Collecting Mills Grenades with matching components

[Missileman]

Hello all
I have to ask this question because I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else, so I apologise if this topic has already been discussed elsewhere.
I am relatively new to collecting grenades yet have been fortunate enough to acquire a small number in a reasonably short space of time and have been helped along immensely by other well respected and well known grenade collectors and members of this forum, so I thank those of you in advance....but....
The one thing I'm trying to figure out when purchasing a Mills grenade, and I guess this applies mainly to the No36's is this...
How important is it to have the main casing, arming lever and base plug all from the same manufacturer?

I've seen so many grenades for sale that seem to simply be a mixture of parts to make the whole, yet have seen others where all the parts, let's say manufactured by Kenrick, are all present on the same bomb.

Should I be put off buying for instance a good No36 if the casing, base plug and arming lever are from differing manufacturers, or is just getting a good clean and original finished example all thats required?

It would seem to me that having all the parts from the same manufacturer would make a nice grenade, yet I believe, maybe wrongly, that grenades were often assembled from bins containing castings, plugs and arming levers from a variety of suppliers.

Like I've already mentioned, I guess this applies more to the No36's than No5's or 23's as only the 36's were cast with the casings stamped by the maker?

Any and all guidance would be much appreciated.

Regards

Mike

 

[siegfreid]

Mike . Most WW2 Mills No36's have had their parts mixed up over the years but not all were originally supplied with all the parts from one maker . Kenrick , for instance , sometimes used other makers arming levers . Most filler screws were made by specialist manufacturers like WDC [Wloverhampton Die Cast] so they , usually , won't match one maker . If I were you , I'd concentrate on getting nice , original examples wether the marks match or not . When you've got enough , you can swap the parts over to match them ! Mike.

 

[dano1917]

Hi Mike, It is all in the eye of the beholder. In my opinion it all boils down to personal taste and what you desire in a collectible grenade. Sure matching components are desireable, especially if re-sale is of importance. On the other hand a perfectly displayable and beautiful piece assembled from non-matching components will result in a fine grenade. Some of the best looking Mills I have seen were assembled by buying a body from, let's say from an auction site and then acquiring pieces to complete it. There are varying opinions on this as there are collectors will have nothing but all matching components in grenades in thier collection. For the sake of comparison, a Gun collector may want nothing but guns with all numbers matching components. I have always worked on a "shoestring" budget, so in my opinion, for what it is worth an assembled grenade put together with non matching (but correct) components is perfectly acceptable. Then of course a matching piece, correct in as far as correct can go will command "top dollar" when re-sale comes into the picture. Ask 100 collectors and one may be apt to get an array of opinions. In the end obviously the choice is up to you. I had once purchased a #36 body from specialist auctions, fitted it with as much original "guts" as possible, then finished it off with a reproduction handle and such. Again mike, this is one collectors opinion and opinions are abundant. Your choice man, But I get off on the hunt (finding the components to finish my grenade). If I had deeper pockets I might well go for the matching game. Hope this helps at least somewhat....Respect..........Dano

 

[Missileman]

Thank you guys
This is good news in a way because I was starting to drive myself mad looking at grenade after grenade trying to see if all the components match, and in most examples I've seen, they don't!
What about Base Plugs? Did each manufacturer use their own logo on them when assembling them or again, did they use base plugs with other companies logos on them? No 36 Arming levers are the same, some don't appear to have any markings on them at all so I've been trying to figure out whether all No36 arming levers back in the '40's had manufacturers markings embossed into them or not?
As for resale value, I never collect anything with the intention of trying to make a quick buck out of it, but I do like things to be the best they can be, if that's possible, so personally I would prefer all the parts to match but I certainly won't be fretting over that so much now.
I've also got some questions regarding restoring grenades. I've restored a couple already and spent a pretty penny doing it, more than they'll ever be worth if I sold them on, but to me that doesn't matter, I'm just happy they'll have a new lease of life, but I'll save the questions regarding restoration for a new topic.
Thanks
Mike

 

[GrahamMk5]

I am a new collector as well. Even staying with Mills No5, 23, 36 I was very confused but getting a clearer picture (I did say 'clearer' not there yet). I have found that by starting with a bought grenade I can refine the parts as I am learning about them. Nothing like looking hard at the grenade/s you have for learning how they work and their different uses. I started buying a grenade so that I could understand how it could be fired from my 1917 SMLE, so leading to learn about the Nr 23 with a rod and the Nr 36 with a gas check disc. As Missileman wrote you don't do this to make money.