CRAZY rare DKiG!

[Nick Carraway]

This is a VERY, very rare DK - thanks JT!

[Tom B]

It's Very, very strange looking !

[Dietrich Maerz]

A very nice original (most likely Westmann Typ 3 due to the small swastika) on very rare grey backing (Waffen-SS and Assault Gun Crews).

Dietrich

[collector5168]

Another

Hers's another which was part of the Von Gottberg grouping. Jeff

[Dietrich Maerz]

Now that is also rare but it is not a Typ 3, but rather a Type 1 made by hermann Schmuck & Cie.

[collector5168]

Rare?

What about this example which is completely embroidered including the gold leaf ring?

[Calvin Hall]

I am wondering if the cross shown from the Von Gottberg grouping has a replace wreath.

The tabs on the reverse sit atop the paper backing and printed makers mark. Strange.

[Waffenreich]

Not questioning your DK expertise Dietrich, but if Waffen-SS uniforms and Assault Gun wraps were supposed to be of the standard shade as the Heer 4-pocket tunics of a specific period, why would a different "grey" shade of DK be necessary? What I understand you to say is that an assault gun tunic of 1942 , 43, or 44 would be that radically different in wool quality and dye shade that it necessitated the production of a uniquely colored backing to complement the tunic? Is this in a period regulation governing the production of the cloth DKiG?

Just asking because this makes absolutely no sense to me.

To me this cross looks like a very faded example of the standard moss green felted wool. I copied the pic and played around with my color settings and it looked normal to me as opposed to washed out like it does here. I have handled I don't know how many DKs with many looking like this so did I "give away" a jewel

A very nice original (most likely Westmann Typ 3 due to the small swastika) on very rare grey backing (Waffen-SS and Assault Gun Crews).

Dietrich

[Dietrich Maerz]

It si documented in the literature (and not only by me, but far earlier in Germany), that there was this color in use for the German Cross in Cloth, however not period. I had examples in my hand and it is clearly gray, not faded whatever.

The cloth version was not necessarily needed to be exact the same color, there are even examples of soldiers wearing white on a black tunic.

This one is a gray as they come. Here is another one.

Dietrich


PS: The same assumption - meaning "faded out" - was made between light khaki and darker khaki. However, they are two different versions of the Afrika Korps for Heer and Luftwaffe.

[Waffenreich]

Thanks for the clarification Dietrich. I guess I will start paying closer attention to the shade difference in-hand as I have definitely had these before and just thought it was a poor dye lot etc..

Thanks again.

Bob

It si documented in the literature (and not only by me, but far earlier in Germany), that there was this color in use for the German Cross in Cloth, however not period. I had examples in my hand and it is clearly gray, not faded whatever.

The cloth version was not necessarily needed to be exact the same color, there are even examples of soldiers wearing white on a black tunic.

This one is a gray as they come. Here is another one.

Dietrich


PS: The same assumption - meaning "faded out" - was made between light khaki and darker khaki. However, they are two different versions of the Afrika Korps for Heer and Luftwaffe.

[Exile]

The cloth version was not necessarily needed to be exact the same color, there are even examples of soldiers wearing white on a black tunic.

I have a Heer cloth DKiG from a reasonably well documented KM Officer RK group which in my opinion backs up this assertion.

Matt