SS camo quarter shelter #4, which pattern ?

[zbv500]

Hi all,

I have this SS quarter shelter and wanted to know which pattern it is exactly ? Also the year of production would be of interest for me. The shelter has the number 4 printed on two times, does anybody know what these numbers mean exactly ?

Many thanks for your help, Jerns

[zbv500]

2

[zbv500]

3

[zbv500]

4

[Fritz]

It is plane tree overprint from ca. 1942-1943 I'd say, it is the later version with the oak backround it is not a fully handscreened one.

The numbers identify the print...there were 6 general platane styles and two were on one printing screen, 1+2, 3+4 and 5+6 were the different screens. When they printed the fabric they used a screen that had one of the above combinations...they didn't use a "4" and "4" screen for the both halfs of the zeltbahn but a screen that had one half of the "3" on one half and one half of the "4" on the other half of the screen. Then this was printed from the other side in different color and then cut into halfes to produce zeltbahnen or cut into parts for covers, smocks, combinations etc..

So a "textbook" platane zeltbahn should have 4 matching numbers (1,1,1,1 or 2,2,2,2 or 3,3,3,3 etc.) But there are period zeltbahnen that show numbers like 5,5,5,6 or 1,2,2,2 or even one half in oak and the other is paltane #4 etc.). Smocks should be 1/2, 3/4, 5/6 but there exeptions as well.....

Cheers

Fritz

[zbv500]

Hi Fritz,

many many thanks for your wide explanation, wanted to know that for a long time. Now iam about figuring out if my Zeltbahn is ok with #4 on one side and also #4 on the other side ??

Many thanks Jens

[Fritz]

No problem! The autumn side "should" show the same pattern (including 2 x "4", which totals in 4 x the number "4" on your zelt for the spring and autumn colors) in brown tones ....but, and that's the "not textbook" part, could show a # 3 pattern as well....

Just note that the following numbers made a pair on a print screen:

1st "pair" = "1/2" ,to make "1" and "2" Zeltbahnen and 1/2 cover, smocks, combinations etc.

2nd "pair" =3/4, to make "3" and "4" Zeltbahnen and 3/4 covers, smocks etc...

3rd "pair" 5/6, to make "5" and "6" Zeltbahnen and 5/6 covers, smocks etc...

So to make a # 6 Zeltbahn they used two screens, each screen was for one half of the number "6" pattern and one half of the "5" pattern...after printing they cut it along the "cutting lines" (crosses and lines) and along the grundlinie which is the lower section of a zeltbahn...and then sew it together so that two "6" halfs made a number "6" zeltbahn...the other halfs (#5) of that print were used to make a "5" zeltbahn....

With smocks and covers etc. it wasn't required to cut them along the grundlinie etc. that's why they just cut out what they needed for the production of these items...so you can find the numbers 1 and 2 on one smock or the numbers 3 and 4 or 5 and 6 ....If you are a bit experienced with ss camo you will be able to recognize the "number" by sections of the camo pattern as well ...this is often the case with helmet covers...the majority of these don't show any numbers since they are too small....




Cheers

Fritz

[Fritz]

Just to add this...yes, your zeltbahn is a textbook example with 4 x the number "4"...

Cheers

Fritz

[zbv500]

Many thanks Fritz, this cleared it up for me. I didnt realized the numbers on the other side of the shelter. Thanks for your valueable input, have learned something new.

Best wishes, Jens