Revealing E-bay Auction

[W.Unland]

Hello,

I saw this auction of police greatcoat scraps.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Schupo-Police-co...QQcmdZViewItem
At first it seems rather innocent until one reallizes that the pieces being sold are those that don't supply usable police green wool. All of the body, sleeves etc. are missing. GEE.....I wonder why?

After disassembling a greatcoat, I wonder how many sleeve eagles you can embroider, or side caps you can make with the salvaged police green wool? With greatcoats selling for the price of one or two sleeve eagles, the 100+ eagles, or 8-10 sidecaps you can make from the harvested material make tearing the coat apart a good investment.

Watch out for a new batch of eagles on worn period wool, or a new batch of caps to hit the market soon I'm afraid.

I am NOT accusing the seller of anything. He may be a perfectly nice guy and honest as they come. I have no clue how he came upon these scraps. He may very well have acquired these in good faith. That said, I am speculating about what happened to the coat before it was reduced, by whomever, to what you see in the photo.

Seems to be a little schirmmutze "alteration" also going on.........WONDERFUL!

After Peter's misfortune, and now this I am feeling really disgusted this morning!


Regards,
Bill Unland

[Dave C.]

Bill, interesting auction. It certainly makes you wonder if the pieces are actually from the "tailors shop" as stated or if something has actually been parted out for other reasons... Don't give them any ideas or for sure we will have a run on greatcoats!!!

[Nick VR]

Intresting, thx for pointing this out...

I hope your'e wrong

[SCHUPO]

Bill,

Unfortunately, you are right as rain in your assessment, IMHO.

[lbsr]

Some times ago I was told feldgraue Feldjackes (Sturmartillerie etc.) are made from Heeres Mantels here in Czech republic...
It seems police items are made in these days this way too...
From my experience as former uniforms collector I know Heeres Mantels wool are heavier than Heeres Blouse, trousers & schiffchen wool.
I think the same way (heavier wool for Mantels) was used in TR era for uniforms of all German organisations - maybe some who has PDV1 could tell us more...

[W.Unland]

Dear Jiri,

Of course you are right about a heavier wool on a greatcoat. PERFECT for embroidering sleeve eagles!. Also I don't think many of us could tell the weight of the cloth on a side cap very well. Are caps the same wool as a tunic or heavier..........I'm not sure. Your analysis is certainly good to remember though.

Regards,
Bill U

[Military Trader]

I tried like heck to sell a rural police greatcoat with original insignia on the e-stand, no takers. I put it on E-bay and it only sold for $120. I hope the person who bought it has honorable intentions

[W.Unland]

Hello,

A little follow-up. I purchased this lot, and after examining it I can say that at least one pair of police trousers and one overcoat were disassembled. There is also the lining from a police two side vent schirmmutze.

These scraps are from well worn and aged pieces so NOT unused "tailor shop" scraps as advertised. Futhermore, a tailor would not be taking caps apart, and a hatter would not be tailoring uniforms.

Consequently I must conclude that my initial thought was correct. What you see here is what is left after cutting up a great coat and pair of pants to harvest the wool for use in making reproductions. The cap lining appears to have been removed to be replace with a maker marked, more valuable lining.

The wool is too thick for use on a tunic, however; it is PERFECT for use making sleeve eagles.
Trust me, mothing and grazing on period wool is NOT enough to prove a sleeve eagle is authentic anymore.

Regards,
Bill Unland

[Dave C.]

Thanks for the follow-up comments Bill! I was hoping you would comment after winning that one. You hit the nail on the head about harvesting the wool for dubious purposes, unfortunately.

[W.Unland]

Hello,

Here is the material I was able to recover and "restore" from the collar. Easily enough to make four "original" sleeve eagles if I was so inclined. Hardly a sewing hole visable, and if I worked it a bit more you would never be able to tell it was second use material. Don't think that the professional forgers don't know the tricks. Imagine what could be done with the whole coat!

There is an equal amount of authentic period "buckram" perfect for those SS collar tabs. One man's scraps is another's potential treasure!

That's why I insist on a study of patterns, and not simply materials.

Regards,
Bill Unland

PS and before someone asks, the material will NOT be used for making anything reproduction!

[dblmed]

Txs, Bill (!)

YIKES ! ....... Thanks for the 'Head's Up' Bill ! ! !

It's just the destruction of a TR Treasure,
with the Intention to 'Make Replicas' & Deceive!!!

Bad Dogs..... Dave / dblmed