Michael Baldwin Collection auction part 1. 31 January

chinstrap

Active member
I imagine most members are aware of this, but, just in case...

http://www.candtauctions.co.uk/online-catalogue/

Patrick
 
I've placed some bids on a few items, but honestly I don't expect to get anything.

With the dropping of the US Dollar like a lead fishing sinker against the Pound, and the rate being 1.41 Sterling to every Dollar as of Friday the 26th of January, as compared to 1.28 back at the beginning of January when the catalog came on line, I don't think I have much of a chance of winning anything without bleeding severely for any items that I would really want to win.

Add to that a sale commission that will be somewhere between 25% to 30% on every lot auctioned, plus their use of outside shipping which will be expensive as well. The only 2-things that US bidders have in their favor is no import duty to pay, and if you're at the auction live in person you won't have to pay someone else to ship the item back to the States.

As a side note a year ago the Euro vs. Dollar exchange rate was 1.04 Euros to the Dollar, or there about. As of Friday the 26th of January it is now back up to 1.24 some Euros for every Dollar. Wow!

Best Regards,

Alan
 
You guys REALLY need to read the fine print......this auction has a 30.6% buyer's premium. And you have to consider the UK pound exchange rate (and don't forget shipping).


So let's do an example.....

Lets say you win a pickelhaube in this auction for, say, 900 GBP.

-Add the buyer premium.... 900 X 1.306 = 1175 GBP.

-Plus shipping (probably 40-60 GBP because the UK is expensive) so.... 1175 + 50 = 1225 GBP

-Now convert to GBP to your country.... GBP to CAD = 1.75 or, GBP to USD = 1.41

I am in Canada so.... 1225 GBP X 1.75 = $2145 CAD, (or $1725 USD for our American friends).




So don't forget fellow North Americaner's, if you win a helmet in the auction, don't forget to do the math!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS.....ALSO, don't forget import duties and/or taxes....Canada LOVES to add those......
 
by member Pontiac9999:
You guys REALLY need to read the fine print......this auction has a 30.6% buyer's premium. And you have to consider the UK pound exchange rate (and don't forget shipping).

Yes, I did read the fine print, and have done the math once the auction opened online a few weeks ago (when I placed a few bids). That's why I wrote what I did above your posting. I won't be a serious bidder for much of anything, due to the auction house they sent this collection to and their exorbitant commission rate, and the unfavorable exchange rate factor, both of which are exceedingly high.

Being that the auction house is using an outside shipping firm, it wouldn't surprise me if the figures you quoted per helmet will be significantly higher than 40-60 Pounds Sterling per helmet. The outside shipping firm will tack on high service charge fees for doing the packing, on top of the cost for postage/Fed-Ex/United Parcel Service shipping rates. It will most likely cost at least twice what you quoted above per helmet to ship to North America. Trust me on that one.

I honestly only want 1-specific item from Baldwin's fine collection, and that won't be showing up until a future auction that they will hold.

There's no import duty for citizens of the U.S., as I understand the laws, unless the item(s) is being imported for re-sale purposes. If it's for a private collection, my understanding is that there is no import tax on private purchases.

Best Regards,

Alan
 
Well that is good to know that the US has no import fees. I always get hit with taxes (and I have even paid duty a couple of times on a few pelzmutzes that came from France. .....Canada considers them fur hats and therfore imposes duties).

So all I was sayin' is that one really should CONSIDER ALL the math before bidding. Someone might think they got a great deal at 900 GBP, but ALL should just be mindful
 
I was in the sale room today and unfortunately felt like a poor man in a rich man's house, best thing was to see the lots and examine them, five serious buyers there one guy had three cavalry helmets on the bounce. My jaw hit the floor with one stick grenade at 1000 pounds plus 240 commission biggest surprise for me was the rare armour face shield went for 7000 pounds I thought it would be more. All I left with was a copy of feldzug 1918.
 
I was following this auction online today even made a few bids on ersatz helmets but at al of them i was outbid on
It went extremeley fast the bidding so ended up with nothing

Jonas
 
High prices gaveled for most lots, as I expected, with a well advertised auction featuring a world famous collection with all the items shown in 5-volumes of stunning, excellent photos.

I'm after one item only, that will be in a future auction. I already know that I will have to almost bleed money in order to win it.

Best Regards,

Alan
 
No luck for me...

I only was interested in the lot 115. I made a registrated bid of 1400 pounds (on invaluable.com) via internet 5 minutes before the selling of this lot began.

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/prussian-other-ranks-cork-bodied-cotton-drill-cov-4A446DEB17

Lot was won by a guy in the saleroom which made exactly the same bid as myself (1400 pounds), but even a few minutes later.
I still not understand why he won it and had not to pay 1500 because my bid was the first... [-X :x
Bad experience with this auction house! It seems that the internet bids have been totally ignored [-X
I made a complain by mail to Mr Tredwen, one of the organisator, but I think the guy who won this item has already paid and this helmet has already left Great Britain...Very sad and very unfair :evil:

Philippe
 
For me who is keen of Uberzug, this auction was a kind of dream ! .. except for the price. With Euro we have the same trouble of rate between Pound and euro (1,15). The helmets with Uberzug (in some case clearly the two items were not born together) did amazing prices, unaffordable for me. I am afraid that the others groups helmet/uberzug will too go very high during the two next auctions..
I manage to win the Uberzug I wanted but I paid it 30 % over my classical floor price. But when you want something... I think I will kiss this Uberzug when it will arrive at home !
But all the Uberzug sold were perfect.
And the fact that lots of people consider right or wrongly Baldwin as a famous collectionnor (everybody knows its very interesting Feldzug with nice pictures) explains a part of the high prices. I am sure that if I went tomorrow to the local auction house to sell my Uberzug, they would not reach the same prices as this auction.
 
festwagner said:
The helmets with Uberzug (in some case clearly the two items were not born together)

I totally agree!
The guys who bought such not matching lots for such high prices do not know this fact :eek:
One example: the helmet with green 153 cover....The helmet had a (faint) regimental stamp of a BA IV Landwehr unit near the JR153 mark (36 LJR IIB)...This is impossible it could have wear a cover with numbers from an active unit because the helmet has already been issued in the Landwehr [-X
Further, the II/LJR36 was formed in Altenburg, same garrison town as the JR153.

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/rare-thuringen-infantry-other-ranks-pickelhaube-1D3473D8EF

Never only trust the books, only your own eyes! In the book "Feldzug", the Landwehr unit stamp has not been shown!!!! This helmet should have wear an Überzug with green L36 because of its late issue in the year 1915...
Both items have been brought together after the war, clear thing!
But.....Suum cuique :D

Philippe
:)
 
Pontiac9999 said:
Well that is good to know that the US has no import fees. I always get hit with taxes (and I have even paid duty a couple of times on a few pelzmutzes that came from France. .....Canada considers them fur hats and therfore imposes duties).

You are getting screwed and not in a good way. You need to insist that any Pickelhauben are clearly marked on the Customs form "ANTIQUE HELMET OVER 100 YEARS OLD". Canada Customs only charges GST on antiques.

And for Americans, be aware that US Customs will sieze and destroy any seal fur regardless of age. Idiotic as seals are not endangered and there are millions of them on North American coasts, but that is the US legislation.
 
Was looking enviously at the items for sale and have even booked the day off . Cant think why as i know i wont win anything !
 
James , it would be interesting to know which items we should be careful of helmet/shoulderboard wise . I would not want to get bitten. Warren.
 
I attended the 2nd Michael Baldwin auction today. Again prices were quite high. What bothered me most was the way the shoulder boards had been group together again. I really wanted a Thuringen 135R strap but did not want to pay for that and the three other straps that were with it.

I was pleased to buy a Wurttemberg "kit helmet" with rare to find regiment marks and depot stamp to the 125R for £1000 plus 24% -- here

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/candt-auctioneers/catalogue-id-srct10074/lot-592b2751-6c6b-423d-bd2e-a8b30015bfde

The big shock of the day was the price the Baden 111 RIR with uberzug made. I hope the buyer appreciates the history behind this piece, they were one of the regiments facing the British on the first day of the Battle of the Somme 1/7/16, £4200 plus 24% ---here

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/candt-auctioneers/catalogue-id-srct10074/lot-a4482e6f-071b-4587-bfe9-a8b30015ce51
 
I had placed a bed on three items that i liked but non of them came to me as i was outbid on al of them
I was at work so i could only folow an hour of the bidding
I saw that to the baden one with its big price
Oh well it was fun to see the prices going sky high

Non the less congrats with your kit helmet and do share this one with us when you find the time

Jonas
 
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