Early BGS or early Bundeswehr Camo Jacket?

[Oberbootsmann]

Hello. I've bought the jacket shown in the following pictures years ago together with the whole lot of field gear equipment. I had it stored very well and I've discovered it again two days ago.
What kind of jacket is it exactly? Is it early Bundeswehr or BGS?

Regards, Matthias

[Oberbootsmann]

3 + 4

[Oberbootsmann]

5

[Collectinsteve]

Howdy!

What you have there is a standard Bundeswehr "infantry" type jacket, blue variant. This was produced between 1956 and 1957. Check the label on the inside left breast pocket. If you're lucky the production date isn't washed out.

Although the BW officially ceased using the uniform starting in 1959, the production was terminated earlier. What they tried to do between 1957 and 1959 was figure out a replacement, and while they did that they didn't produce any more. The uniform was abandoned in favor of a wool uniform. The camouflage uniforms were worn into the mid 1960s, though, and that explains why they are generally in very tough shape.

Yours is a solid example. Still with original snaps and zipper, modest repairs and even fading. No paint, grease, or other nastiness. So while this one is pretty beat up compared to other used uniforms, by BW Splittertarn standards it's pretty darned good

The fieldgear you got with this might be worth quite a bit of money. I've seen period belts go for EUR 80 all on their own.

Steve

[Oberbootsmann]

And here's the tag of the jacket.

Regards

[Collectinsteve]

Nice label! They don't come much better than that.

Yours is definitely a near final production example. I do not know the exact last date of production, but I'm pretty sure it was in the first half of 1957.

Recently on eBay someone had a 1957 produced jacket that was in a more or less standard cotton cloth instead of the usual thin canvas type. First I've ever seen and apparently it is, indeed, quite rare. It went for a pretty big pile of Euros.

Steve

[Guardian 5]

Matthias - Beautiful coat! See below for more information:

The Model 1955 Battle Dress Uniform (Kampfanzug Modell 1955) was officially adopted on July 23, 1955. Manufactured in waterproof cotton duck, the ensemble consisted of field jacket, pants and mittens, all patterned in the Bundeswehr Splittertarnmuster camouflage design. The overall style and cut of the uniform owed much to the contemporary French Model 47/56 camouflage uniform issued to Foreign Legion paratroopers and other elite airborne units. Manufacturing disparities saw the issue of “blue” and “green” variations. The Kampfanzug Modell 1955 was worn between 1956-1959, but lingered on in some units until the mid-1960s, long after it had been officially withdrawn. Airborne and mountain troops were issued with specially modified variants of the standard uniform.

Could you also post pictures of your early field gear? You may be following the discussion on early Bundeswehr e-tools (Klappspaten).

Again, your jacket is a wonderful example. Thanks for sharing it on the forum.

All the best - TJ

[Oberbootsmann]

Matthias - Beautiful coat! See below for more information:

The Model 1955 Battle Dress Uniform (Kampfanzug Modell 1955) was officially adopted on July 23, 1955. Manufactured in waterproof cotton duck, the ensemble consisted of field jacket, pants and mittens, all patterned in the Bundeswehr Splittertarnmuster camouflage design. The overall style and cut of the uniform owed much to the contemporary French Model 47/56 camouflage uniform issued to Foreign Legion paratroopers and other elite airborne units. Manufacturing disparities saw the issue of “blue” and “green” variations. The Kampfanzug Modell 1955 was worn between 1956-1959, but lingered on in some units until the mid-1960s, long after it had been officially withdrawn. Airborne and mountain troops were issued with specially modified variants of the standard uniform.

Could you also post pictures of your early field gear? You may be following the discussion on early Bundeswehr e-tools (Klappspaten).

Again, your jacket is a wonderful example. Thanks for sharing it on the forum.

All the best - TJ

Hello and thanks for the additional information. I will show pictures of the field gear as well but that might take some days.

Regards, Matthias

[Oberbootsmann]

Btw, it is at the E-Stand now:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=472781

Regards, Matthias

[hoover]

Uff, 200€ are a price.
I am in doubt that you will get that price for that jacket. I bought 5 jackets during the last months and paid around 100 € each. 150 € für a mint condition jacket.

And the size is quite small.
Viel Glück.

[Collectinsteve]

Yes, that is quite high. There's always a couple of guys with them for sale at EUR 170 or higher and they never, ever sell. I agree with Hoover's price range as this is my experience as well.

Steve

[Oberbootsmann]

Yes, that is quite high. There's always a couple of guys with them for sale at EUR 170 or higher and they never, ever sell. I agree with Hoover's price range as this is my experience as well.

Steve

Sold for €175,00. And I could have had sold it 3 or 4 times for that price.

Regards

[hoover]

Okay, then a few people have too much money.

[Oberbootsmann]

Okay, then a few people have too much money.

... or someone wanted me to talk into a bargain sale.

[Collectinsteve]

Okay, then a few people have too much money.

I agree, Hoover Oberbootsmann, you got lucky to find someone with too much money and not enough knowledge of what eBay prices are.

I follow practically every single sale of BW camouflage on eBay, thanks to automated searches and manual searches. I probably have seen 30 jackets (and about the same number of trousers) sell on eBay this past 1 year. The price range is as low as EUR 70 and rarely goes over EUR 150.

Here is a sample of the last few that sold (still active on eBay):

EUR 78,77
EUR 157,89
EUR 88,90
EUR 77
EUR 135

My understanding of the value, therefore, is extensive and not pulled out of thin air

I have seen only a few jackets go for EUR 175 and they were in much better condition. I have never seen a standard jacket sell for 2-3 times that. Not even when the economy was very good. There usually are a couple on eBay for EUR 200+ and they never sell.

Just two weeks ago I saw a unique, one of a kind jacket. In 10 years of collecting BW camouflage this is the first time I have ever seen this type. Clearly other people understood it's value, and even then it sold for EUR 256:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/e11002...OIBUAA%3AUS%3A

Anyway, my congratulations to Oberbootsmann for doing so very, very well on a private sale. And if you do know someone that is willing to pay EUR 700 for a jacket, please let me know. I have an extra that I paid EUR 40 for that I would be more than happy to sell at that price

Steve