Bill Shea's WWII Memorabilia Blog RSS

              Have you ever wondered what that person you were talking to on the phone or you were emailing actually looked like? Sure, we have all done that. We have had the pleasure of meeting many of you at shows in the past. Some of you have also made the “billgrimage” out to the rural setting where we live in Hubbardston, Massachusetts, and discovered that we actually have indoor plumbing!     However, with the advent of the internet, we’ve interacted with thousands of collectors from all over the globe whom we have never...

  Eye-Opening WWII Facts The "Greatest Generation" sacrificed and did all of this: On average 6600 American service men died per MONTH, during WW2. (about 220 a day) The Douglas plant in Long Beach produced a completed B-17 every 6 hours.       People who were not around during WW2 have no understanding of the magnitude. This gives some insight.    276,000 aircraft manufactured in the US. 43,000 planes lost overseas, including 23,000 in combat. 14,000 lost in the continental U.S. The staggering cost of aircraft in 1945 dollars AT-6   $22,952     C-47   $88.574 B-17   $204,370     P-38   $97,147 B-24   $215,516   ...

ACHTUNG NAZI!!!! Just the sound of those two words sends chills down your spine. When you put achtung into the Google translator, the first English word that comes up is Danger! We always thought it just meant Attention but just like so many other words in different languages, they have various meanings when used in different contexts.   The word NAZI is a perfect example. Knowledgeable historians and collectors know that the word is actually the shorten version of the acronym NSDAP. The way that NSDAP is written in German is Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei. That term translates to National Socialist German Worker's Party. The original intent was...

THOSE LAZY, HAZY, CRAZY DAYS OF SUMMER   Summertime is the one time of year that seems to produce a lull in collecting. Attention swings to other priorities like taking care of the yard, vacations and travel. Traditionally, gun and militaria shows are not held with as much frequency during these times because some venues lack air conditioning. Frankly, it is just too darn hot inside many of those old National Guard Armories or former Mall stores!      The result is that some collectors tend to become bored and potentially lose some interest in this grand hobby. Access to...

WAR BOOTY: Creepy hobby, historically important, or the spoils of war? Bill recently spent time with Chris Vernon, of the Star-Metroland, to offer his insight into the controversial hobby of collecting militaria.        **READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE**     1. Explain to me your customer profile. What does the average collector of Third Reich militaria look like?     Do you remember the song called “Universal Soldier” by Donovan? That would describe my customer base. I have blue collar workers as well as a supreme court judge. I have customers who are Baptist ministers and others who are...