My latest: J.A. Bowman. "The Pickelhaube"

Khukri

Khukri

Well-known member
-These two came today. From the UK. Was afraid the Belgian Customs would charge me a serious "Brexit Tax". Lucky me. None.
-both Volumes are numbered and signed.
Volume One: Number 117
Volume Two: Number 67
-When I compare to the prices asked for other copies offered on the WWW I think I may consider myself a lucky man:
-I payed 50 GBP for this set. Shipping: UK to Belgium: really fast. Ordered on Sunday Delivered on Thursday: 16.95 GBP.
 

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They are not highly regarded these days, but when they were published there wasn't too much information about pickelhauben out there if you didn't read German. There are still some bits of good info to be gleaned from them.
 
ottodog8 said:
They are not highly regarded these days, but when they were published there wasn't too much information about pickelhauben out there if you didn't read German. There are still some bits of good info to be gleaned from them.
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You are right! Nowadays these books are more like collectors items. I do not know much reference books in German... The best are in French. Larcade; Lainé...
 
As has been said not the most reliable of references but still nice to have. :) My two volumes were bought directly from him back in the 1980's from the UK. He also used to produce a list of "parts for sale" as I remember. I had purchased my first officer helmet at the time...a Bavarian reservist which came with a Prussian rather than Bavarian kokarde. Bowman kindly did an even trade, exchanging my Prussian for his Bavarian. I really appreciated his help at the time.
 
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ottodog8 said:
They are not highly regarded these days, but when they were published there wasn't too much information about pickelhauben out there if you didn't read German. There are still some bits of good info to be gleaned from them.
Click to expand...
I agree
I bought my 2 Vols not long ago
I was disappointed compared to other reference books that I have
Steve
 
b.loree said:
As has been said not the most reliable of references but still nice to have. :) My two volumes were bought directly from him back in the 1980's from the UK. He also used to produce a list of "parts for sale" as I remember. I had purchased my first officer helmet at the time...a Bavarian reservist which came with a Prussian rather than Bavarian kokarde. Bowman kindly did an even trade, exchanging my Prussian for his Bavarian. I really appreciated his help at the time.
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An old friend of mine from Minnesota got screwed over royally by Bowman in approximately 1991 or 1992. My friend sent him several thousand dollars for a group of 3rd reich daggers which Bowmann supposedly had for sale. This crook did not send any daggers to my friend, and he lost the entire amount of money. I remember that prior to my friend sending money for the daggers, he suggested that I might be interested in buying some pickelhaube helmets that Bowman had for sale at the same time. I'm so glad that I did not do that. It's likely I would have lost my money to Bowman as well.
 
yes, a scarred history for sure, Many sent him money for preorders of Volume 3 which never got made and never refunded.

After he passed away I had some short correspondence with his son, he did not want to talk about his father at all...

James
 
ottodog8 said:
They are not highly regarded these days, but when they were published there wasn't too much information about pickelhauben out there if you didn't read German. There are still some bits of good info to be gleaned from them.
Click to expand...
I agree
I bought my 2 Vols not long ago
I was disappointed compared to other reference books that I have
Steve
ww1czechlegion said:
An old friend of mine from Minnesota got screwed over royally by Bowman in approximately 1991 or 1992. My friend sent him several thousand dollars for a group of 3rd reich daggers which Bowmann supposedly had for sale. This crook did not send any daggers to my friend, and he lost the entire amount of money. I remember that prior to my friend sending money for the daggers, he suggested that I might be interested in buying some pickelhaube helmets that Bowman had for sale at the same time. I'm so glad that I did not do that. It's likely I would have lost my money to Bowman as well.
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Sounds like a Tom Shutt deal
Steve
 
KAGGR#1 said:
I agree
I bought my 2 Vols not long ago
I was disappointed compared to other reference books that I have
Steve

Sounds like a Tom Shutt deal
Steve
Click to expand...
Correct. But good (and important) for the reference book collection. (I keep telling da Missus...)
 
I lost money with Bowman, but not a lot. Half my order came. The rest didn’t, and with no explanation. I wrote, but no reply. I tracked down his phone number and spoke with his wife. She explained that he had died and that his accounting was a mess that she was tryin to straighten it out. I just let it go.

Every time I consider selling the 2 volumes, though, I sift through them and find a gem of information that I had forgotten or overlooked. It’s hard to part with a treasured reference book.
 
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