Chesapeake Bay Flag Association Meeting, Feb 23, 2008 (3/5/08)
It was a relatively nice day in February, a little cool with possible rain later, but better than the ice storms and occasional snowstorms of the days before. That made it possible to view the large flag display set up by our host, Dale Grimes of Baltimore, Maryland in his backyard. More >>

French World War One combination coffee grinder and mess kit (3/4/08)
During the First World War, the French soldier was required to carry great deal of equipment inside or attached to his field pack. The type of gear carried by an average soldier today has changed from the equipment carried 90+ years ago. The weight on the other hand has remained about the same at roughly 75 pounds. More >>

The Seal and Flag of the Vice President of the United States (2/25/08)
Much has been written about the seal of the president of the United States. It is a more powerful, more visible office, of course, but in many ways the influence of the vice president can be just as significant. Yet, recognizing the symbols of the office isn’t that high on a collector’s radar. More >>

Presenting to 1st Graders (2/24/08)
I own an overly large naval standard for the president of the United States. At 10 by 16 feet it takes up the entire living room at home. My 8 x 12 U.S. flag with 45 stars from about 1900 is big enough for anywhere, too. But, they are hard to appreciate all folded up. They both, though, have one other thing in common besides being oversized. First graders love ‘em. More >>

The Service Banner (2/9/08)
United States Army Captain Robert L. Queissner of the Fifth Ohio Infantry was proud of his two sons. They, like him, were serving in the military during World War I, most likely overseas. To honor their commitment in service, he designed a simple small banner in 1917 that showed two blue stars on a white background and displayed it at home. More >>

Unique 37 star U.S. flag (2/6/08)
The 37 star U.S. flag was created in 1867 for the admission of Nebraska as a state. It lasted until the admission of Colorado in 1876. This flag, though, was quite unique. It was made using a patented resist-dye process on wool bunting. You can see the silk screen-like look in the stars in the closeup photos. More >>

British National Flag of World War II (2/5/08)
There’s a mystery to this flag. Here is what we do know. It is definitely the flag of Great Britain and that it is definitely of World War II vintage. It is truly a big flag measuring 50 x 70 inches or about 4′ to almost 6′. We know that it was made in Belgium and appears to be completely hand made using a standard home-based sewing machine, not a commercial one. More >>

Good Flag, Bad Flag: Five Ways to Design a Good Flag (2/2/08)
There really is no such thing as a bad flag. Any time a community reaches out to symbolize their past, their achievements, and their people is a good thing. Still, there are ways for your community to be remembered more easily when it comes to your flag design. So, here are five basic things to remember: 1. Keep it Simple: A flag should be so simple a child can draw it from memory… More >>

Concentration Camp Symbols of World War II (2/1/08)
During the NAZI era of 1930-1940 Germany, the World War II era, the government created a state policy where ‘undesirable’ groups within Germany and any of its occupied territories were isolated from the general population. These groups were identified as Jews, homosexuals, gypsies, Jehovah’s Witnesses, criminals, political prisoners, and emigrants. More >>

SA Dagger Imposter (2/1/08)
Curiously enough, this SA dagger came into the shop recently and only after careful examination after the fact revealed that in fact this official looking SA dagger was an imposter. Here’s how I can now tell: - the color of the handle and the scabbard should be brown, not black, - the handle itself could be a reproduction and the scabbard changed to reflect the reproduction, More >>