Jump smock eagles

[John Hodgin]

I can't remember if I posted these before so here goes. Here is a well worn wool backed eagle on splinter.

[John Hodgin]

A greunmeliert backed eagle on tan/water.

[John Hodgin]

Disconnected.

[Perry Floyd]

John, what's the market value on something like that?

[John Hodgin]

Hi Perry,

Find me some and you will find out! Seriously, it varies greatly. Just as with helmets, or anything, condition means a lot. Breast eagles with lots of smock material around them are worth more than those cut closely. Generally, an early green backed eagle on part of a green smock is more than an eagle off a splinter smock, which is more than an eagle off a tan/water jump smock.......

I think they might begin around $250 and go up.

Any help?

regards,
John

[SMP]

John,

Such eagles are much rarer here in Europe and therfore dearer. Willi out-bid me on a camo eagle on e-bay recently, ask him how much he paid !
The only original "greunmeliert" eagle i have been offered was £ 500 sterling . You guys have all the good ones !

Regards

Steve.

[DJT]

I get the impression from this thread that if a Luft breast eagle has zig zag stitching this means it could have only been on a smock? Is that true?

Des

[Gene]

No. All my Fliegerbluse tunics have zig-zag stitched eagles as did my ground combat smock, blue tropical tunic and tan tropical tunic. Also, my tan flight jacket has such an eagle too.

[John Hodgin]

Gene is correct. All standard issue ground combat "smocks", tropical tunics, jump smocks, and most fight blouses should have zig zag sewn eagles, if the eagle is original to the piece. This applies to "other ranks" eagles. Officer's bullion eagles are found hand and machine sewn. Many early four pocket Luftwaffe tunics (NCO and EM) will have hand sewn eagles.

If you looked at the Luft. M 43 cap thread you will see that eagles on these are found hand sewn, as well as machine zig zag sewn, as well as machine straight stitched.

regards,
John

[John Hodgin]

I put this on the Uniform Forum and then thought it should be here as well. This eagle is sometimes found on tan/water jump smocks. It is backed on a ribbed grey synthetic or synthetic/natural blend.

[John Hodgin]

Here is another that does belong here.

[Willi Z.]

Very cool eagles John!!! I can't post any pics right now (not sure why my FTP on AOL is not working now) but I certainly, as you know, have my fair share of these sewn to fabric eagles.

I agree completely with John's comments on zig-zag sewn eagles.

Willi

[John Hodgin]

Hi Willi,

Have you been away? Hope you are able to post soon, would like to see more of yours.

Here is an eagle that is interesting for two reasons. First, it is on unususally thin olive material. Second, the edges of the material is woven back onto itself so that it will not fray. Have another eagle backed on very thin blue/grey material that has been treated the same way on the edges.

Best,
John

[Willi Z.]

Hi John,

Yes, was away for alittle.......

I have that same eagle.........and I have several in blue-gray with that same edge reinforcement. I think I have another in a different shade of green. Both the olive one you posted, and the bluegray one I have encountered on late-war water pattern smocks. BTW, I saw a cool water smock over the weekend........it was a '44 issue and had NON PRYM snaps.....it also had wind cuffs made from a blue cotton twill............very cool. Will have some pics of it tomorrow. Was at the Allentown show where I met Seba again and helped him buy a 98k rifle.......

Yes, have no idea why I can't post pics..........when I get my AOL FTP site, I don't see my other pics and I can't add any others. This has happened for a day or two before, but never for a two week period. Hopefully, it will clear. I wanted to add some variations of FJ helmets with wire to the helmet discussion on wire helmets.

Willi

[Willi Z.]

Finally able to post pictures again....

Here is a wool eagle on splinter fabric. I agree with Steven, these eagles (sewn to uniform bits) are more common here in the US, than in Europe. For the simple reason that combat soldiers hardly had the ability to pick up a uniform off the battlefield and carry it home. They could however, just cut off the insignia and put in in their pocket. Many of these are crudely cut, the sign of using a bayonet or another knife that was not razor sharp. I find eagles still sewn to uniforms, especially fascinating as it really speaks about the piece. Yes, a shame that so many uniforms have been damaged. But, the reality of this is that those uniforms would have never made it back home anyway. Just would have been left on the battlefield, like most were. Yes, some of these eagles (like this one which appears to have a stain of blood) where cut off of bodies. Another comment, I just spent a few days with a bunch of US 101st Airborne veterans (some of whom brought home smocks, others brought home eagles). Some of them commented on the fact that when they sent acquired items back to the rear areas, many where stolen by non-combat types. Therefore, it was easier to just cut off the insignia and put it in thier pocket or send it home with a letter.

Willi