Pics: Dawn Raid on a French Militaria Market

Whenever I go to France, absolutely my first stop is to a newsagent ( 'Maison de la Presse') to pick up a copy of 'Armes & Militaria' ( although now it's just called 'Militaria') to check out where the current 'Militaria Bourses' or markets are being held. For some reason, they're always hundreds of miles from where I'm staying.....

....but this year I saw this....




A quick check of the map shows that Carhaix is about 45 miles from where I'll be staying. This cannot be missed !

I know that Continental militaria markets are for the 'early bird' so I set the alarm for 06:00 on Sunday. A really great drive across wonderful French 'D' roads - no traffic at all - gets me to Carhaix by 07:20. As usual, there are no notices or directions to be seen, so I park by the Church in the town centre. The sun hasn't quite risen and it's very quiet indeed....



I walk to the other side of the church, there are 'Les Halles' and something is obviously happening.....




In the UK, it would open on the dot of 8 ; here, a smiling lady cheerfully takes my E2.50 and waves me inside at 7:40.

It's a small fair, about 30 stalls in all....



I take a quick walk round to see if anything catches my eye.

It does. This stall at the end of the hall has a nice-looking Zeltbahn 31 and some other nice bits and pieces. The two clips of 7.92 kurz ammo are also interesting......




The French dealer is a very friendly guy, sees me looking at the Zeltbahn and immediately offers to reduce the price by E10. It has a few rents and small holes, but is pretty sound and we both hunt for the markings. They are very faded but we eventually find them with a date - '1940'.



I take it - plus the two MP44 ammo clips ( all the headstamps match and are '44' dated ). Plus I take a post-war sheath for a German entrenching tool - it will 'do' for my 1944 spade until a genuine one comes along. The dealer is happy and knocks off some more money ......

Back to the other stalls, but this one was the best. Some prices are surprisingly high - K98 bayonets at E100 - but there are some nice German MG34/42 ammo cans which are quickly snapped up for E25 each. I'm tempted by a very 'relic' condition StG44 magazine together with a G43 mag - but they are in terrible condition with no visible markings. The dealer wants E35 for the two and won't budge so I leave them. There are lots of back issues of the evry good French militaria magazines such as 'Gazette des Armes', 'Armes & Militaria' etc and I pick up a few for a Euro or less each.

I am very - very - tempted by a nice SfH18 shell crate which could have been had for E15. I stood and wrestled with myself but really - it would have taken too much room in the car. Dang !

But back to 'my' stall where there was a beautifully made smaller wooden box. I have no idea what it was for ( and neither does the dealer ) but it looks neat, is dated 18.12.42 and - you guessed it ! - down came the price......and a small belt of mis-matched 7.92 rounds is thrown in as well. Deal done.

Finally I leave and head back over the country roads. A very enjoyable morning, some nice 'bits' at nice prices and I am very pleased indeed with my Zeltbahn.

Anyhow, this little lot is far more interesting holiday souvenir than a stripey Brittany shirt or model of a seagull......

 

great stuff martin, do they compare favourably? to our militaria markets..

 

I certainly think so, Ray ( just look at all the stuff Skipper picks up ! ). Even 70 years on, a fair amount of WWII items still turn up in Continental barns, outhouses, attics etc. There were some quite decent relic helmets, MG42 saddle-drum mags, gasmask canisters etc on sale in the E15-50 range.

 

Fine things you can find at there! Martin, can you bring me the binoculars please?


Regards

Ulrich

 

thanks martin, looks like you had a good a good day out..plenty of markets like that around?

 

There seem to be on average 3 or 4 a week, all over France.

Here are one or two more pics of odds and ends...

 

I take it any weapons would be de-acs too? and/or subtle difference's in de-activation, but still difficult to bring back..other than relic form?

 

You certainly had a good day. If you paid your Zeltbahn less than 80 euros you made a bargain. I found one for 50 euros a few weeks ago (pics posted at the usual place) . You might be surprised but the prices you mention for the M-42 canisters could be cheaper . This being said , I rarely go to those fairs, I prefer buying from sellers who have no idea whaht treasures they cherish.

 

Thanks Skipper !

The Zeltbahn was priced at 60 Euros, was immediately reduced to 50 and the final price to me was 45. I didn't know much about this item but since getting home I've checked my books and there's no doubt that this is a nice, original Zeltbahn.....

 

Looks like you had yourself some good bargains there, Martin.

I like the fact that most of the items for sale have a price sticker on them, that means you don't end up paying 'tourist prices' when you ask how much an item is.

So you were tempted by a relic StG mag? But you have a rustless one attached to your....NO, NO FORGET IT! I'm not going to mention THAT thing you have.

 

ahhhh, I really want to go shopping now! ......great stuff Martin, prices sound good too

 

Martin the guy at the table tell you what type of Mine that was ?

 

Sorry Erich, I didn't ask....

And I already have a 'relic' MP44 mag from the Ardennes, bought out there some years back - complete with 'innards' and MkB42 marking

I'm trying to find out what was in the wooden box - it's small, marked Zdl. A and apparently carried 40 of them. They must have been very small - detonators, maybe ?

 

or fuzes. Martin did he allow you to see inside if there was a support wooden or aluminum base if dets then there would of been individual holders for them maybe even heavy cardboard covered

 

I took this snap of the guns - I got the feeling that these were maybe 'live' but as you can see, they were mainly sporting rifles and the like. In the centre can be seen a rather nondescript-looking ( but not re-worked ) K98k which didn't seem cheap at 320 Euros.




There certainly weren't any MP44s, MP40s, BAR s etc - although there was a nice ( unpriced ) MkV Sten. There were a couple of modern repro Thompsons and Garands which frankly looked rather horrid and IMPO not really worth the 220 Euros being asked for them......

And as you say, I wouldn't fancy trying to get any of these past Customs......

 

45 is a good price. I paid 50 for mine. I could have gotten one for 40 but I prefered investing 10 more to get the one with the original buttons. They usually go for 70-80 piece , so even if it has deffects you were treated fair by the dealer.

 

Nice hauls Martin. Im in the market for a Zelt too. Always wanted one just never found the spare money for one because of all the other stuff I was getting at the time.

 

That is something we could remedy about Carl. Sending one would probably be harder than finding (heavy weight) , but eveything is possible

 

Hi Skip, keep me posted. I am interested in one and if it takes a bit more cash too? so be it ;-))

Oh nad I cant rememeber if I told you or not? but IO have a 2-place Imperial Medal bar (without the medals) that im considering getting rid of. These medal bars wo medals were also worn as large sized ribbon bars. It has the 1914 EKII and 1914 Firedrich-Auguse 2nd classes on it. I had intended finding examples of both awards wo ribbons to complete this bar with. I have another but with medals.

 

Nice Russian and Swiss Rifles! Is the 9th rifle from left a Lebel?

Regards

Ulrich