Correct orientation?

[Collectinsteve]

Some German shoulder boards are "mirrored" and therefore each has a specific shoulder to be on. Does anybody know, for sure, which shoulder boards go on which shoulder? Here are two examples:



I have placed these in the picture as I think they should be if you were looking at a uniform from the front. In other words, the boards on the left are on the RIGHT shoulder of the uniform, the boards on the right are on the LEFT shoulder of the uniform. Do I have it right for both of these types, or do I have it the incorrect way?

Thanks!

Steve

[speedytop]

Hi Steve,

I can show you one example:



Uwe

[Collectinsteve]

Thanks Uwe! At leat I have that set correct. Now I just need confirmation about the other set before I sew them into a uniform. In my experience if I have a 50/50 chance of doing it the right way the first time I'll do it the wrong way

Steve

[uscob]

The way you show us in the Pic is correct. I checked a Uniform I sold today in my storage. Same way of "Arrows" direction.
Nico

[Collectinsteve]

Thanks Nico! It is nice to know that I can guess correctly sometimes

Steve

[TCW 60]

The chevrons which are pointing towards the neck are to the front of the wearer.

[Gordon Craig]

Michael,

A good way to say it.

Regards,

Gordon

[Collectinsteve]

And the stitching in the center of each bar of BW Dienstanzug collar tabs point downward, correct? I've examined many jackets and that seems to be the correct orientation. However, I do have some uniforms where they point up. The problem is I have no way of knowing if these were sewn that way in error originally or by a collector later on.

Steve

[uscob]

And the stitching in the center of each bar of BW Dienstanzug collar tabs point downward, correct? I've examined many jackets and that seems to be the correct orientation. However, I do have some uniforms where they point up. The problem is I have no way of knowing if these were sewn that way in error originally or by a collector later on.


Steve

Yes I would say so. In the 37/10 you can see this way too.

[Gene T]

Applying the Litzen and/or shoulder boards to the tunic the 'wrong' way was something that happened even during the Kaiserzeit:



Mac's right Litzen is obviously upside down.

Without seeing this photo, a collector's first impression upon looking at this tunic would have been that the Litzen must have been "post-war applied" by a forger, and a none-too-bright one at that.


Gene T

[Gene T]

Evidently the correct orientation of those woven chevrons confounded even the professionals on occasion!

I came across this erratum in the 1940 volume of Uniformen Markt. Some eagle-eyed reader probably saw the mistake in the March 1st issue and just couldn't resist calling the editor:





At least we have solid proof here that everyone who had responded to Steve's question was 100% correct.


Gene T

[hoover]

The small arrows on the front side have to go in head direction. On both shoulders.