That is how it starts... 😂   Both wings appear to be in excellent shape with very little bullion loosening and nice overall toning.  Really a great snag for your first WW1 wings!  European made badges are more scarce than their US made counterparts.   Warm regards!   Chris

Benvenuto!  

Benvenuto!  

Howdy, my name's Alberto, a young Italian collector and a history buff, I'm looking for an happy and interesting time on this important militaria forum and hope to get some experience about pieces of Militaria.

Oh, I should say I already have McAulay’s Small Arms of the Civil War.

Hey, all!   I’m starting my project of a post about the M1861 “Plymouth” Whitney .69 Naval Rifle and its bayonets (but actually designed c. 1856-1858) and while I’ve got a good idea what the standard reference works are for the bayonets, I’m much less knowledgeable on firearms references, especially the most up to date ones and the most comprehensive ones (which are not always the same thing). I didn’t see a post pinned on that sort of thing on here, so hopefully folks around here have some ideas.   Of equal importance for this research is the French rifle Admiral Dahlgren used as a basis for his own designs, which from a letter of his is the “Carabine à tige” but unknown at this time is whether that was actually the original French M1846 or the M1853 for Chasseurs, both of which had the pillar or tower breech which is meant by “tige”, one of the things I’m trying to nail down in my research, so also needing an idea on the international reference works if that’s not the same as the above. By the M1859 the French had abandoned the tige system for a Minié. He says he procured and shot one to make comparisons for his own design.   Any help would be appreciated!

Since this thread started, I've added a few right facing eagles to my collection. Here's my collection...Navy hat device eagles and rank insignia. The rank insignia is from my career in the Navy - the silver Commander oakleaves were my last rank and the ones I still pick up when I can find styles and makers I don't yet have.     

The "BLITZ" is what gives it away, post war company that made cans for the civilian market, never had a military contract.

Thanks! I'm usually wary of any group that would have me as a member but seeing as i "bought my membership" glad to be here as a "club" member. A good question is just how many Bayonet 2000 owners are there? I count roughly 11 looking through these posts (includes the eBay sales).  Which leaves 39 unaccounted for. I'm at an age where I have to make sure I identify the rare ones in my collection with some detailed info and estimated worth or my wife and kids might sell them for what I said I paid. I ordered an acrylic display stand for the 2000. I'll post a pic if it does the job.  Congrats on the OKC-3S (one of my all-round favorite bayonets!) and the M9's. That's an impressive collection. my 21st Century US bayonet collection is limited to the 3 you see and of course I have a one of each collection of US bayonets going back to the Brown Bess & Charleville Socket Bayonets, civil war socket bayonets and the US-M1 to M7 mid to late 20th century bayonets.  This bayonet (2000) becomes the 'Star" of the group. I should take a group photo sometime. Looking forward to hearing any new information and thanks for the welcome!!  

The unfortunate part about these uniforms is the seller found them at an estate sale of somebody that definitely collected military items.  He bought several boxes and bags of uniforms and all of them had been stripped of their insignia or any parts that were easily removed.  I was originally after the shoulder patches and got the nice surprise that the jackets still had their wings.  These will now be very well cared for and I'm excited to have my first WW1 wings in our collection.