Questionable Schulterklappen, Tropenuniform on the E-Stand ?

[Tim O'Keefe]

Here is a single Art strap to add to this thread of fakes. Here is the link...

https://schlender-antik.com/produkt/...openuniform-2/

Would like to hear everyone's opinion on this strap ?

[90th Light]

Here is a single Art strap to add to this thread of fakes. Here is the link...

https://schlender-antik.com/produkt/...openuniform-2/

Would like to hear everyone's opinion on this strap ?

That "single Art strap" one is no fake Tim,

it is a known wartime maker. There is a distinctive manufacturer footprint where you can tell the maker in an instant.

Nice original strap

Chris

[Tim O'Keefe]

Thanks for your opinion. Which maker is it & what is the distinctive footprint ? The single piece top ?

[OSS]

That "single Art strap" one is no fake Tim,

it is a known wartime maker. There is a distinctive manufacturer footprint where you can tell the maker in an instant.

Nice original strap

Chris

[90th Light]

Thanks for your opinion. Which maker is it & what is the distinctive footprint ? The single piece top ?

No I can not give you the exact makers name Tim,

I simply do not know the names of the companies that made tropical straps. At this stage, I assume that they were the same firms which made the tunics, shirts and greatcoats. But firms that specialised in insignia are another possibility that must also be considered. Add to this, the more remote possibilities of tailor-made, field-made and private-purchase.

However, what I have begun is to categorize each strap that I can hold in my hands, according to its manufacturing characteristics.

There was more than one maker who made original tropical WH straps with a one-piece top. The real question is when did the one-piece top WH tropical straps first appear 1940 ?, 1941 ?, 1942 ?

Then there is the question of LW one- piece top verses two piece tops but that is a question for another day and another thread,

Chris

[Tim O'Keefe]

No I can not give you the exact makers name Tim,

I simply do not know the names of the companies that made tropical straps. At this stage, I assume that they were the same firms which made the tunics, shirts and greatcoats. But firms that specialised in insignia are another possibility that must also be considered. Add to this, the more remote possibilities of tailor-made, field-made and private-purchase.

However, what I have begun is to categorize each strap that I can hold in my hands, according to its manufacturing characteristics.

There was more than one maker who made original tropical WH straps with a one-piece top. The real question is when did the one-piece top WH tropical straps first appear 1940 ?, 1941 ?, 1942 ?

Then there is the question of LW one- piece top verses two piece tops but that is a question for another day and another thread,

Chris

Thanks for the added information. Thats ok we will still search for the makers of the one piece top and any Herr tropical strap maker ? Don't remember seeing an original single piece top with brown wool backing similar to this single Art strap ? Of course this is a common trait among fake tropical straps. My understanding is that the straps may have first been started in the factory from scrapes and finished by the "cottage." But am unsure of this ?

[Tim O'Keefe]

Here is another pair of straps for this thread. These have just been discussed in another thread and the consensus was that they are fake or possibly the late war version of the tropical strap.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru....php?t=1010432

Feel free to add any tropical straps original or fake anyone, as that is the purpose of this thread...

All comments welcome as always ?

[90th Light]

Don't remember seeing an original single piece top with brown wool backing similar to this single Art strap ?

Of course this is a common trait among fake tropical straps. ?

Most of the original straps that I have with a "single piece top" or know of in other collections have a shade of the correct tropical brown wool on the reverse side. From memory, I have one example with field grey wool and will have to check with the other collectors how many field-grey backed ones they have.

It is my understanding that the correct shades of tropical brown wool is hard to find on fake tropical straps. I suppose it is a hard to get material for a faker. How would a faker get the correct tropical brown wool ? Cut up a tropical greatcoat ? A tropical greatcoat is not exactly a cheap or common item in the market today.

If we could work out when the single piece top WH tropical straps first appeared in Afrika it would be a help,

Chris

[Tim O'Keefe]

Here are three more single tropical straps for review. The EM rosa piped strap possibly adding to the one piece top discussion ? Would like to hear comments from these less than average photos ? Couple EM tunic straps & a senior NCO coat strap. What do you think good or bad ?

thanks

Tim

[OSS]

All three original.

[90th Light]

All three original.

[90th Light]

senior NCO coat strap.

Tim

The senior NCO strap is very interesting, the wool on the reverse side, the tongue (and the top ?) is an unusual type not often seen.

If the top is this ribbed wool then there are two slightly different examples of this type of wool used in the manufacture of the senior NCO coat strap.

Is it political e.g. SA or captured French, Dutch, British or Italian (else where in the Reich ?)

The middle image of this post is another interesting pair in more ways than one, with the same sort of ribbed backing wool,

Chris

[OSS]

The diagonal twill appearance you see on the overcoat strap is the result of insect (moth) larvae grazing on the woolen surface leaving the underlying weave exposed.

[Renaud]

As I am more comfortable with Lw blue grey stuff, I didn't know that Heer tropical shoulder straps were such a mine field

[90th Light]

The diagonal twill appearance you see on the overcoat strap is the result of insect (moth) larvae grazing on the woolen surface leaving the underlying weave exposed.

Yes, I understand what you mean. German twill type wool with little nap remaining which could be the result of insects, or not much wool pile in the blend of cloth the wool is made from. It is hard to tell from the image because they are blurry in places but I think you are right.

What I am documenting examples of, is tropical straps with wool backings made from brown/ tan wool which is not from a German tropical greatcoat. Such tropical straps if original are not common but it did happen in a limited number of cases.

Of course one must be on guard against fakers who use odd-ball brown/tan wool because they can not get the correct tropical greatcoat wool.

I do not want to say more at this stage of which types of beyond doubt non- tropical brown/ tan wool I have found for obvious reasons,

Chris