1970 U.S.Citizen (click the flag above for Karl's history)

1968-69 VietNam Veteran,
334th AHC (AH-1G, Cobra), Bien Hoa/VietNam

Click for Battallion History 03/69

 Not so famous quotes, but words of meaning in Karl's environment...

Praying, no matter in what language, only those who don't pray are without hope.  There are only two kinds of people in this world... LEADERS and FOLLOWERS, Which are YOU...?	There's no one I can respect less,but an individual who is indecisive.. What greater pleasure is there to be found, but... the touch of a woman, being of one mind, in an embrace that does not require the spoken word. Far too much time is wasted in hopes of tomorrow and memories of the past. Better live for the moment…its fleeting.	However many accolades, Sotheby's only deals with a 'paint-by-the number' if it carries a genuine Picasso signature. Heartless considered by some, I shall never let my personal feelings/ emotions be paramount to logic and rational thinking
There is no fool like an old fool, yet I don't know of anyone who has successfully placed a benchmark on 'old' -so, it must be 101- making me a mere youngster, but for my acquired experience.	Many a man's folly is.... boasting of his prowess. I may be had, but I will never be bought.	It 's not vital to know everything, but rather WHERE to find it, when needed. P.S. Try your local public library, it's the best deal in town
You can fool most of the people most of the time, but you can't fool yourself.... Just DO IT... the world is full of procrastinators.	We only get one shot at life, so...let's have fun. With only one shot at life, you better aim straight..	For every tote, there is an antitote... Whenever you pass a mirror, say something GOOD to yourself...

.......It takes no special talent to appreciate the beautiful pieces of body armor displayed in the world's museum collections, since it is art at its finest, hand crafted with a skill and proficiency unsurpassed in some 500 years.
Yet, to comprehend the underlying nature of its origin and place in history, it takes more than admiration. In short, it demands an individual native to the language, history, and German traditions, only then can the profound impact the plattner profession has had on the past be realized to it's fullest extent.
The more than one thousand, three-hundred year old hanseatic city of Bremen\Germany -where Karl was born and raised- kindled his earliest interest into the Middle Ages, especially the Renaissance. A time when plate armor had reached the peak of technical perfection and artful extravaganza, available to only the wealthiest of royalty and nobility.
Karl apprenticed under a world renowned plattner in a south German city , where he was taught the "TRADITIONAL" way of forging armor, unlike today's welded sheet metal and mass produced hardware, machine stamped in Spain, India and various Eastern European countries. Specializing in the production of beautifully etched and embossed pieces of parade armor, a city recognized master plattner taught Karl a skill, which in its heyday has stood -and does to this very day- far apart from the makers of standard munitions armor, a skill once practiced by only the most talented of Renaissance artists who were in a class all of their own. Karl's early teacher and mentor has practiced the plattner profession for nearly one half of a century, even worked for Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and the Royal Dutch Armory. Palaces and castles throughout Germany rely on his rare talent by producing the much more impressive style of personalized parade armor, while also doing restoration- and conservation work on museum armor.
Among the many individuals, who -to varying degrees- occupy themselves with the making of armor, Karl is the only bona fide plattner with the necessary historical knowledge and skill, able to produce the same 16th-17th century, beautifully etched and embossed pieces of Renaissance steel, forged and tempered in the “TRADITIONAL” way...though no doubt, at considerable cost.
Of course, Karl is able to produce similarly hand crafted items by incorporating a number of cost saving measures, thereby making them less pricy and more easily available to art- and armor collectors, who otherwise would not be able to afford a rare, one-of-kind item representing a piece of European history.
Karl's skill and craftsmanship as a plattner stands alone, inspired by masterpieces of the past. Hand crafted, etched and embossed, decorated with cold enamel, rhinestones, gold-leafed or gilding on original Renaissance art, at times even adorned with current owners family crests or other custom designs, Karl's works are made for people from all walks of life. The majority of his creations are commissioned by corporations, insurance companies and law offices instead of paintings, sculptures or other investment pieces, and can be found throughout the country. Some of his more recent works (two etched parade armors in black and gold), displayed on raised, custom crafted, granite bases, grace the grand entryway of a new $ 4 Million Dollar “ GOLD’S GYM” now 'HEROES' Health-and Fitness Club in Madison, WISCONSIN (Relocated to Las Vegas, NV in 2004).
Not only collectors, but also small businesses demand Karl's creations for the purpose of drawing attention to their special enterprise.
Photo studios, advertising and marketing companies, as well as theater groups and public libraries have taken advantage of Karl's (though still small) armor rental service and the most popular, ornate style of parade armor (the Archbishop FECHENBACH of: Fechenbach’sches Schloss in Dieburg/Germany) has found its way -rented by the DEMCO CORP- to the 1994 national library convention in Atlanta.GA. The same company also featured this "Harnisch" as part of the cover page on their 1993 Fall catalog.
In years past, Karl's works have been seen on various regional TV stations and aired on ABC TV's GOOD MORNING AMERICA with Morton Dean. During 1995 special segments have been produced and aired on WITI-TV in Milwaukee and for CLTV-24 in Chicago, as well as appeared on the FOX TV Network. During January of 1996 a production by ABC TV Network News aired on WORLD NEWS TONIGHT with Peter Jennings and a feature on NBC's TODAY SHOW, as well as CNN is still in the planning stage. In addition, a two page article and color photo feature, originally produced by the 'Chicago Tribune' (distributed by the Knight-Ridder News Service) is still appearing in newspapers from coast to coast. Other stories and photos of Karl's rare skill have most recently been featured in the national "SUN" tabloid and in the March, April 96 issue of "MODERN MATURITY" magazine. Live interviews on radio shows from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Honolulu, Hawaii have helped garner an intense national interest in the plattner profession, and Karl's work in particular. Most recently, Karl’s work received special mention by commentator Roger Mudd on the HISTORY Channel’s “ARMS IN ACTION” program, a five part historical series. Further more, Karl's works have also been featured in the theater production of 'I HATE HAMLET' and in the July/August 1999 Gilbert & Sulivan production 'PRINCESS IDA' staged by the Madison Savoyards, which again found use in the July 20004 production of Gilbert & Sullivan's RUDDIGORE (or: The Witch's Curse).
In spite of this, Karl is not ready to call himself a master until achieving his ultimate goal, namely to produce articles in the fashion and quality of some of the most talented masters of them all...especially Wolfgang Grosschedel, Lucio Piccinino and Filippo Negroli, whose works have had the most profound impact on him. Among the truly Great, their names rank universal, and their works hold a place of highest esteem in the most prestigious armor collections around the world.
For this purpose Karl travels several times per year to Europe. In late 1995 commissioned works required inspection and study tours to museums in Berlin, London and Wales, and during April/May 1996 to video tape one of the most incredible armor collections at the Rüst- und Waffenkammer of the Zwinger Armories in Dresden, formerly located in East Germany. A special visit to consult and work with his friend, world renowned plattner Walter Suckert in Germany (his work prominently featured during the tournament scenes, in the Arts- and Entertainment Cable TV documentary KNIGHTS & ARMOR) has materialized during that time. Again, in October 1996 Karl visited the newly established Royal Armoury in Leeds\England, the Wallace Collection in London, as well as the Rüstkammer in Emden/ Germany. Since then, Karl has teamed up again with Walter Suckert for a special study tour to the worlds best known museum comprising tournament armor, the National Germanic Museum in Nürnberg/Germany. Other important museums visited more recently are in Munich and the incredible collection of Schloss Ambras in Innsbruck/Austria.
Since, due to prior commitments, a planned study tour to video tape actual tournaments at Landshut/ Bavaria (held only once every four years) -during the re-enactment of the"Landshuter Hochzeit" in 1997- did not materialize, Karl again traveled to Germany for several week during April/May 1998, where he worked once again in the workshop of his good friend Walter Suckert, (the world’s undisputed, most experienced Plattner of Gothic style armor) refining traditional forging methods, as well as visiting and video taping various armor collections, among them: those of the Veste Coburg and the -now being renovated- Heidecksburg in Rudolstadt in the state of Thüringia, located in former East Germany.
Another trip to Europe took place Nov.2 -23,1998, this time, Paris is his first stopover. Thereafter, continuing on to video tape those magnificent pieces of militaria at the Wallace Collection in London, the Royal Armouries at theTower of London, and finally a very special trip to Eastnor Castle in Ledbury, the West of England. By special invitation from the Honorable Lady Bathurst, Karl had the opportunity to study and video tape her private armor collection - a part of the former Meyrick Collection of Hereford, fairly unknown in the world of armor- but most deserving of international attention. Contractual obligations pushing for the delivery of the last armor of the Century, delayed another Nov. 1999 tour to the Zeughaus in Graz/Austria. Hopefully, this trip shall be realized during March/April of 2000 and include also the Leib-Rüstkammer in Vienna/Austria and once more the grandest collection of them all......in Dresden/Germany. (Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to visit the AMERIA REAL in Madrid)
Considerable time is also spend researching hand written original treatise kept in libraries and city archives of former major armor producing centers in Europe. Museum catalogs of every major and minor collection are Karl's daily staple and he is a subscriber to the ARMS & ARMOUR SOCIETY in London England, the most widely recognized organization bringing together scholars, collectors and professional experts.

click the thumbnail below

click here to view work (no longer) in progress

01/15/2002
Currently, Peter and Lydia are enjoying their stay as my guests in Madison, WISCONSIN, taking in the sights, spending time in my workshop, and...doing all the shopping they can cram into time left over.......not to mention, being blown away by experiencing

Click on: KARL'S WORK to view the finished 'FUMIDUS' Harnisch

All in all, this was a most successful study tour ever. Aside from spending time in the German workshop of Master Plattner Walter Suckert (click to view some of Walter's work) Karl managed to return to Madison with a copy of LAKIN (as in: Sir Guy Francis Lakin, Bart) late keeper of the kings Armoury, a very rare 5 volume, leather-bound 1920 publication.........which he found by chance in Newport, Gwent, South Wales, Great Britain. And finally, a new video from the Hermitage Armoury in St. Petersburg has also come into Karl's collection ...a gift from Boris, a like-minded friend in southern Russia.

Stay well, and stay tuned for more..................

Plattner
Karl of Germany
WISCONSIN
USA

You can contact me either through the "SEND EMAIL" button below, or any other time direct at:

kog24@att.net