GD tunic question

[compressore]

Hello,

I saw on the site ss-steel inc
http://ss-steel-inc.com/cloth_gallery_page_2.html
(scroll down abit the page)

a GD tunic. What puzzles me is that the COA by David Delich is talking about a name on the tailor tag which is "Thomas Fahning". This is a complete misread as it is actua l"Fahnenj. Thomas" (Fahnenjunker)

Also the COA does not mention that the tailor tag says: IR 118 (infantry regiment 118) which matches very well the place of the tailor: Kaiserslautern

Is it an original GD tunic ? If yes, is the tunic re-tailored from a other tunic or what could be the story ?

Thanks
Christian

[compressore]

pics

pic

[ccnrecon]

The problem is i dont think anyone has or knows of an officers version of this tunic to compare it to. Typically you only see enlisted examples, like the one currently for sale on the guild.

[CSP]

The details of the special GD insignia developed in 1939 for attaching to the standard Waffenrock are detailed in the series of books published by Schiffer Books in 2010...specifically Vol. 1. Uniforms and Insignia of the Grossdeutschland Division.

Both surviving Waffenrock with officer grade insignia and loose insignia survived the end of the war, in very small quantities.

Vol 1 shows examples of each.

The Waffenrock in question posted on this thread appears to have some original insignia....but the cufftitle is NOT one of these original items.

Because the uniforms were never issued...only displayed for the public...any tunic with a tailor's label and named to an officer should be viewed with considerable suspicion, if not outright doubt and rejected.

Hope this is useful information.

[ccnrecon]

The details of the special GD insignia developed in 1939 for attaching to the standard Waffenrock are detailed in the series of books published by Schiffer Books in 2010...specifically Vol. 1. Uniforms and Insignia of the Grossdeutschland Division.

Both surviving Waffenrock with officer grade insignia and loose insignia survived the end of the war, in very small quantities.

Vol 1 shows examples of each.

The Waffenrock in question posted on this thread appears to have some original insignia....but the cufftitle is NOT one of these original items.

Because the uniforms were never issued...only displayed for the public...any tunic with a tailor's label and named to an officer should be viewed with considerable suspicion, if not outright doubt and rejected.

Hope this is useful information.

So for clarity sake the cuff title on it is a definate reproduction or is it a "unknown" version as of nowwith nothing to compare it to to rule it in or out?

[CSP]

The only cufftitle in existence when the special Waffenrock insignia was introduced was the 1st pattern, aluminum wire woven silver Gothic lettering on green...and it was displayed on these Waffenrocks...for the German public in Berlin... in June 1939. The actual issue of these 1st pattern cufftitles to the members of the Regiment did not occur until after the end of the French Campaign.

It is highly unlikely the cufftitle on the subject Waffenrock is authentic. It is a poor copy of a rare pattern that was not in existence at the time the special Waffenrock insignia was withdrawn for the duration of the war....which occurred just before the start of the French Campaign.

[compressore]

Thank you very much for your detailed explanations.

[CSP]

You are welcome. Thank you for your reply.

[ccnrecon]

Should the tunic on the CG site be considered a genuine example?

[naxos]

I can read the month (March) but what is the year written on the label? This will help to identify which Fahnenjunker Thomas it is.

[Johnny R]

Figure out the date, if it is pre 1938 etc. he should be in the wartime lists and I can look him up, he is not with IR 118 in 1939. I am very skeptical about this tunic even beyond the CT.

[helmuthunter]

Has anyone contacted Kelly to let him know that the GD CT is highly suspect / fake?

[CSP]

Yes...the tunic on Collector's Guild is genuine and in the state it was found after the war.