Show us your Foreign volunteer tunics/insignia

[djpool]

last picture

[Askold]

I think the last POA patch is fake. I am also concerned as to why both Kubanka hats have identical oxidizing to the metal parts and yet the hats themselves look rather new. Also am not sure on General POA tabs - tresse looks very strange.

[paul.j]

foreign volunteer

G'day,
Yes,I would have to agree with Askold on those points.I would also add that I dont think I have seen a kubanka yet that has German tress that I would term an original.
Paul.

[kerryboo]

Hello,
Askold and Paul, thank you for your views. As with any collector, it is always possible to make mistakes, and good to know what they are. If I can just answer some of the points, but I am not disputing your obvious and undoubted expertise and knowledge. The fourth ROA patch was bought on a street market here in Normandie and I can easily concede that it may be fake, thank you. The "generals" collar patches came the same way with some other odds and ends. I have never considered that they may be generals, I have always been puzzled by them. I have had the kubankas for quite some time and the oxydation on two of them is indeed somewhat even, although they are not as minty close-up. But, in their defence, they are both made in similar fashion, but from very different cloth and different linings, stamps and eagles etc. Whilst I have owned them I have often questioned their originality, but find myself leaning towards the genuine. Interestingly Bob Hritz has posted a scan of some of his mouth-watering cossack items, one of which is a kubanka with, it appears, German style tress. Once again, many thanks for your frank evaluations, more food for thought! Kerry.

[Gaspare]

the insignia appears to have a chemical agent [maybe for ageing effect] applied to them..

with the POA patchs,,there are the norm ,what we're all used to seeing in hand and in period photos..But there are still variants / cottage made pieces that could show up..The patch in question? unless there is something glaring out from it like synthetic materials,a known fake style its pretty hard to tell..Hold on to it as something more could turn up on it...

[Askold]

Hello Kerryboo:

The "generals" collar patches came the same way with some other odds and ends. I have never considered that they may be generals, I have always been puzzled by them.

- Is it possible to see the back scan of the tabs?

[kerryboo]

Hello Askold,
With pleasure. Thank you for your interest, I see from your previous posts that you have quite some knowledge. What is your view on kubankas with German style tress crosses? In their book, Uniforms and Badges of the Cossacks in the German Army, Schuster and Tiede show several German-made kubankas with just this sort of decoration. One of mine, the last one shown, has a field-grey top, do you think that, if it is genuine, it would be for German cadre members? Anyway, here are the patches you asked about,
Kerry

[PANZERPIONIERE]

That Armenien dog tag is really nice, never seen one before.

[Mike Davis]

Late quality, made from the so-called 'Italian wool'.

[Mike Davis]

+

[Askold]

Hello Karryboo:

Thanks for the photos. Its hard to say as to originality. The backing is definately different from any other POA tabs that I've seen. This type of tabs should definately have some piping to them - is there any sign of it? Its hard to guess from the photos, but are they worn? I hate to think, but if the answer to both questions is no, then its probably a copy. Now as for cubankas - the one posted by Bob Hritz I belive has a very different stiching on the top. All three to me seem to be copies - the cockades (as pointed out by Gaspare) clearly seem to be artificially aged. Examining photos of kubankas (I really recomment Francois de Lannoy "Les Cosaques De Pannwitz") you will see that most of them did not even have any cockades to begin with. Have you tried testing them under Black light?

[Askold]

Frnatistic tunic Mike! Its so rare to see Kuban shield in bevo, thank you for the photos.

[Laurens Q-fin]

I couldn't resist either to congratulate you, Mike, with that fine tunic. Especially the shield is amazing...

And thanks to all for posting your items
Laurens

[nakta]

Mike,
Thanks for sharing. The shield is really beautiful(let alone being attatched on a tunic)

[djpool]

Heres my latest pickup from Bob Hritz. He had two that were part of a roll, so he cut off one for me. Unfortunately they were both the same side. Bob couldn't remember which Legion they were for. I searched this thread and couldn't find these exact tabs. However there was a pair for the Armenian Legion that had the same colors. So can I assume they're for the Armenian Legion?

WR Jim