SS-Untersturmführer collar tab set for review

[Panzer Rob]

Hello all-

I’d like to share with you a matching pair of tunic-removed SS-Untersturmführer collar tabs and hopefully get your opinion on a little theory of mine; I believe these tabs were “upgraded” from senior NCO to officer rank.

First, a shot of the pair:

[Panzer Rob]

Now, the runic tab:

Obverse:

[Panzer Rob]

Reverse:

[Panzer Rob]

Nice textbook bullion thread, although the runes are a bit smaller and don’t sit quite as high as they do on my hand embroidered NCO tab. The black wool backing matches exactly with 3 other SS runic tabs I have and the buckram stiffener is one of the patterns that I believe is accepted as “correct.” It also has a very nice, and what I believe is original paper RZM tag. The officer piping (which is made up of three interwoven strands) looks to have been added “after the fact” due to the rather inconsistent thread pattern, but the thread itself looks incredibly old and faded.

[Panzer Rob]

detail 02:

[Panzer Rob]

detail 03:

[Panzer Rob]

Now, the rank tab:

Obverse:

[Panzer Rob]

reverse of rank tab:

[Panzer Rob]

If you look closely you can clearly see that there is an indent left from what most probably was a strip of NCO tress - perhaps a double strip due to the width of the impression:

[Panzer Rob]

Now, the reverse shows traces of very thin thread, located exactly where the tress would have been applied on the obverse, which leads me to believe that this is the remnants of the thread that once held tress on the tab. There’s also a fourth hole in the buckram, and the location of this hole (along with the hole currently holding a pip – see red arrows) coupled with the signs of removed tress would almost certainly indicate it was once a Hauptscharführer or Sturmscharführer rank tab. The thread holding the officer piping to the tab is the same identical thread used on the runic tab, Perhaps this tab is a surviving example of a NCO who was promoted to Officer?

[Panzer Rob]

close up shot of the thread on the reverse:

[Panzer Rob]

Unfortunately, someone felt the need to use glue to reattach the officer piping where the threads that originally held it had fallen off; you can see the dried glue along roughly half the length of the outer boarder of the tab. It’s barely noticeable to the naked eye, but annoying none the less!


I’d really appreciate hearing your opinions on both the originality of the tabs, and my upgrade theory. If you guys see any red flags, please by all means let me know. I’m still learning and I feel pretty good about these, but I would like honest opinions. Don't hold back

Thanks in advance,
Rob

[bwanek1]

There is not much more to say. I think you pretty much nailed it. Neat set!

[Robert H]

Rob, very nice original and matching set!

[Panzer Rob]

Thanks, guys