It was mounted ot the back of his personal Lange pocket watch, which of itself is a very valuable artifact.

Wish I could spare $10K for it...

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/WWI-German-pilots-award-A-Lange-Sohne-pocket-watch-with-Pour-le-merite-order-/221194792571?pt=Pocket_Watches&hash=item33803cae7b&_uhb=1

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BeaverMeat said:
The exact reason why I do not like watching Pawn Stars anymore.
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The worst by far I saw was an episode of American Restoration where they "restored" a Viet Nam war Cobra helicopter pilots helmet. After bead blasting all the original decals and hand applied felt marker writing off they repainted it, stuck a bunch of new made crap on it and charged the son who should of left it well enough alone a tidy bundle. Even my son agreed that what they did to the original helmet was stupid beyond words.
 
In fairness, we don't know the guy's circumstances. If he's the granson of a WW1 pilot, he was probably born in the 40's or 50's, is likely in his 70's today, and might not have any heirs. Maybe he needs money for medical bills or something.

It's probably not fair to judge.

That being said, it's a great piece with a documented history that I wish I could add to my collection without having a divorce filed against me!
 
There is or was a company in Austria making replicas of the "Pour Le Merite", and other German decorations. They had been contractors during WW 2, and when the collecting craze started in the 1960s, they dusted off their dies and restarted production.
 
That may be so, but frankly, that watch is worth close to the asking price WITHOUT the decoration. It's an A/ Lange & Sohne 8 jour circa 1910-1930. Personally, I think it's real since it's being offered by a family member of the vet.
 
BeaverMeat said:
The exact reason why I do not like watching Pawn Stars anymore.
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Yeah. I was watching an episode of "Canadian Pawnathon" (or at least something similar to that name) on the National Geographic Channel one morning when a Legion Member brought in a 1918 German 13mm Gewehr - T WWI anti-tank rifle. He needed $2000 so they could build a ramp at the Legion for the Handicaped access. The most one of the four clowns would give him, after humming and hawing, was $1200. So, to show all the television audience what a generous bunch of BA**A**S they were, they each kicked in another $200 bucks and the guy got his $2000. Then he went away, happy and oblivious to the real worth of that AT Rifle and another Artifact disappeared out of the local Legion.

I don't watch those "Pawn Stars" shows anymore either.
 
Well then one of those "pawnmasters" (laughable name - I despise the female one, she's so pompous with that praetorian upper-crust accent and condescending demeanour) is going to make a tidy profit. In my estimation, that AT Gewehr should bring close to $10K. In reality it was priceless and the Legion should have had a raffle or something instead of giving away that artifact for a fraction of its worth.
 
that my friend is why i dont donate artifacts to anybody anymore ...gave an awesome ross to the local legion and fully expected for it to be displayed ......it never was and they dont know what happened to it ....never again
 
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What the Legion should have done was got 5 casings from that company in Austria that is making the things, held a raffle.

Twenty bucks for a chance to fire five rounds out of it!

Every Gun Nut in the COUNTRY would buy a chance at that!

I rarely attend auctions and garage sales. Just too sad to see some old-timer's treasures go for pennies on the dollar.... if even that.
 
The sad part is that they bartered him down with the whole matching numbers thing. IT A GODDAMN T-GEWEHR! I don't think anyone would care if it was cobbled together from 15 different guns, as long as it's all there I don't think numbers-matching would have a huge effect on such a rare item.
 
The old mauser in that case was a dewat IIRC. And yeah, its a shame people can't keep things like this medal in thier family, but its also a shame we have to pay for food and lodging. I am amazed at the things people take into Pawn Stars etc to sell for 50$, but its the reality that the item has less meaning to them than idealists would like.
 
Yes until it happens to you. My sister was given an untold number of my Grandpas WWII medals and immediately pawned them. I was 10 at the time and had no idea how much they would eventually mean to me. Luckily I was given his France and Germany Star and my other sister was given his Italy star. Now they are in our gun room in a display case with my collection of WWII Canadian militaria and my rifles, all things that remind me of that generations sacrifice. I would do anything to get those medals back.
 
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