Fixed shoulderboard..??..

[Hans Kristian]

Hi All,

I need your help and input on this boards;

Unterarzt, wehrmacht - or SS..?..

The board is in my opinion fine, probably private purchase.

It has nice regular construction in my opinion, the piping in wool, the "auflagen" original.

BUT, there are many issues with these:

First, the aesculap-stab is for officiers, but maybe that would be ok. Second, the piece of cord to denote offiziers-bewerber is for the Luftwaffe. But maybe that could be OK too..(maybe late war, and we use what we have..).

But, the boards are also colored in the middle, they are black. Weather this was done during the war or post war - recently - remains obscure to me. Could the tailor have been making a board for an SS unterarzt and thought, "..hmm, well, I don´t have the rigth aesculap stab nor the OB tresse nor the black board, but, I will improvise.."..one of these maybe yes, but three..??

Let me hear your opinions, thanks,

Hans Kristian

[Hans Kristian]

And here I have lifted the tresse and it is clear to see (although difficult to photograph) that there is green color under the tresse and black color in the middle. And to the best of my knowledge, green does not fade to black..??..

[PanzerJager1944]

Maybe it’s my computer but the shoulder board looks dark green and therefore to me it is Wehrmacht not SS, the difference in the color underneath the tresse may just be due to age, light and air exposure. The board looks fine to me and I don’t think it is a recent fake or modification. The pips and medical symbol could be a replacements but really seeing it in hand is the best way to determine that, although based on the photos I can believe it’s all wartime, even if it’s not “standard”. Overall I think you have a nice board that shows the rank progression of a medical nco and I wouldn’t worry about it.

[PaulR]

In my experience, when cloth weathers/fades, the exposed area gets lighter in color. The metal and tress do not look that very heavily worn in addition. It looks as if someone darkened the board to make it an SS item. It is a sweet medical board...

I have never seen a medical emblem in that variation before.

[Hans Kristian]

Paul, thanks for the comment, and it is exactly my thoughts. Darkend recently to make it look SS - a shame really, because it is a very nice board in a near mint condition.

In my experience, when cloth weathers/fades, the exposed area gets lighter in color. The metal and tress do not look that very heavily worn in addition. It looks as if someone darkened the board to make it an SS item. It is a sweet medical board...

I have never seen a medical emblem in that variation before.

[Hans Kristian]

I have never seen a medical emblem in that variation before.

It is the small aesculap-stab taht was used on officers-board when they had - as example - the Gothic "A" for academy because the space would be limited if you were stabsarzt...quite crowded on a board..
See pict from Angolia below...

[PanzerJager1944]

In my experience, when cloth weathers/fades, the exposed area gets lighter in color. The metal and tress do not look that very heavily worn in addition. It looks as if someone darkened the board to make it an SS item.

This is usually my experience as well but depending on the dyes used in the green wool in the exposed areas it might account for the discoloration. It could also be due to lighting in the photograph as well. I had wondered too if the board had been colored but my thought is if it was colored black before the tresse I would think they would have colored the whole top area, then added the tresse and you wouldn't be able to see the differnce in shades under the edge of the tresse. Alternatively if the tresse was already on the board and then it was dyed black I think it would be hard to color the exposed area without leaving evidence of the dye on the tresse and button hole thread.

[Hans Kristian]

HI Seth,
Thanks for the comments,

I can say this that with the board in hand, it is CLEARLY black in the middel and dark green under the tresse, and it is also black under the stars and the aesculap-stab.
So, someone balckened it before the auflagen went on - why and when, that is the question.

Hans Kristian

This is usually my experience as well but depending on the dyes used in the green wool in the exposed areas it might account for the discoloration. It could also be due to lighting in the photograph as well. I had wondered too if the board had been colored but my thought is if it was colored black before the tresse I would think they would have colored the whole top area, then added the tresse and you wouldn't be able to see the differnce in shades under the edge of the tresse. Alternatively if the tresse was already on the board and then it was dyed black I think it would be hard to color the exposed area without leaving evidence of the dye on the tresse and button hole thread.

[PaulR]

Hans,

What do you think about this? I was able to find this really cool pair. I have not seen another like it.

Have you seen any others like this?

[Hans Kristian]

Paul, that board look really fantastic..!!!..could we see more of it, please..!..and yes, it is the same type of aesculap stab as on my boards...

Hans,

What do you think about this? I was able to find this really cool pair. I have not seen another like it.

Have you seen any others like this?

[PaulR]

Here is one of them. It was an ebay.de special about 10 years ago.