i wanna see you repro tunics!!!

[JurgenHaack]

Grey denim SS offizier rock made by GMAX.

[JurgenHaack]

Insignia and cyphers on rock.

[JurgenHaack]

This is my baby! SS offiziers gabardine bluse custom made by Janke. The medals are all originals and the ribbon bar is a hand made reproduction.

[JurgenHaack]

More pics

[JurgenHaack]

Original Offizier mantel in Italian gabardine.

[PaulW]

Hi, some great items being posted! Nice to see ATF (Virginia's "On the March") texled uniforms being posted. I often thought about treating myself to one but I notice that they are no longer being offered by ATF, except in the 'In stock' section. Wonder if they have ceased for good?? Sign of the times? Pity...

[JurgenHaack]

My pictures don't even do the texled feldblusen justice! It is a real shame it did not work out with Rollin and Virginia as they were turning out the best stuff to ever hit the market. I hope everyone is happy with all the Chi-Com crap on the market, I am awfully afraid that before too long that's all we are going to be able to get

[PaulW]

ATF Texled uniforms?

Hi Jurgen,
do you know what happened with Virginia's uniforms at ATF - was it simply lack of demand (i.e money out there) that didn't make it commercially viable? I was quite surprised because the whole thing hadn't been up and running for long when they were dropped.

Interestingly I was talking to a UK dealer who sells reproduction uniforms at a recent UK fair (James Brown of Phoenix militaria - he sells Janke stuff) about good quality metal awards and medals and asked if they were getting better. He said "No, they're getting worse" - he said it's all Chinese now and they're nothing like as good as the earlier European copies (admittedly some of those were made to fool and sold as originals). Seems like there is a pattern here....

I also collect top quality Confederate reproduction uniforms and I can tell you that some of the best people out there have gone. There are still some good makers, but nothing like there were even 5 years ago.

BTW - Do you know if Virginia has given up or if she will start up again on her own? I notice that her website is still saying that she is working with ATF and hasn't been updated.

[JurgenHaack]

Paul,

The Asian stuff has really flooded the market and killed it for the high end stuff. Most people have no idea of how a feldbluse should fit, how it is made and have probably never owned or held an original. With that being said the Asian crap is perfectly fine and acceptable to them and it's cheap. I certainly cannot speak for Rollin or Virginia but I feel safe in saying the Asian stuff hurt them big time, Sturm has got pretty good for the money and reenactors are fickle and most fit the first paragraph with all that said I think that is what ended the "texled" line of feldbluse and hosen. I am surprised it lasted as long as it did frankly. It was a hard sell in these tough economic times. A custom M40 for $695 or the same Strum M40 for $99.99? I would not be caught dead in a Sturm but that's me. I am glad i got my feldbluse and hosen!!

I don't know what Virginia will do. I certainly hope she does not throw in the hat but I would be surprised if she calls it a day due to the info above. Rollin stated that he MAY make high end feldbluse in stock sizes but no more custom stuff. Janke is the only person to continue and survive the custom order market. New Columbia folded years ago over custom orders among other things.

[JurgenHaack]

Paul,

I forgot to add but I think the current market even killed Chen (ANT-Z) oddy enough. His stuff was pretty good for the money, but I think he thought everyone in the Western world was a reenactor and flooded the market with his products and all the other Asian dealers caught on and did the same thing at cheaper prices thus hurting his business.

[dcdefend]

Mantel

Jurgen,

How about some more pictures of the mantel and its insignia. Maybe outside in natural light. It looks great and I like to see more detail.

John

[JurgenHaack]

Vintage 1980's Janke Offizier feldbluse

Here is a 1980's vintage Janke that was made when Janke still employed actual wartime tailors. The cut, fit and craftsmanship is 100 times better then what Janke currently turns out. This bluse is amazing!

[Graham G]

Paul,

I forgot to add but I think the current market even killed Chen (ANT-Z) oddy enough. His stuff was pretty good for the money, but I think he thought everyone in the Western world was a reenactor and flooded the market with his products and all the other Asian dealers caught on and did the same thing at cheaper prices thus hurting his business.

What Kiled Chen is the fact that, on panzergrenadier.net and AHF, pople constantly complain about his quality. I love what I own, and he is the only cheap place to get custom, quality uniforms. But people kept comparing them to jankes and LBs, which they're not.

[JurgenHaack]

It was a lot more to it then just people complaining on forums trust me. People complain all the time.

[JurgenHaack]

Janke M43 made from his limited run of late war "Knettle cloth" recycled material materail. This stuff is nasty itchy.