Interesting German Pilot Grouping on eBay

greatwarpilot · 16 November 2005, 09:18 AM

Any thoughts on this grouping?

http://cgi.ebay.com/WWI-German-Pilot...QQcmdZViewItem

I've never seen one of these tunics in person, but I was surprised to see in the pictures that it appears to be made of some type of corduroy like material.

Aerowallah · 16 November 2005, 12:41 PM

I'll let the uniform guys break it down, but this is a knowledgeable collector who put together a decent collection while stationed in the UK with the USAF. I've only had good experiences with him. If the uniform checks out, it's a great price...

VtwinVince · 17 November 2005, 08:47 PM

Fabulous looking tunic.

Taz · 18 November 2005, 08:51 PM

greatwarpilot- The seller and I flew F-111Fs together at Lakenheath. He has been collecting for years and is completely reliable. I have purchased numerous items from him and they are always exactly as represented. I am buying from his collection as we speak.

Taz
Terry Phillips

Aerowallah · 22 November 2005, 09:17 AM

TELL HIM AEROWALLAH STILL WANTS ONE OF HIS RNAS OFFICER'S CAPS!!!

Grovetown · 23 November 2005, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerowallah

TELL HIM AEROWALLAH STILL WANTS ONE OF HIS RNAS OFFICER'S CAPS!!!

Pix are poor and not an officer, but is this one any good to you?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Nothing to do with me BTW.

Best wishes,

Grovetown.

Aerowallah · 23 November 2005, 05:07 AM

Thanks for the tip. Yes, I saw it it, too. Unbelievably rare if not put together. By the way, as you're in London, is it true what I hear that Bermondsey and some of the other markets are shadows of their former selves thanks to eBay, or is that exaggerated?
Rgds
John

Grovetown · 25 November 2005, 03:11 AM

Hi John

My feeling is that the famous street markets - Portobello, Camden Passage and Bermondsey - have been on the decline for about 20 years. I wrote a review of each for a consumer magazine about 10 years ago, and I wasn't particularly impressed then - nor have I been on subsequent visits.

All this predates eBay - or at least its explosion - so can't really be laid at its door. More influential has been the (ongoing) massive increase in London residential and commercial property values, which encourages landlords to whack up shop rents hugely, with pitch prices following not far behind. This in turn leads to far more general traders selling tourist tat.

Bermondsey is the best of the three (still), but fell back a little when the arcane marché ouvert law (of which Bermondsey was practically the last example) was scrapped. This meant that if stolen goods were sold before sunrise (hence its notoriously early start) - in a kind of lawless 'free zone' - the purchaser could acquire 'good title'.

When it went, some of the supply chains, shall we say, faltered.

Militaria was not a huge feature and I stopped bothering to go, in the hope of finding something on the off-chance, ages ago. There is a Saturday militaria market in Islington, but it isn't up to much IMNHO .

Best wishes,

Grovetown.