Unknown Jacket - Kriegsmarine?

[azamat]

Hi everybody,

I bought this jacket on ebay. Vendor said its a Kriegsmarine Lammfell Uniform-Jacket. I couldnt find a picture to confirm this. The jacket has some smallish black buttons with "For Gentlemen" written on them. So I really doubt, that this is an original Kriegsmarine piece...but maybe I am wrong?!

[Johnny R]

Seeing English on buttons used with WWII era German clothing is normal. My favorite piece was a LW tunic made by an Irish tailor. I do not know much about issue navy clothing but I suspect this is probably a commercially sold piece or tailor-made and these are difficult to date. Coats like this were worn but by the Army etc. as well.

[frank savage]

Hallo!

Is difficult say if it was wore by an Uboot crewman... They often used lots of not regulamentary stuff, became from the civilian market. Many of these was made for the increasing request of warm suit from the east front, and used from the army and airforce either. For sure this is not a regulation jacket... So I wouldn't pay too much for it!

Hope this help.

[johnpahl]

I believe that there is a picture of Herbert A. Werner wearing a similar coat in his book "Iron Coffins" but I do not have it handy to confirm.

[Vincent S.]

Hello,

This coat might in fact be a military produced example, as I have seen one once before that was clearly marked in a military manor. The buttons were indeed a common feature. The fur pants shared by Petr a while back had the exact same style of buttons, if memory serves that is.

I have seen this exact style coat a couple of times in original pictures - most now residing in my own collection - but these images only show Heer soldiers on the Eastern Front. Will see if I can fnd any "Kriegsmarine" related pictures.


Best,
Vincent S.

[Johnny R]

Did it have depot stamps or only the military style size stamps? The size stamps were used in non-contract commercial and privately made clothing as well.

[Vincent S.]

Hi Johnny,

I am aware that such size stamps were not restricted to military-issue garments, albeit, this coat certainly was, as it featured a depot marking, B43 if I'm not mistaken, and a known RBNr.

I will see if I can find out which RBNr it was, but I can't recall right now. Mea culpa for not knowing all the RBNr's I have encountered by heart - a mortal sin for an avid uniform collector - Will post the RBNr as soon as I tracked it down.

Best,
Vincent S.

[azamat]

Thanks for help guys!

Vincent, to be honest I dont really care too much if this Jacket was also worn by personnel of the Kriegmarine. If u can confirm that this is an official or unofficial piece worn during WW2 by German soldiers I would be completly content with it.

[Vincent S.]

As also published in my book, German Army and Luftwaffe Winter Uniforms in WWII. The exact same style "in wear". This type is actually one of the scarcer versions, only to be superseded in rarity by the three-quarter length version with cotton exterior.

Best,
Vincent S.

[azamat]

Cool! Thank you soo much Vincent!

[azamat]

Do you have an idea how much this piece is worth? I paid 250 Euro for it.

[Vincent S.]

It's worth what the fools pay, so they say. Albeit, 250 EUR is a fair price, maybe a bit steep. I reccon that you will have a hard time selling this though for the same price afterwards, as the collecting community seems to undervalue these, ie. they lack interest in such garments.

Best,
Vincent S.

[azamat]

Ok. I can live with that. Although I dont really understand why people undervalue such a great looking piece. ^^

Anyway, thank you once again Vincent.