Ultra Rare SS Officer's Cufftitle group !

[Seppl]

I have no doubts, about the authenticity of this group & especially the Cufftitle. For the following reasons : it came directly from the family in Gaildorf bei Schwaebisch Hall in Southern Germany, near where my relatives live. Secondly, there are a lot of "Volksdeutscher" Ethnic Germans from Croatia, who live in that area, and many surviving members of the "Prinz Eugen" SS Gebirgsjaeger division amongst them. I have never seen this type of Cufftitle for sale anywhere, even from the Austrian fakers like Gerhard Nehyer who specialized in SS items in the 1970's & 1980's.
Somehow I don't think the ex-SS Obersturmfuehrer had the Cufftitle made for him after the war, it was most definately worn & cut off a tunic.
Servus,
Sepperl

[Seppl]

Note the background is totally standard RZM cotton material with the 7 Aluminium strips on top & bottom. The Aluminium Bullion thread is tightly hand embroided as compared with other know original SS Runes & Cufftitles I have examined.
There is slight oxidisation in places & general dulling all over the exposed Aluminium thread as oposed the brightnes on the back which covered up by paper & black cloth.There is no photographic evidence that this cufftitle has been ,wore orders do exist from late 1944, which authorize it's wear, which was kindly provided to me by Gruppenfuehrer Otto Kumm from his records & correspodence with other SS men in the 13th SS-Gebirgsjaeger Regt. who are members of the Prinz Eugen Veteran's association in Munich.

[Seppl]

This Cufftitle was instituted late in 1944, at this time most cufftitles being made were of the Bevo, variety. The veteran's family told me that he had this Cufftitle privately made, or made to order from a Military Outfitter in Agram.
Note the back has a black paper backing over black cotton (gauze) type material to which the Aluminium is embroided directly on it, as far as I can see without taking the paper backing off.
When I got it was glued on a display board & dirty with age & staining & glue which I carefully removed with dry cleaning fluid & a lot of patience. I just hope this of interest to other collectors, I have seen a few Dachau found cufftitles in mint condition which are of also RZM type, & are exactly the same backgroung cloth & dimensions, to the letter.
Servus,
Josef

[Tony Barto]

Seppl;

Wasn't his name spelled Artur????

[SS Wiking]

I agree with Tony, the spelling of his name incorrect, it should be:

SS Vol Mountain Division Prinz Eugen

SS Freiwilligen Gebirgsjager Regiment 13 Artur Phelps

Can anyone provide any more info on this?


\Regards

[Sonny]

Cuff Title

Seppl, I'm sorry but that cuff title is absolutely, unequivocally fake.

[Chris Boonzaier]

no it ISNT !! Its just the bilingual edition

[Gordon Williamson]

Actually, the spelling of the surname is correct, it IS Phleps, not Phelps.

Here is the original period made BeVo version, the only type I'd be comfortable with.

[Tony Barto]

Hi Gordon;

Thank you for posting your picture.

[Chris Boonzaier]

ä

[Gary Wood]

Josef,
can you provide a close scan of a section of the band? lettering and borders please?
Thanks,
gary

[bschille]

Hi, I do not believe that this cuffband is original. This even doesn't come close to original hand-embroidered cuffbands!! It looks terrible!!!! And Arthur is spelled in the wrong way...

Regards
Bart

[Seppl]

I have seen the spelling of ARTHUR, used in many German language documents & even Otto Kumm spells it this way. Check some of the German Books, you'll see both spellings used. As a German speaker, I know that in Southern Germany/Austria, "Arthur" is spelled with the 'H". I was told that this cufftitle was PRIVATELY made, maybe one of a kind.
To the person, who declared it to be "Fake" please give me your reasons for your opinion. Making such a broad statement without backing it up, is pretty lame!

[Gary Wood]

joseph,
can you post a detailed scan on the lettering and edge?
Thanks,
Gary

[bschille]

Hi, I'm not sure if you were asking me or Sonny for additional info, but here is my vision. The cuff title awarded was spelt like the one Gordon Williamson posted, and apart from the fact that Arthur can be spelt both ways in the German language, this guys name was artur and spelt that way. While I do not discount one off items were made the lettering style and the bad spelling would just not pass muster. Also, if they had access to original RZM band material then they had access to the firms and retailers who embroidered them in the usual style of lettering, so why would they embroider it in such a way as illustrated in your example? I have seen vets examples in my own country, most are original but some of the vets have bought items after the war to remember there service. They would not know or care what or how it was made they are only interested in the name because to them it is the name that counts not how it was made. I also have seen other reproduction bands made in this unusual thick block type embroidery, an example is the Das Reich in the same block lettering. Something I haven't seen on originals yet...

Kind Regards
Bart