Catalog #80 will in many ways be a continuation of Catalog #79, when we started processing two large collections that recently arrived at AGM.  Look for a good selection of 19th and early 20th Century British and Commonwealth uniforms including a Highland drummer’s doublet c. 1902-1913, a Zulu War period officer’s frock, and a pre-WWII Royal Tank Corps Lieutenant’s dress uniform.  There are also several nice WWI Canadian uniform sets including one from a soldier in No. 8 Field Ambulance and one from a 4th Division Machine Gun NCO.  The latter comes to us from a customer who found it hiding in a northern Ohio antique shop for the shocking price of $28!  It was considerably more than $28 when we bought it from him, but it is still nice to know that there is good stuff out there for those with the determination to hunt for it.

Speaking of determination, we will have some interesting items for our Third Reich collectors this time thanks to two individuals.  One is a friend and fellow collector who (like us) views all Third Reich material as ’fake until proven innocent’, and has limited himself largely to veteran-acquired pieces.  When he decided to sell off a few extras recently, we were glad to have the opportunity to have these items for the catalog.  The other source is none other than our front cover photographer Lou, who acquired a nice batch of Luftwaffe and NSDAP material from a local veteran.. or to be more accurate, from the veteran’s "smokin’-hot" granddaughter who he met in a local pub.  (His words - not mine.)  I am not sure how the subject of that conversation turned to Third Reich souvenirs - and probably don’t want to know - but everybody is happy that it did.  We all live more interesting lives vicariously through our friend Lou.  If he becomes any more interesting, he will soon have his own Dos Equis commercial.

The other highlights of Catalog #80 are:
- Nice selection of Japanese WWII uniforms, headgear, accoutrements, and insignia including some scarce Army and Navy pilot flight gear.  Banzai!

- A number of nice WWI uniforms and identified WWI uniform groupings from several collections including North Russia, Tank Corps, Siberian Expedition, a great 93rd Division uniform, 76th Division set with outstanding insignia, identified groups with painted helmets, German souvenirs, etc., etc.  You guys know that I love WWI US uniforms.  These sets coming in recently are killing me; I want to keep them all.  Can’t do that, though, so if you are also a doughboy collector, you are really going to like Catalog #80.

- The WWII section is back, with several nice helmets, USMC items, insignia, uniforms with bullion shoulder insignias, a Navy UDT trunk group, a very unusual custom-tailored wool parachute jump jacket, and much more. 

- Our WWI patch collectors will enjoy a nice batch of loose shoulder sleeve insignias.

- The ’Early US’ section is much larger than normal with a good collection of Civil War veteran GAR badges, as well as Indian Wars and Spanish-American War uniforms and equipment.

- The ’Trench Art’ and ’WWI Photography’ sections are back with new items for you to browse.

- From the "it really does pay to look stuff up" department, there were two particularly pleasant surprises this time.  First was a fairly scarce (pre-eagle snap first pattern) M1912 pistol belt was inscribed with a very distinctive and familiar-sounding name.  John was pleasantly surprised to find that the officer who had used this particular belt was none other than Lt. Benjamin Foulois, one of the original US military aviators.  That very easily could have passed by as just another early pistol belt, had John not been paying especially close attention that day!  His other big research victory this time was an Army Air Corps officer’s evening dress coat and trousers which was named to Lt. Colonel Frederick von Harten Kimble: an officer who figured prominently (if a bit notoriously) in the history of the Tuskegee Airmen.  Seriously - how did we manage to survive for so many years without the internet?

- Last but not least: This time I promise I will not forget to include the ’Web Only Bonus Section’.  Can’t believe I messed that up last time.  The Web Only section has really become a catalog within a catalog, with over 100 items on Catalog 80.

Speaking of improvements, we have ironed out the wrinkles in our new server.  This ’fix’ has been in the works for a long time now, and thanks to the a few people who really went above and beyond (notably DC at Element74), you should find the website significantly easier to use during the initial rush of activity on opening day.