Austrian tunic and cap for discussion..

[Jens Thune]

Just out of interest, do anyone has a picture of how the collartabs would have looked like?
Also, probebly a dumb question ( please have in mind I collect ww2 tunics ) did this type of tunic have shoulderboards??

All the best and thanks for your patience
Jens

[Brian Calkins]

Well, if this was indeed a Kaiserjäger tunic, the collar patches would have been green rectangles I think, with white metal edelweiss pin on each side. As Chip said, this bullion version is not standard but looks like maybe they were once part of a larger collar patch?

Most late war Austrian tunics would have no patch at all, or just a thin vertical strip of wool.

There would have been no shoulder boards, but most tunics would have had functional cloth shoulder straps with no decoration or insignia. Some private purchase tunics were made without these.

Hope this helps.

Brian

[Chip M]

Here is an example of a Kaiserschützen collar tab with Edelweiß. The Kaiserschützen had dark green shoulder straps with metallic lace edging and the royal cypher and crown of the Emperor Franz Josef, or later, that of Kaiser Karl.

Chip

[Brian Calkins]

Hi chip,
Good information. When I start talking about things other than headgear...I am usually wrong!

What do you think of this cap posted here? It looks good at first glance, but it's so clean on the inside, it was obviously never worn and the badges are just add-ons.

One thing concerns me that it might be a fake that is made out of old wool...there is a small hole on the underside of the visor that has been repaired with matching cloth. Either that matching cloth came from some hidden part of the cap and it is authentic...or the cloth came from the extra old wool when the cloth was made and it's a fake.

On the other hand, Who would be dumb enough to make a fake with the buttons reversed? That makes no sense and leads me to think it's authentic.

Am I over thinking this? What do you think?

Since I rarely see posts on Austrian caps...I'm trying to keep this baby alive!
Brian

[foersterBerlin]

Hi,
there is no doubt that the cloth of the cap is old, but I have a strange feeling on the inside of the lining. Hechtgrau cloth was used from 1908 - 1915, so it disappeared quite early in the war. The lining looks to be of a crude or poor quality ( perhaps the photo). All hechtgrau caps I have inspected had leather or waxed linnen sweatbands. This here looks to be " natural" and show only very minor wear.

If it is a fake it is one of the best I have seen.

Regards
Stefany

[Chip M]

Brian,

I see your points and I naturally have an aversion to caps with cloth visors, unless they are wool felt. As you say, the fakes have gotten so good that one always wonders. My Hechtgrau caps have a natural linen lining. One has a leather sweatband and the felt one has what appears to be a faux leather band made from pressed paper?

Chip

[PlaceOfBayonets]

I only what that repro wool looks nothing like the original stuff and this tunic was screaming "I'm the real deal"!!

W.

[foersterBerlin]

That´s the point I stumbled about: this natural linnen sweatband!
I have never seen this on original caps, only leather, oil/wax cloth or Ersatzleder.
Looks a bit like DAK ( Deutsches Afrika Korps) caps.

The tunic was perhaps worn at the Heimwehr after the war and therefor the collar tabs removed and only the Edelweiss worn as a designation for an alpine based troop (f.e. Tirol).

Just some thoughts on this couple, if original I would like to own it.

Regards
Stefany

[Brian Calkins]

I have seen cloth sweatbands before. They are rare and from what I have seen, only on low end private purchase caps. Not all private purchase material was finely tailored. In fact, as the war progressed, you can see the same drop in materials and workmanship in tailor made caps that you see in issue caps. The similar hechtgrau cap that I once owned that had the cloth visor and reversed buttons, also had a brown cloth sweatband. The lining was a floral patterned scrap material. I have seen this on a couple of other caps...using scrap material for linings just as they used for the cloth pockets on the steel helmets.

[foersterBerlin]

I agree, that later in war all sort of materials were used, but as hechtgrau disappeared in 1915 it is quite unusual to find such low quality at this early stage of war. The cap You discribe is more "usual" as it has a coloured sweatband even if made of cloth.
But natural colour?
In private purchase caps all sorts of lining were used even this floral pattern "curtain cloth".

Austrian soldiers seem to have loved the private purchase caps and uniforms. Even my Great-garndfather wore a uniform tailored of cord- wool cloth. For the cap I am not sure as it is matching the regulations.

Generally it is hard to tell from photos, best is always to have it in Your hands and inspect it.

Best Wishes
Stefany