ww1czechlegion
Well-known member
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your question. I never asked my friend Jim as to who the "dealer" was who came in and bought most of the last of his helmets. I didn't figure it was my place to ask him who he sold them to. He volunteered to me the info on the prices he got for some of the helmets, but I didn't think it was appropriate of me to ask him who he sold them to. Maybe I was wrong not to ask him? I was just staggered that he got half or less than half the value for the 25th FAR helmet from whomever bought it, and he was thrilled at the price he got for it. I really was quite taken aback when he told me, as I'd tried repeatedly over a 10-year period to buy it from him and he was never at the point where he wanted to sell any more helmets other than what he had sold me. The guy who bought it and the other helmets apparently found my friend Jim to be at "just the right moment" where he decided to sell them. Unfortunately I wasn't there to know or say or do anything about it with my friend Jim at that moment in time where he changed his mind. It happens. That's life... They're all only just "stuff" and there's always more of it out there for sale.. We're only the caretakers of the items for a brief moment in time... I was lucky to get part of the "left over scraps", a "minty" M15 Prussian Guard e.m. helmet from him after the fact, as I stumbled onto finding he had it up for sale and I was able to alert and remind him that I wanted to buy it. I even bought it for less than I had offered to him for it previously when he didn't want to sell it. Figure that!!! I really don't know what was going on with him, or what was going through his mind in how and what he ultimately ended up doing with these helmets. I have to remind myself that they're "just stuff", and that he's a good friend...
I should think that Charles would know who he purchased such a rare helmet from at the SOS. Maybe he will let you know who it is if you ask him?
I didn't see this helmet either, or the other ones from this dealer who bought them from my friend Jim. But then again I was sitting at a table trying to sell stuff and not out shopping like I would have preferred. I would think it was sold rather quickly if Charles spotted it out on a table. We'd have to ask Charles in order to know for certain what transpired. Maybe it was even a helmet that was held under the table, and not out in view for the public to see? I know that situation happens as well and is not uncommon where some sellers only allow certain people to see a specific item they may have for sale. They have friends and other collectors whom they know who are looking for specific items or high-end items and they don't want everyone pawing over the item at a show until they let those specific friends see something first before the public gets a chance to but the item. Truly only Charles and the "dealer" know how everything transpired in how it was purchased at the SOS. All I knew at the time, after the purchase, was that Charles had purchased it and it was going back to Belgium with him.
Best Wishes,
Alan
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