White Summer Tunic

[WWIIBuff]

I did something tonight I haven't done in years, I turned off the lights in my collection room and turned on the black light. Fortunately nothing glowed that shouldn't have glowed, well except for one thing, my KM summer white tunic.

Actually the areas that glow are the interior, under the lapels and collar, and behind the eagle, buttons, and pocket flaps.

My guess is that someone had washed it several years ago, and the dust buildup on the exterior over the years since then are preventing that area from glowing, while the unexposed areas are still clean enough to glow.

Here are some pictures of it, just in case anyone can enlighten me as to it's originality or not.

One thing I've wondered about is why the loops above the left pocket are horizontal instead of verticle?

[WWIIBuff]

More...

[WWIIBuff]

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[NickG]

Markings and cut (small size pockets) are text book for KM! Nice John.
Can't explain the horizontal pocket loops though...
Nick

[amiklic1]

Hi, it looks good.

Mine is washed professionally and it also glows a bit. It seems that the residues of the washing or bleach (they use that on white items) are helping the item to glow.

[michael leone]

white navy tunic

are those cotter pins holding the buttons? on the three white tunics i own, they are secured with a round shape pin set up. did they use this type of pin as well?

[amiklic1]

On mine there are all round-shaped pins, not like these.

I never saw these before, to be honest.

[WWIIBuff]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Yes those are cotter pins holding the buttons. I've not seen these before either. Half of the buttons do have the round clasp like usual, but all the buttons are KM marked and either 1939 or 1941.

[NickG]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Yes those are cotter pins holding the buttons. I've not seen these before either. Half of the buttons do have the round clasp like usual, but all the buttons are KM marked and either 1939 or 1941.

Cottor pins is the British method of attaching removable buttons ...not a big deal for me, the typical German "S" clasps could have been lost and replaced over the years... a lot can happen after 7 decades!
The base tunic (and insignia/buttons) looks good!

[amiklic1]

Nevermind the pins, it might be changed when someone was cleaning it, or whenever else. The tunic originality is the most important.

Even mine, which glows after the professional dry cleaning, doesn't worry me as I know it's original 100% and I'm not letting it go.

I'm not sure if the glowing substance can be washed away somehow, but I'm not going to mess with it any more. I cleaned it just to preserve it from any kind of dirt and bugs destruction that might occur possibly.

All in all, you have one very nice peace of history there.

[don_kihotis7]

Hi John, no worries. Modern detergents are causing this glowing effect.

[Bond]

I have also never seen "R clips" to hold on uniform buttons of any nation. Brits use ring washers to hold the buttons on, from any in my collection or others I have seen, or they can been sewn directly.

Regards,

Jerry

PS the tunic looks fine and I would think that someone replaced at least the pins and/or some buttons.

[WWIIBuff]

Thanks for the input guys. The cotter pins don't bother me since they are a removable item anyway. I could probably the the correct period "c' rings, but I don't really see the point of ding so.

It would be different if it were the eagle missing.

[WWIIBuff]

After starting this thread I realized that I do not have very much in the way of photographic reference material for these tunics being worn. So for anyone interested, I started a thread on the photos forum:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=584343

Post pictures if you've got them.

[tmca05]

Some laundry detergents may glow under ultraviolet black light and some clothes may illuminate if washed in the detergent. Detergents used to clean white clothes are more likely to glow white, as are white clothes themselves. The detergents contain fluorescent chemicals or dyes to make white clothes appear brighter under normal light. When placed under ultraviolet black light, the detergent will have a blue illumination. Any residue left from the detergent on clothes will also make them glow blue.