Restored DK-Winner Waffen-SS Tunic

[tgn]

Years ago, a friend of mine purchased a Waffen-SS tunic form another local collector. The tunic was made in Holland and named to a Karl Burkhardt. Being a young energenic collector, he wrote the German archives to get more information on the recipient. He was lucky to receive copies of a large file that included studio photos. To his surprise, the officer in the photos seemed to be wearing the exact tunic he had, except the insignia, branch, sleeve eagle and rank were all wrong. Of course he now realized he had purchased a restored tunic. So, over a period of several years, he carefully collected insignia that closely matched those in the photos, and then he had these insignia meticulously applied to the tunic using period black thread. The end result was a very nice looking restored piece. Note that since Karl Burkhardt received the German Cross and was higher in rank before he was killed in combat, the higher rank was used for the restoration. I believe the DK loops were already on the tunic when he first bought it, as was the Deutschland cufftitle.

The tunic was sold to another friend of mine, and now he is interested in selling it. Being friends with everyone involved in this restoration and knowing the complete history, I would like to have it.

So what is a fair value for it? Keep in mind it is a named DK-Winner, and his file inlcudes all the documentation for him being awarded it. Check out "German Cross in Gold Holders...", Vol 1. by Mark Yerger, pp. 138-141 for a history of Burkhardt.

[tgn]

Name Tag (the photo is not very good, but it is much clearer in hand):

[tgn]

Sleeve Eagle:

[Johnny R]

Very nice tunic and restoration job solidly based on research. It will be a nice additon to your collection. Does the tag read :"Karl Burkhardt" or just "Burkhardt"?

[tgn]

Very nice tunic and restoration job solidly based on research. It will be a nice additon to your collection. Does the tag read :"Karl Burkhardt" or just "Burkhardt"?

"Karl Burkhardt"

Tom

[Johnny R]

I have a similar tunic and breeches where the family sadly cut out the name. It was made by Traugott Rahne in Hanover and is dated but the firm is long out of business. I doubt they would have kept records from the War after this long anyway. I will be restoring that like this one but sad I will never know the identity or rank.

[N.C. Wyeth]

The tunic was sold to another friend of mine, and now he is interested in selling it. Being friends with everyone involved in this restoration and knowing the complete history, I would like to have it.

So what is a fair value for it?

For purchasing a tunic-restoration, I've always liked the rule-of-thumb coined here by many others - "the sum of the parts, plus the prevailingly accepted value of the stripped tunic". This seems fair, although it doesn't take into consideration the time and labor it took to perform the final assembly . . .

I guess you can take into consideration the fact that you are all friends, but in the end, that may just complicate things even more . . .

Brad

[tgn]

I guess you can take into consideration the fact that you are all friends, but in the end, that may just complicate things even more . . .

Brad

Very astute...

You are often more likely to get a "deal" froma complete stranger than a friend.

Tom

[Johnny R]

Very astute...

You are often more likely to get a "deal" froma complete stranger than a friend.

Tom

I agree, and you would not have to deal with a decade of seller regret and other assorted potential issues.

[John Pic]

Nice tunic....to me better than an unkown untouched one.

[1corps]

Nice tunic and restoration. Great to have the photographic evidence to help the restoration. Would be happy to own myself! Mike.

[bnz. 42]

Nice tunic. How much he asks? Is it just me or the sleeve on the left tunic is wider than on the right tunic?

[JOHN JONES]

I would say its just the way the sleeve is twisted and held againist
his rear, to get the angle correct on the sleeve eagle and cufftitle.

Cheers.
John.

[tgn]

Also, in the new photo, the arm is bent somewhat, whereas in the original it is straight behind his back. You should look at other features of the tunic, such as button spacing, collar etc. to identify that they are the same.

What is he asking? He doesn't really know. He just wants a fair amount for it. What is it worth??? Whatever the price, I hope to do some trading to make the deal more palatable.

Or how about this, what is the value of the sum, of the parts?

Tom

[bnz. 42]

What is he asking? He doesn't really know. He just wants a fair amount for it. What is it worth??? Whatever the price, I hope to do some trading to make the deal more palatable.

Or how about this, what is the value of the sum, of the parts?

Tom, how can we know if the prices nowadays are different everywhere and changes everyday. I would say it all depends on you (how much you want to pay for it) and the seller (how much is fair for him). Balance from there.