SS VT " Deutschland" Shoulder Boards

[TobyR]

Hi Everyone,

I acquired these in trade from a fellow forum member last year and intend to list them on the e-stand.

Given they are rather rare and as a result somewhat valuable, I thought it might offer reassurance to any potential buyer if I post them here first.

It is my understanding that these would have been produced for wear with the overcoat, since they are a little longer than standard. Incidentally, traces of the RZM tags to the reverse.

Thanks for your time.

All the best,
Toby.

[TobyR]

b

[TobyR]

c

[Felix]

I just do not feel completely confident in the shape of the "D"s.
There exists some very good repros. Some of them out of an Italian source.

//Felix

[TobyR]

Thanks for your reply Felix. Perhaps my photos don't help you, since they are not straight on.

You can see better photos of my boards on Grant Bias's website (I've owned them for some time now but he has forgotten to delete them from his listing):

http://www.ssvtmilitaria.com/SB4018%...d%20boards.htm

He also shows them here, shortly after acquiring them at the 2007 MAX:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...schland+boards

Toby.

[Felix]

Toby, thanks for your straight photos. Its better for comparison. "D" gothic cyphers are very hard to judge and the repros are very good. Yours are in between originals I have seen and fakes. (fakes posted below - out of a source in Italy - that nearly fooled me a few years ago) Grant is a good guy as we know and I would not question him - however I just post my concern. Why would the cloth rzm tags be so neatly cut off? That could be for many reasons. Hard to explain. Please do not mark my words, as its just an observation. Please be wary in any casy as original "D" cyphers and especially a mathing pair is very rare. The shape of originals are quite special, but a bit hard to judge as few has true pedigree ones to compare with. They might be originals, but again, hard to judge. I just want the best for all. I am sure others with more knowledge will fill in, however Im still on the careful side.

//Felix

[wewelsburg]

I like Tobys straps,as for the rzm tags,someone wanted to use them for something else Im sure...
BUT one thing,usually just one board is RZM tagged in a pair in paper and cloth tags,so these I believe are two right sides,which doesnt mean a thing at this rank as both are piped the same direction for SS-Mann/Sturmann unlike higher ranks,and these were found in Germany in a set of ten,so mismatching was most definately the case,I think that points in a good direction for these,as a faker this good would no only one gets tagged...example of another pair with only one tagged side
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ight=TV+straps

[Robert H]

the base of the straps look OK for my view, right stitching lines as as well.
the letter embroidery not so 100% sure, but looks better then on those copys. compare it to the G board hoard from Grand Bias, he also has lot of experience with the D boards.

[TobyR]

Thanks for the additional replies on these.

I know Grant has handled and owned a lot of D boards. As such, I would think these ought to be good, given that I acquired them from Grant himself.

[TobyR]

In discussing these privately, I keep being referred to Grant (Bias) in light of his considerable experience and with it expertise of SS-VT boards, and in particular, Deutschland boards.

As such and since the boards were acquired from Grant, I will refer to the following description, as taken from his website (he omitted to delete the boards from his listing having traded them with me last year), which is as follows:

SS VT " Deutschland" Sew in Shoulder Boards. Here is a hard to find set of early SS shoulder boards. Boards are, IMO for the overcoat, due to the length. Textbook embroidery to the cyphers , correct black silver twist piping. Correct buttonhole stitch. Remnants of cloth tags remain on the reverse side. This set of boards was one of ten sets that were found in Europe a few years back from a German estate.

Given the number of original boards Grant has had pass through his hands (and there's no beating hands-on experience), he ought to know what he is talking about.

[Bob Hritz]

Having never collected the VT monogrammed boards with black and aluminum piping, I am not qualified to give an opinion. I would suggest comparison of the piping with other VT boards for similarity.

Bob Hritz

[Hohenstaufen]

Toby,

These boards are real. They have been examined by two of the top SS cloth collectors after I got them and there are no red flags. I have owned and still own several singles and matched sets of embroidered VT boards and the cyphers have the same characteristics and construction as my other ones. Hope this helps. Regards, Grant

[wewelsburg]

Thing is the one on the right is what is giving pause to some because teh D isnt "perfect" but if they both looked like the one on the left,which is more uniform noone would even have uttered a nay.IMHO

Also instead of concentrating on the white part of the D look at the negative space inside teh letter and around it for uniformity.

[Gary Wood]

Nice original straps IMO

[TobyR]

Thanks for the additional comments. Much appreciated.

As mentioned at the beginning of the thread, my intention in posting was to reassure any potential buyer as to the authenticity of the boards. I believe this has been achieved and will now offer them for sale.

All the best,
Toby.