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So, there is currently for sale on eBay what appears to be an excellent original WWI Ulan 1st Regiment tunic. It is being represented as belonging to MvR, though there is no proof whatsoever to back it up. The seller's argument as to it having once belonged to the Red Baron is, and I quote, "MIGHT AS WELL BE THE RED BARON'S, NOTHING OUT THERE EXISTS TO CONTEST".

Here is the link to this $30,000 bargain: RICHTHOFEN TUNIC ON EBAY

It is a beautiful old tunic though and is likely worth about a tenth of the asking price, unless of course it really is MvR's in which case it would be nearly priceless. And as there is nothing out there that exists to contest ...

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Free shipping though!
Hehe...

Smells like total hokum. Although it would be cool to have.

Darn, and I just spent all my savings on Noah's ark...

Well, if you miss out on that, I'm sure you can grab a piece of the True Cross...

On a more serious note I have seen that picture before I think.
In a book on MvR (reccomended by JFM) but I do not recall the authors name off the top.

Obvious frogwash.

But, just for the sake of it, here's a shot of MvR's tunic. Note the horizontal seam intersecting the lower buttons--it's missing on the Ebay fake.



PS That MvR airplane poster in the background is rife with error.

EDIT: An intriguing aspect of MvR's tunic is the collar. I am NOT a uniform expert, or even very learned, but those who are informed me that pre-war tunics had solid-color colors, rather than piping. Many photos of MvR depict a collar much darker than the rest of the uniform. Yet in other photos it appears to have the piping only. Likely, he had more than one.

Here's a comparison. The darker collar is on left, light w/ piping on right. Note how much taller and stiffer the right collar is. Again, I'm no expert, but the right collar appears to be some sort of ancillary accessory, rather than part of the tunic. Zero supporting evidence for that. If it is part of the tunic, clearly these are different.

I'm pretty sure that is his uniform... I mean, the guy wrote in all caps, he wouldn't have done that unless this was serious business...
Anyway, I have been digging in the couch cushions and I only have to make up a difference of $29,999.46. I'll post better pictures after I've purchased it...

I spent all my money, and a mortgage, on a fracture of an original stone plate
with the original ten commandments (written by the Lord himself!).
My fragment shows number VIII: Thou shalt not steal.

What worries me a bit is, that it is in English?
Did they have plates in all languages?
And if so - did English already exist that early?
Did I fall for a fake in the end?

It can't be a fake. He's the same guy who sold me the the nails that were driven into Jesus's hands for a cool half a million. Close examination of the nails proved they were using the metric system even way back then. Totally legit! I mean, they were only set at $250,000...but at the last second another buyer tried to scoop them up from me but lucky for me I out bid them.

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Yeah... unfortunately eBay has lots of stuff like this being sold as authentic.

I don't collect uniforms, but I do collect medals. One has to be very careful and know his stuff when buying them on eBay. You can always find trustworthy sellers with sometimes good bargains on original items, but there are even more crooks just looking for a nice opportunity to rob somebody of his hard-earned money.

Remember: if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is too good to be true.

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Absolutely Hasse - caveat emptor.

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Regarding the gongs that come with that uniform, I'd say the PLM is either a high-quality fake, or *at best* a post-war, privately purchased wearer's copy (Zweitstück) that was worn by the recipient to save the original decoration from wear and tear. Impossible to say from simply looking at those pics.

The EK I could very well be an original piece, though obviously not MvR's. And not quite worth $30,000...

The pilot's badge also looks well-made and *could* be an original. But fakes are common (German badges are easier to fake because they don't have any fancy enamelled parts, unlike for example Austrian pilot badges), so one would have to examine the badge very carefully before buying it. The photos are not good enough. And obviously not worth it at that high a price.

The photo belows shows the gongs of MvR attached to a pillow that was carried around in his funeral, as was the German custom:



As you can see, the man was a walking stack of decorations!

Here's a rare (and grainy) shot of him medaled-up. Taken on the front steps of the family home in Schweidnitz, September 1917. This was during his post-wound enforced leave and just before Lothar returned to command Jasta 11, at the end of his own wound convalescence. The reason for the medals could be the formal family portrait likely taken on that same day, on the side of their house. If not the reason, no doubt the photos were taken during the only time the boys were home together while Manfred still wore the strapped bandage, 17-19 September 1917.

One of my favourite MPFC scenes, Lou!
"...your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled like elderberries!"
Mmuahahahahaaa!!!


Decorative table cloth, bed sheet, or curtain: the Original Shroud of Turin
for sale! Make a quick decision - only 3 left!

MvR better start working out. He's going to need more chest to carry all those medals.
And I am looking for the book that picture in the OP came from. I am sure I have seen it before.

Duke, do you mean Lance Bronnenkant's Blue Max Airmen Vol. 5? Uni and medal photos in that classic. Not that exact photo, but similar. Lots of repros of MvR's unis.

Is there something wrong with that picture of them?

MvR is all head ... he looks kinda jaunt, no? Almost looks like a Bobble-head version of him.

OvS

Nothing wrong with the photo. As you noticed, he'd lost some weight in the period just after being wounded.

Yes that is exactly what I was thinking and, in fact, just got done looking at it before I came here.
And yes again. The similar uniform layout and display got me thinking that the "seller" just took his photo from that book but there are differences in background, etc...

You can own Jim Bowie's famous knife. This is the same knife he used in the famous sand bar fight in Natchez MS. It has to be the same knife as you cannot prove it is not. Also have Biily the Kid's pistol in another listing.

Boy I never realized accuiring history was so simple. Just click and buy.
Wonder what the going rate is for the Holy Grail and Declaration of Independence?

Ever wondered what happened to King Arthurs Round Table?
It's in my Aunties house, with a vase of Petunia's on it

I'm not selling either of them. I can't believe how lucky I was to pick both of them up at the same garage sale. I noticed that the next weekend though he still had the same same sign up advertising them. I guess he forgot to take it down.

The uniform is still available, in case one of you gents is interested. I'm sure it would look great when put on display next to the Holy Grail and the Spear of Destiny.

Hasse, I'm painfully aware of it. Bloody eBay keeps sending me email reminders that the uniform is still available. I'm praying for someone to buy it.

It appears that this fine and undoubtedly completely original tunic of MvR is no longer available!

So which one of you guys bought it?

Not me. The last of my dollars went to snag the actual Dog House that Snoopy used to fight MvR himself.

I'm often in the doghouse... I'll be glad to give that a miss.

Let me just say I'm now out car shopping...

What, do they have MvR's car on sale somewhere? I didn't know he even had one!

You guys are SO silly - I guess Manfred would have liked this!

Easiest thirty grand I ever made.

Of course there will be a stampede to acquire this priceless relic, but...ask to see the bullet hole! Von Richtofen died from a single bullet that struck his ribs on the right side, then ricocheted sideways piercing both lungs. There has to be a bullet hole and bloodstains.

I'm not impressed. I don't see a single award for a Rick Rawlings Challenge, nor a BOC pin. All those others MvR could have just gotten off of eBay...