What's your niche?

[Bill Garvy]

Documented Red Stars and Red Star groups, documented Orders of Glory, Documented Medals for Bravery, Documented Medals for Combat Service, Defense/Capture/Liberation Medals and documents especially with "Hero" signatures, Jubilee groups, cap stars, Civilian Labor Medals and documents, and flags of the Soviet Navy, whew. . .

[CtahhR]

Red Stars? Since when?

It's a good job there were 3.8 million of them out there to start with!

It can be strange how a collection grows. Often you can have a greater number of something that isn't what you are focusing in on than what you want to focus in on. Price and availability is a key factor and you can't always get what you want.

Most of us will have no idea where we'll end up when we set off on this road.

I have a group to a Soviet Cold War Lt or Major General (forget which) I'll post later and also a tunic to a Cold War Major General ($10 well spent?).

[medals73]

Oh, PS:

Somewhat accidentally, a few Soviet (and other) uniforms have crept into the collection, mostly pre-1943. Also, a few flags have joined in too.

Medals are hard enough to store!

[CtahhR]

Uniforms are difficult to store! Currently I have a wardrobe, trunk and "pile" of uniforms that really need some correct storage but it gets really difficult when you have all the hats and helmets. I currently have 20 some helmets under my bed and then a pile of a dozen or so (one on top of another not just dumped) as well as a few others dotted around the place. I also have about a dozen banners, which are considerably easier to store than helmets. I have my two Bulgarian award banners "flying" so storage and wall covering in one!

When you go "all in" and pick up some rather stranger items then storage gets to be a real interesting thing. Empty shell cases, Military vehicle number plates, Air raid sirens, Entrenching tools, Rifles, Swords, Military musical instruments and even Military fire extinguishers (one of which woke me up once by going off).

I've not yet got onto the vehicles but I'm sure it'll happen one day although I do have some antique agricultural equipment.

Like I've said before if you can take it I will!

If you're short on space I advise stamp collecting (although my stamp collection now takes up two small rooms), the communist world issued stamps as if it were going out of fashion.

[Art]

Or, with the space conservation mentality in mind, the znachki that were created during the Soviet days was mind boggling in quantity and variety. I was collecting only naval and space znachki for awhile.

[Bill Garvy]

Originally Posted by CtahhR

you can't always get what you want.

"But if you try sometimes,
well you just might find,
you get what you need. . ."

Sorry, flashback over. . .

[PaulR]

I started collecting Soviet Orders and Medals back in 1992 through about 1995. I was able to amass a really nice collection of orders and medals, most of which, despite having a much bigger income today, would never be able to come close to replacing. I am glad that I never parted with any of my stuff, as I restarted my Soviet focus last year.

Currently, I like finding reasonably affordable Orders and Medals groupings, complete with documents.

Also, I really enjoy collecting Cold War ere Soviet Parade and Service uniforms, especially focusing on the medical (any branch of service) and Coast Guard groupings.

My next goal is to find a nice documented and researched Soviet Afghan War BM/ORS Campaign medal grouping. I know that they are super expensive, but it would be nice find a surprise bargain!

[travel-north]

My niche is Soviet WWII medals.

[Keith]

My niche is Soviet Estonian political items:

1. Red banners (the flags) and their documents
2. Local award badges and their documents
3. Documents for members of central committees (especially first secretaries)
4. Mandates
5. Invitations to tribunes for parades
6. Invitations to political meetings
7. Propaganda leaflets (especially from wartime)
8. Political posters
9. Invitations to elections
10. Gramotas
11. Award vimpels
12. Award table medals
13. Personnel files
14. Books of honor
15. Any other unusual awards

I started with the wartime military awards, and it took about a year to get everything that was reasonably affordable. After that, I moved on to the Estonian political items. Started in 1995 or so.

Keith

[Jeffrey Meffert]

Mine changed over the years.
Gas Masks of all eras and nationalities (peaked at 160 or so, now down to 40) led to all things soviet chem warfare which led to post 1958 uniforms which led to all double breasted uniforms (navy, m55's, generals) which wandered into any m43 kitel or mundir which settled finally into pre 1948 air force as the main focus, pre 1948 armor as the minor focus, and anything with a nifty shoulder patch as the odd curiosities (ended up with some nice m19-m22 pieces for this.
And of course, medals and orders appropriate to the uniform for display
They take up a lot of space, especially the dozen or so overcoats i have.