As of MAR 2009

** 1) After a longer than expected hiatus due to a number of complex issues that have taken up considerable amount of my time (including a change of jobs and a major relocation move, as well as the last two books), I am attempting to complete research on a good number of additional small-end makers that continue to be forwarded to me by helpful collectors, for inclusion in an addendum to the Collector's Guide. Please note that, as well as being extremely time intensive, such research work also often costs me money out of pocket since many of the government offices that I work with (in Germany) charge fees for record searches and document copies.

Trademark searches at the Bundespatentamt alone, for example, have already cost me over 300 Euros out of pocket. This is because the Patenamt requires a researcher be hired from a Patentamt-approved agency list; this person/firm does the research for you (the public is not permitted to conduct such searches)--and the book publisher, of course, will not pay for any of this; in fact, the publisher pays for very little of anything, royalties included. Authors now only get 5 of what used to be 10 free book copies these days (and this well before the financial crisis!). Stingy as hell!

My thanks to those of you out there who have introduced me to new firms that I had not previously come across, and to everyone for their patience! I am also currently investigating new publishers, for the Addendum - perhaps even the self-publishing route.

** 2) The Addendum will thus eventually include updated info on a number of firms already having entries in the original book, information which was not available to me at the time "The Collector's Guide" was published back in 2002; for example:

a) New for "KURT TRIEBEL": the fact that the Kurt Triebel factory in Kassel also used a logo acronym: "KUTRIKA" - as noted by a perceptive reader! Since the KUTRIKA acronym was never accompanied by any identifying info (e.g. city, street address) that might afford some association with a place, or specific company, there was no way--short of having the epiphany this reader did--to make any association between Kurt Triebel and KUTRIKA, though now, it is really quite obvious: KUrt TRiebel KAssel. I mean, this sort of acronym creation method requires a rather unique mind set!
Meanwhile, another observant reader encountered a tailor label in a uniform for "BeHa" (which in caps, appears on its own (no city, no details) as another previously unidentified maker--and this tag noted distribution outlets (or factories) in BErlin and HAmburg....hey, hey, the meaning of the logo is now clear! The actual company name was also nicely included on this uniform label! So, readers have been putting together 1.5 +.5 on their own since the book came out and, with a little luck and imagination based on my acronym information, have also found the missing key .5 to allow attainment of Kholinar (woops, sorry, only Star Trek fans would grok that reference!), ah, attainment of the oh-so-wonderful ="2".
Side note: in fact, it was only as I was creating the alphabetical Cap Maker index for the back of the original book and listed "Bayerische Mützenfabrik" (Bavarian Cap Factory) directly above "BAMÜFA" (- which acronym likewise was never accompanied by any helpful reference), that just such an epiphany almost floored me: the realization that the solution to the BAMÜFA mystery had been in front of me all the time, nicely fitting into the German penchant for creating firm logo names based on syllables snipped from (usually) Company name, and often also the City. In this case, BAyerische MÜtzenFAbrik

b) New for ROBERT LUBSTEIN / EREL: the Robert Lubstein company, which was taken over by the post-war East German government in 1952, appears to have subsequently manufactured caps for a few years under the logo "EMHAGE" (Em-Ha-Gay) until the late 50's when the firm name was then changed again into a more fitting communist title: "VEB Perfekt" - this to reflect its "democratic" nature: "Volkseigene Betrieb" (VEB), meaning the company was the property of the government...er, People, of the DDR. There was by this time, of course, no longer either a real or imaginary Lubstein association. Robert had passed away in 1948 leaving the company to his wife--but Frau Lubstein was then forced out of the firm by the DDR government during its takeover of all private business enterprises (she had been commuting daily from the Western Zone of Occupation to the factory in the Eastern Zone). She appealed this action for several years, but was repeatedly ignored--snubbed--by the DDR government.

Additional postwar details will be presented on the Robert Lubstein legacy in this update chapter, to include a resume (Lebenslauf) hand-written by Robert Lubstein himself in 1947 (with some fascinating historical details on the origins of the firm), and a brief history of the development of Lubstein's various trademark logos including the initial entry date of his most famous "EREL-Sonderklasse" trademark logo (my hired research associate found all of these trademarks at the Patentamt--and pointed out for my edification that the EREL-Sonderklasse logo (which had long expired and sat dormant) was officially renewed in 2002 by a fellow named Olaf Gaube; this got me curious and I had to investigate who this Herr Gaube was, and why he wanted the trademark rights....
This new material will also include a very rare photo of the Master himself, Robert Lubstein, along with some photos of the post-1952 "EMHAGE" mark in early East German "Kasernierte Polizei" (barracked police--the KP was the pre-cursor of the Volksarmee) and Soviet military headgear.
And more...

** 3) I am currently collating photos and info submitted by the many helpful folks who wrote to me after The Collector's Guide was first released and once this is organized, I will begin working the details into the new text. Rest assured, I will note the names of these kindly folks in the credits. There is still time for me to pursue some additional maker entries and you are welcome to write me through Schiffer publishing (or email using THIS LINK ) with any makers you have that should be investigated, or any issues that you might like to suggest be included in the Addendum. I welcome input, since this book - like the first - is for the collecting community.

** 4) I will be presenting an expanded Repro chapter, including info on the Erich Fritzch K.G. company and its owner, Herr Olaf Gaube (the fellow who, since 2002, holds the sole legal rights to the "EREL-Sonderklasse" trademark logo, with permission of Robert Lubstein's grandson).

** 5) Owing to the fact that Schiffer Publishing earns the lion's share of all book profits (authors--who do the majority of the work and ALL the long hours of research--must be satisfied with the bare minimum in exchange for getting a book published) it is not possible to survive on the minimal profits garnered from reference books alone and so, like most anybody else, I must work a full time job as well as take care of other assorted projects in order to feed my face and pay the bills. I therefore respectfully request the public's patience while I put the Addendum together as quickly as my free time allows. I will provide more info updates as they occur!

Thanks!