Mint tropical aufkl. boards

[alexandre]

Hi to all,

What do you think about this pair, cloth and rayon piping are period ( tongues lining is odd), but I have a doubt about the construction.
Don't hesitate to share your impressions!

[alexandre]

2

[alexandre]

3

[alexandre]

4

[afrikasandman]

I am by no means an expert on tropical boards but I do like the look of the sewing around the button holes. I have never seen a pair made with that blue colored thread but that doesn't make them bad on its own. The green/blue wool underlay is a bit different than I have encountered but who knows for sure. I like them more than I don't but NZMARK and Mark G will know for sure. These guys are both really good with tropical boards. I have only handled a small portion compared to those guys. Matt

[NZMark]

Good materials, though the wool underlay appears a bit 'turquois' on my monitor(?)
The construction also looks good, too. Nice button hole stitching, & I like the 'chocolate' twill on the tongues, while the tongue underlay colour doesn't worry me at all. The pair are just so awfully 'mint'....& Reconaisance? From what I'm aware of Aufklarungs used goldgelb in 1941, then in late 1941 they went to Copper Brown....
Matt, thanks for the vote of confidence but I can only tell so much from photos! I'd like to know what that wool feels like. I'd prefer a bit of wear and stress on the components to see the threading open out a bit & see what opens out first, another key to originality.
I'd like to hear from more experienced collector's on this as well.
Where did this 'mid-war' set appear from, Alex?
Regards,
Mark

[alexandre]

Thx Mark and Matt for your message,
Unfortunatly, no provenance for this pair, the last owner obtained it from a show in Germany with a transport pair (different construction)
Sure this pair is clearly mint, but this isn't disturbing for me...

[derka]

not my area, and i might need glasses,
but i don't see junctions of different pieces under those stiching lines :



am i wrong, or is it a normal feature ?

derka

[alexandre]

Derka, no worries, the wool at the back is made from different pieces of wool , it's just difficult to see it in the pics.

[derka]

good then,
hard to clearly distinguish sometimes, even having them in hands,
particulary if the different pieces are made with close wool material.
i usualy use a needle to check with care in those cases.
derka

[NZMark]

Derka,
I can also see what Alexandre means. The ends do not align, just showing the 'butt' of the joins...
Mark

[derka]

Derka,
I can also see what Alexandre means. The ends do not align, just showing the 'butt' of the joins...
Mark

yes, i definitly need glasses.
derka

[afrikasandman]

Mark,

I agree a hands on would certainly help with these. I don't like the minty stuff either as you know. If it comes in it usually goes out. They are a different pair but I still lean towards them being right. Matt

[Mark Gibson]

Alexandre,

I actually wouldn't feel all that comfortable with this pair. One thing that really stands out for me is this very oddly placed stitching. The stitching is something that I haven't seen on 'known' original tropical shoulderstraps. I would prefer to see 'shirt/lining material scrap' for the tongue underlay but it isn't unusual for tunic twill to be used, just nowhere near as common.
The rest of the construction looks fine, as has been stated already. Different coloured thread used is odd as well as the colour of that tongue backing material , but this was scrap. I take it that these are about 10 to 10.5 cm judging by the button holes? That would explain why they look a little large.

Just my thoughts

Mark

[OSS]

Alexandre,

I actually wouldn't feel all that comfortable with this pair. One thing that really stands out for me is this very oddly placed stitching. The stitching is something that I haven't seen on 'known' original tropical shoulderstraps. I would prefer to see 'shirt/lining material scrap' for the tongue underlay but it isn't unusual for tunic twill to be used, just nowhere near as common.
The rest of the construction looks fine, as has been stated already. Different coloured thread used is odd as well as the colour of that tongue backing material , but this was scrap. I take it that these are about 10 to 10.5 cm judging by the button holes? That would explain why they look a little large.

Just my thoughts

Mark

I totally agree with these remarks. These are elaborate reproductions in my view. Great pains have been taken to have the backings appear like wartime scrap and the piping is quite excellent but as Mark has noted the construction is not quite authentic.