GREAT Show of Shows

Our guys had a GREAT experience at the Show of Shows and are bringing back a TON of consignment - be sure to check www.manions.com next week as items begin to make it on the site and open for bidding. Here's a few more pics from our "Manion in the field" (and my buddy Ben) - thanks for reading!

Show of Shows 2011 - pics from our man on the scene!

Hey everyone.

Guy Manion is our "man in the field" this year at the S.O.S. militaria show in Louisville, Kentucky. He's sent a couple of photos of the Thursday happenings and plans to send on some more of individual people, items and happenings - if he's not too busy packing up military collectibles for consignment with Manion's Auction. Here's the first few - check back
throughout the weekend for more.

Himmler death photo surfaces in England

The mustache is gone but the familiar round glasses are still there in this chilling photograph of Heinrich Himmler seconds after he killed himself.

This is the first time this picture has been seen of the architect of the Holocaust, which claimed the lives of six million Jews, just after he crunched a cyanide capsule in his mouth.

The photograph, which is due to be auctioned, was taken by British intelligence officer Guy Adderleyin in May 1945.

Disheveled Himmler, who had been arrested by the British, was due to be interrogated by intelligence chiefs over his war crimes the following day.

Moments after death: This photograph of Nazi death camp overlord Heinrich Himmler was taken just minutes after he committed suicide by biting into a cyanide pill in 1945

A poison vial found on Himmler's body in a search of his clothing before he committed suicide. For this he crunched a cyanide capsule in his mouth.

After his death, Army chiefs released propaganda photographs of the monster's corpse slumped on the floor and a makeshift bed.

But Lance Corporal Adderley kept the stark, grainy close-up taken at a British safe house in Luneburg amongst his own wartime mementoes. His official statement at the time read: 'This photograph was taken while he was still warm.'

Now Adderley's family plan to sell the photograph at auctioneer Dreweatt's militaria sale in Bristol on March 29.

It has a pre-sale estimate of £2,000 to £3,000, but fierce bidding is expected to push it higher.
Auctioneer and militaria expert Malcolm Claridge said: 'This is a very important and historic collection.

'Himmler was Hitler's Reichsfuhrer, the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany.
'He oversaw the Gestapo and the concentration camps and is regarded as the architect of the Holocaust which resulted in the deaths of six million Jews and an estimated four million Poles.'
Heinrich Himmler was born in 1905 in Munich to a middle-class family. He began training as an officer during World War I but the conflict had ended before he could be sent to the front. He went on to study agriculture and for a short while was a chicken farmer.

He joined Hitler's fledgling Nazi party and soon became a trusted aide and even towards the end of the war the German leader referred to him as 'der treue Heinrich' (the loyal Heinrich).

Leading members of the Nazi Party two years before the outbreak of World War II. From left, Heinrich Himmler, Viktor Lutze, Adolf Hitler, Rudolf Hess, and Julius Streicher

Mr Claridge said: 'Adderley's collection takes us right to the heart of Himmler's arrest and right into the very room in the British safe house in Luneburg where he bit into the cyanide capsule he had concealed in his mouth.

'Guy Adderley was one of the team that arrested Himmler, he took the photographs of his body and there are two photographs showing senior British and Russian officers in the safe house with Adderley in the background.

'We also have Adderley's military identity card with his photograph confirming he was a lance-corporal and stating "The bearer of this card is a member of the Intelligence Corps (Field Security Wing) and is authorized to wear civilian clothes.

"He should be granted every assistance in the performance of his duties."

'The identity card bears an official purple stamp 'Security Officer - No2 Protected Area Orkney & Shetland.'

'We've already had enormous interest in this collection from Third Reich collectors and we are expecting especially strong interest from collectors in Germany.'

Secret agent Guy Adderley was one of the undercover team who arrested Himmler and his two Waffen SS bodyguards at Bremervoerde, Germany, in May 1945.

Initially the British were unaware who they had captured. Himmler was among a group of German soldiers captured after the Nazi surrender - disguised in a sergeant's uniform with a patch over one eye.

But his ruse was blown by the soldiers who told their British captors of his presence.

After his death, and under the cover of darkness, Himmler was buried in an unmarked grave on Luneburg Heath, in northern Germany. Those who buried him were made to sign the Official Secrets Act and told never to speak of the matter again.

The episode has been classified by the Ministry of Defense until 2045 - 100 years after the event.

Adderley, who died in his late 80s, was the photographer detailed to take the official pictures of Himmler's body after he took his own life.

The mystery surrounding Himmler's death on May 23, 1945, has been compounded by the covert way in which four British soldiers took his body from the Luneburg safe house, bundled it into an Army truck and secretly buried it in an unmarked grave on windswept Luneburg Heath. It has never been found.

In 1945 disillusioned Himmler believed victory had slipped from Germany's grasp and secretly attempted to start peace negotiations with Eisenhower in a bid to escape a war crimes trial.
But Eisenhower refused to have anything to do with Himmler. A furious Hitler declared Himmler a traitor, stripped him of his powers and the SS chief went on the run.

When Himmler was arrested by the British at Bremervoerde on May 22, 1945, he had disguised himself by shaving off his moustache, wearing an eye patch over his left eye and he was carrying false identity papers.

Lance Cpl Adderley's collection includes a photocopied statement describing how Himmler was handed over to British intelligence chief Major Michael Murphy who had him driven to the safe house at Luneburg for interrogation.

Adderley's statement reads: 'Presented by Cpl Adderley. For the record. 'Himmler was captured by and remained in the care of Guy Adderley, who handled him correctly and so was quite composed at that stage.

'The trick was to keep the prisoner so until the poison pill secreted between his teeth could be removed.

'A senior staff officer took control of the situation from Guy Adderley, with much noise and ceremony.

'Himmler became alarmed, crunched the poison pill, and that was the end of the story.
'This photograph was taken while he was still warm.'

From Mail Online

Huge Militiaria Heist in Calgary

While some Calgary antique dealers are keeping an eye out for items stolen from The Military Museums, others said they had yet to be informed of the theft spree.

As first reported by Metro, roughly 100 display items — including sets of medals, badges and belts — were taken from the institution between August and December of last year.

Dan Thomson, a 25-year military veteran and owner of Inglewood Antiques & Florist, said he was shocked authorities had not contacted him be-cause typically it is “very easy” to sell military memorabilia at local shops and online.

“This is a major heist ... generally we are the first ones that are alerted,” he said.

Tom Doucette, executive director of The Military Museums, said his organization wanted to gather as much information as possible before notifying the public.

Reid Moseley, owner of Shoulder to Shoulder Militaria & Collectibles, said investigators did stop by to check his inventory two weeks ago, but he figures the stolen items are likely being sold outside the city.

“I wouldn’t spend too much time looking in Calgary,” he said.

From Metro Calgary

Vis 35 used in shootout with police

Michael Sean Carmody exchanged gunfire with police using a collectible handgun cherished by the Nazis during World War II for its accuracy and dependability, authorities said Wednesday.

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Carmody, who died Wednesday afternoon after three days on life support, was armed with a German-made Vis 35 9mm semi-automatic handgun, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said.

The Vis 35 was originally made in Poland and was a staple of the Polish Army. The Germans took over the factory when they invaded in 1939 and forced Polish workers to continue to build the gun for the German army and police. The weapon was built between 1935 and 1945.

Wartime versions of the guns can sell for more than $500, while pre-war models can fetch more than $2,000.

Authorities have not yet said where Carmody got the weapon.

From Ridgewood Patch

Georgia Vets Get Legion of Honor

Thirteen World War II veterans from Alabama and Georgia received France's highest honor on Thursday for their role in the liberation of that country in 1944 and 1945.

Before a crowd that included families, friends and members of the military, the veterans were awarded the Legion of Honor by France's consul general in Atlanta, Pascal Le Deunff.

"We will never be able to give enough praise for the heroism of those who fought for the liberation of France and Europe," Le Deunff said. "You are, all of you, true heroes. You were there in France when hope began to disappear, but you never lost hope."

Le Deunff addressed each veteran individually, detailing his service during the war and listing the other honors he'd received. The consul general then pinned a medal on the chest of each veteran.

George Weitner of Snellville, Ga., was among the troops who stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day, but it's not a memory he treasures: "I try to forget about it."

He has fonder memories from his next visit to France 50 years later for an anniversary celebration.

"I had a great time," he said. "The French people were wonderful to us, very respectful, very thankful."

Joseph Thornton of Hampton, Ga., parachuted into Normandy on June 6, 1944, about four hours before the beach invasion began. He said he was humbled to be honored by France.

"It feels great," he said. "I very much appreciate it."

But after spending six weeks there, he said he's never had a desire to go back: "Once was enough."

The National Order of the Legion of Honor was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. It recognizes eminent service to France. Recipients are approved by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

To receive the honor, recipients - or often their friends or family - fill out an application and go through a vetting process. Le Deunff - who represents France in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississipi, North Carolina and South Carolina - tries to hold ceremonies to award the medal as often as possible. He said he's trying to accelerate the application vetting process to be able to honor as many veterans as possible while they're still alive.

The veterans who received the medal Thursday were:

- Colonel L Gene Sidwell, of Smyrna, Ga.

- Captain Harold Hicks, of Townsend, Ga.

- Sergeant Fred Thomason, of Duluth, Ga.

- Staff Sergeant Robert Wann, of Decatur, Ga.

- Technical Sergeant Axel Thomsen, of Marietta, Ga.

- Staff Sergeant Robert Ricks, of Snellville, Ga.

- Private First Class Philip Alterizio, Madison, Ala.

- Private First Class John Garett, of Mableton, Ga.

- Private First Class Orbie Harris, of Fairburn, Ga.

- Private First Class Pizzolato, of Marietta, Ga.

- Seaman First Class Walter Robertson, of Atlanta.

- Private Joseph Thornton Jr., of Hampton, Ga.

- Private First Class George Weitner, of Snellville, Ga.

Paris exhibit honors AP Vietnam War photographer

PARIS (AP) — A U.S. Army medic peers through dirty bandages on his own head while caring for a wounded comrade. A helicopter winches up the lifeless body of an American soldier, silhouetted against a bare white sky.

Such images from the Vietnam War feature in a new museum exhibit in Paris focusing on Associated Press photographer Henri Huet, who was killed 40 years ago when a helicopter he was riding in was shot down over Laos.

Co-curated by the AP, "Henri Huet: Vietnam" focuses on about 70 photos that he took during the war. The show starts Tuesday and runs through April 3 at the Maison Europeenne de la Photographie in Paris' Marais district.

Huet, who was half-French and half-Vietnamese, and three foreign photographers died Feb. 10, 1971 when the South Vietnamese helicopter they were on was shot down while they covered a cross-border invasion.

Huet, Larry Burrows of Life magazine, Kent Potter of United Press International, and Keizaburo Shimamoto of Newsweek were on board with U.S.-backed Vietnamese forces, killed in the flash of an anti-aircraft gun. Huet was 43.

The exhibit aims to bring to light the impact of Huet on the public's understanding of Vietnam and as a reference for today's generation of photojournalists — in terms of style, shot selection and emotional impact.

Huet captured the pain, fatigue, frustration, grittiness and a gamut of emotions with his black and white photos that made newspaper and magazine covers worldwide throughout the conflict.

He had "a sense of artistry, because he was a painter, he showed his sense of feeling for the Vietnamese," said former AP reporter Richard Pyle, who served as Saigon bureau chief during the war.

"People in Vietnam won prizes, and won accolades, for their work as photographers and the irony of this was that Henri — who was probably the finest combat photographer of his time, maybe in any war ... never got the attention nor the credit that he deserved," Pyle said.

In days long before satellite transmission, the Internet, digital photos and laptop computers, Huet would trek off for days with the U.S. military, and return with a trove of photos shipped to AP headquarters in New York.

Sometimes, a single picture captured the essence of the war.

"You had one Henri Huet picture on the front page of the New York Times, and that was it — that was the battle of Vietnam," said Horst Faas, a Pulitzer Prize-winning AP photographer who worked with Huet in Vietnam.

"There was mud in there, there was frustration in there, a bit of loneliness in there — all these things that a soldier went through in the circumstances, or a civilian, or anyone else," Faas said.

Faas, Pyle and other colleagues have come to Paris for the exhibit, and remembered Huet's compassion, respect for both Vietnamese civilians and U.S. soldiers, and tendency to stay to himself once the work day was done.

"If I had to pick the three finest people that I ever met in my life ... Henri Huet would be one of those three, maybe even No. 1," said Pyle at a news conference Monday.

Lemmy

One of our more famous (or infamous) customers mentioned us recently in a Chicago newspaper interview. While we keep our customer information confidential, something tells me Lemmy won't be bothered by this blog post mentioning the article and letting his fellow collectors know his documentary is currently playing in theaters around the United States and will air on VH1 Feb. 11. Check out the official site: http://www.lemmymovie.com/

Here's a teaser trailer below - if you are easily offended in any way you had better not watch . . .