Questionable TKS uniform in Field Gray

[NickG]

Check out this Gem!
TKS = "Transport Korps Speer" ...or does it mean "Transformed Kai Special"?
The asking price for this uniform : 3850Euro !!

I happen to collect TKS among other things, so follow this kind of rare insignia like a hawk! (I am looking for an officers set in bullion)

TKS officers btw wore standard brown NSKK colored uniforms, but when in Heer service occasionally also WH field gray was worn with WH breast eagle...
(to show their affiliation / on Heer assignment)!

So converting a cheap stripped Heer officers tunic to something really special (exotic and expensive) is not too difficult to do with the right "TKS" parts!

This set of wonderful TKS insignia (found at a Hamberg fleamarket in 2010 for inexpensive money no doubt) was later traded away by a German collector
(and WAF member) for some FJ material and reportedly eventually ending up in this dealer's back room...Pips were added to cover his tracks IMO !

(I tried obtaining these TKS rank insignia for the restoration of a true (brown) TKS uniform but was too late....)


or is it a coincidence? I will let the images do the talking! See yellow spacing and blue damage marked areas...
I am very suspicious! Of course he will claim the uniform was obtained like this....

[NickG]

Same spacing! The WAF member that found these tabs + boards and another member (who was also after this tab set) both confirmed
when I brought it to their attention, that these are the same set with no doubt and now appearing on this "untouched" TKS uniform ! ...
with the following description: "Raritat Ersten Ranges" it states!
More here:

https://www.history-shop.de/katalog/...nes_74287.html



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[WEISNER]

Good call Nick! No surprise anymore though and given time he will find a buyer, there is an A$$ for every seat so to speak!

Perhaps a name change is in order? The new manufactured history shop!

Kev

[NickG]

Side by side comparison! (the smoking gun)

[Reggu]

Great detective work man!

[DonC]

I am sure it is just coincidence...

Don

[OSS]

It's a shame that this super rare set of insignia was used to pimp up a stripped Heer tunic to produce an extremely unlikely and unappealing result. Your evidence is overwhemingly convincing and calls into question any of this gentleman's offerings, which should not come as a surprise to anyone here on the Forum. Well done!

[TrondK]

Wow!

Nick You have a pair of good eyes.

Thank you for this very important information.

[NickG]

The rumor is that the TKS insignia lot was obtained for around 1200E (in trade value)
= 2 sets of tabs + boards, so a very nice mark up!

I wonder of this "pimped up" Heer private purchase officers tunic is named?
TKS ranks (and abbreviations) could be different from Heer!!
If it is named, that would be another issue of course...Clear indicator that it was built up like this!!
(tailor tag info not shown on Kai's site...)

[NickG]

It's a shame that this super rare set of insignia was used to pimp up a stripped Heer tunic to produce an extremely unlikely and unappealing result. Your evidence is overwhemingly convincing and calls into question any of this gentleman's offerings, which should not come as a surprise to anyone here on the Forum. Well done!

Here's an excellent candidate for that TKS insignia! A nice stripped TKS officers uniform.
I do believe that the final pattern "stylized SP" insignia was worn on such tunics without the silver collar piping...
seen usually in combination with earlier pattern metal cypher "SP" tab set, but it could be a transitional thing if applied here
as a restoration, and still far better than Kai's creation!!

http://ww2militaryantiques.com/produ...php?prodid=149


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[Laurence Strong]

Interesting

[RobertCOUTTS]

Questionable TKS Uniform

behaviour like this is an indication of what some dealers think of their customers. In just about any other industry this would be deemed criminal 'behaviour'.
cheers Robert

[Sonderkommando]

#

I agree Rob,
The question is...why isn't it deemed as criminal behaviour when it's done with militaria?

[LRRPS]

Excellent observation Nick, and thanks for sharing. Always nice to see these frauds exposed.
In norwegian law this would be classified as criminal behaviour. It's also be possible for a norwegian citizen to bring these people to court here, as long as the damages suffered is "substansial" - a subjective measurement.

[kapitein]

Good job but I also think its just coincidence, the German dealers up North would never sell something questionable.
Just ask for a COA and all will be in order!
Kapitein