Greetings and salutations readers of Manion's Collecting News - a blog dedicated to militaria, firearms, and historic collectibles from Manion's International Auction House, Inc. As many of you know, we contribute monthly miliaria auction information for publication in Military Trader Magazine. I thought as an added bonus for our faithful readers I'd put the information here as well. Below you will find a photograph, sale price, and description for several of the most interesting items sold in April. Check back at the beginning of each and every month for updated info! Also, feel free to use these photos on other sites, but PLEASE credit www.manions.com.
1914 Polish Uhlan Czapka
Dark blue wool body with pink piping, leather band and crown, black visor with silver tone edging, metal scale chinstrap with large buttons, leather sweatband, cloth lining, metal devise with `I` `1914`. SOLD - $3911
Austrian Uhlan Officer Fur Ulanka
Smaller size blue/gray wool body with red wool piping overall. 14 dark silver button front, eight buttons at back flaps and one at each slash cuff.Two scalloped pocket flaps with piping, dark silver shoulder cord, short brown fleece collar with long bright silver cords. Full white fleece lining and white cloth sleeve lining. Very clean, shows no service use, storage age only with moth tracks to wool body and some minor holes to red piping. SOLD $2164
Polish Navy Officer Visor Cap - WWII
Dark blue cover, dark blue web band, black visor, leather sweatband, bullion hat device with metal anchor. SOLD - $2164
Polish Infantry Lt. Colonel Visor Cap – WWII
Dark khaki wool body, dark blue band with silver lace, black visor with metal silver finish edging, leather chinstrap held by brass eagle buttons, leather sweatband, cloth lining, metal badge and bullion stars. SOLD - $2127
Polish Enlisted Deck Cap – WWII
Dark blue cover, leather sweatband, silk ribbon reads “Marynarka Wojenna” (lit, War Navy), metal hat device. SOLD - $1936
Winchester Model 1895 Musket – 7.62 Russian
Lever action. 28" barrel. Full length stock with bayonet lug. Dark bore. 50% original blue. Wood shows extensive dings and scratches, small crack on left side of stock near trigger. Quantities of this popular US rifle were purchased by the Czarist Russian Army in 1916, and most were said to have seen heavy service. You don`t see many of these. SOLD $1474
Remington US Model 03-A3 Sniper Rifle
RA 3-44 barrel. Excellent bore. Redfield scope rail. Nomenclature markings and serial number positioned to accommodate. RIA EB marked to stock. Wood in overall fine shape. Good example of late war rifle, just waiting for your appropriate scope. SOLD $1255
Adolf Hitler Pre-War Signature on Berghoff Photo Postcard – ‘Josef Schmid Berchtesgaden’
Approx. 3.5x5.5" card showing Hitler in his pre-war civilian suit/hat while staying at the Berghof with eight local Berchtesgaden women standing in the driveway and the steps in the background. His black inked signature is across the lower center of the card. Hitler is known to have signed his name on various paper and photo items for the locals during his pre-war visits at the Berghof. Close inspection of the photo shows most of the young woman holding various paper items that he may have also signed. Local title photographer shot instead of the normal Hoffmann done shots of Hitler. Normal age yellowing, coffee color stains to reverse below title maker name and couple minor dings from apparently being stepped on. SOLD $1500
Waffenfabrik Steyer Austrian Schwarzlose Machinegun – Nonfiring Replica
Dummy receiver, welded to prevent bolt movement. Blocked barrel. Original top cover, grips, trigger, barrel, water-cooling jacket. Tripod included. Cannot load or fire ammo. Unusual piece for WWI reenacting, movie production, or collector display. SOLD $903
US Army General Omar Bradley Aide-De-Camp Collar Insignia
This clutch back gilt finished insignia, with blue and white enamel detail, was worn by Col. Thomas Moore Huddleston - former Aide-De-Camp to General Omar Bradley and includes extensive photocopied documentation as well as the original letter sent to Manion`s explaining the acquisition from the consignor as well as a copy of a section of a letter received from the Department of the Army Center of Military History requesting one of the pair be donated to the Army as they did not have an example in their collection! SOLD $500
Camillus M3 Trench Knife with M6 Scabbard – WWII
US M3 trench knife with parkerized 6-1/2" blade, steel guard, sculpted leather handle and steel pommel. Comes with Barwood brand US M6 brown leather scabbard with steel plates riveted to bottom (to protect the wearer from the blade) and eight staples to lip. Added modern tie-down string. SOLD $495
French Foreigh Legion Camo Uniform and Field Gear Set – Algeria Era
Lot comes with: a Sz 55 green wool beret with silver metal badge and PEBEO NAY maker tag, a Sz 56 tan cotton bush style hat, a pair of Sz 30 waist heavy HBT cotton lizard camo utility trousers, a matching Sz 36 button front utility shirt, a pair of black leather double buckle combat boots, and a set of OD canvas field gear to include: field pack, web pistol belt, 2 FAS 49/56 mag pouches, web belt suspenders, alum canteen, alum cup & canteen carrying pouch. All items are in very good overall condition and nice complete set. SOLD $452
USN LST 993 Cased WWII Christening Basket – 5/12/44
Red finished walnut hinged case measuring about 13 x 5 x 5" with silver color engraved metal plate to lid: "LST 993 Christened May 12, 1944 US Navy yard Boston, Mass. Mrs. Gladys L. Morey Sponser". Contains beautiful silver color non magnetic metal basket with chrome finished handle and brushed upper section with star motif. Red white and blue silken ribbon adorns grip section and single loop bale to end. Basket remains in very nice condition, showing only minor denting (as expected) to top section. Also includes key for box, repro photo of LST 993 and computer printed history of the vessel. SOLD $500
Hopkins and Allen Arms Co. (Norwich, Con.) Belgain Model 1889 Rifle and Bayonet – 7.65mm
US manufactured rifle for Belgian government, circa 1914. Simple bolt, similar to 1891 Argentine Model, barrel jacket copied from 1888 Commission Rifle. VG bore. Most of the blue is still intact. Stock has a large section of wood grafted into the "heel", an old arsenal repair. Belgium was one of several WWI belligerents to contract for rifles with US manufacturers, in this case with a company better known for low-cost pocket revolvers. Hopkins & Allen apparently went bankrupt after building about 15,000 of these weapons, and the factory and contract were taken over by Marlin-Rockwell. "E" suffix to serial number indicates this may be a Marlin produced rifle, though it is marked as Hopkins and Allen. Scarce rifle in US and a bit of industrial, as well as firearms history. Bonus: an equally desirable Hopkins and Allen marked bayonet in fair condition will come with the rifle. SOLD $541.
