Thanks so far for all your input. Hopefully this may fill in some questions I have. I bought it many years ago from an antique store in Bentonsport, Iowa. I am not an expert but its not a Frankenstein post war. When you see it, touch it and smell it, its not some post war knock off.
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the ss were a proud bunch. ive got well used uniforms but i could not see a ss officer wearing that
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The parts certainly appear to be original but the question is if this was put together before or after 1945. The repair above one pocket appears to me to be possibly where a Heer eagle was roughly removed, this was a Heer jacket and not an SS one originally and while some Heer tunics were reissued to SS troops this one, to me, appears to show wear and repairs consistent with post-war use in a POW camp, in which case the insignia would have been removed. The story associated with this piece does not seem credible to me. I can accept that anything is possible but as it stands I would value this one at the sum of its parts- a stripped and extensively reworked Heer jacket plus SS insignia.Comment
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Looks like an interesting story to go along with a tunic in order to sell it. DKNYC71 is correct. Historically speaking the only time U.S. GIs came into contact with the Totenkopf Division was at the end of the war when the division surrendered to the Americans, who then turned them over to the Soviets. So historically-speaking there shouldn't ever have been any Totenkopf Division members in the Western Allies' POW Camps. And at the end of the war, I don't believe the Allies were shipping German POWs back to the States. I think most of those POWs in the States were there from places like Tunisia, Italy and maybe the beginning of the Normandy Campaign through December 1944. After that the Allies built (if you can call putting up masive walls of barbed wire out in open fields building) POW cages along the Rhine River. So I think this story is just another 'sales gimmick'. Always believe the artifact. If it's real, then the story could be icing on the cake, but if the artifact is a fake, what good is the story?
BobComment
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Thanks for your continued input but....
Bob if your inferring I am making up a story as a "sales gimmick" please dont go there. ONE: I am not a dishonest person and....TWO: I am NOT out trying to sell it. We are moving and I got it out of the storage bag just to see it. I took some pics just to share with the room, not to have my integrity questioned by someone I dont even know.
As for the story, I just included what was told to me when I bought it many years ago. I am sure you are right.
As for the tunic. it spent time in Texas in the physical hands of an expert in militaria. The authenticity of the tunic and the SS insignia all checked out.
I do appreciate peoples various comments. Thank you
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I don't think that they are referring to you when talking about a sales gimmick. They are referring to the person that sold it to you as using an embroidered story to get you to buy the tunic, that's all. No one is impugning your integrity here, from what I can tell.Comment
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broken needle
Years ago I was offered an SS Tunic. Everything looked good. I am a Dentist and I thought, wonder what might show up on an xray. Sure enough when I xrayed the rune and rank tabs, I saw on the xray a long broken needle under the rank tab. I assume any EM tailor who valued his standing would not have let that pass!Comment
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Frankenstein
Please, do not insult Frankenstein or Baron Von Frankenstein's Work.Comment
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Mr. Alexander is correct. I was not accusing you of anything dishonest. I'm just telling you that from many years of experience with dealers, that some of them make up stories to go with a piece to help it sell. But another very good source of determining authenticity in pieces are HISTORY itself, like I pointed out about U.S. troop's encounter with Totenkopf Division personnel. Many fakers do not do their history homework, nor do many dealers who fabricate stories about where they got bric and brac. I'm stating that the story that you were GIVEN by the dealer that sold this to you does not stand up to historical scrutiny.
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Bob,Originally posted by Bobwirtz View Post
How about judging the piece for what it is and forget historic fact for a moment. What exactly makes this piece fake in your opinion? Please be specific.
PeterComment
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Serious
Yes. Throughout this thread (unless I missed something) no one has described the specific reason why this tunic is fake. Comments like "rust doesn't look right because it's not on the sleeve as well" is a weak argument. The boards aren't mothed??? So what? No SS guy would wear this?? Really?? I would like to know specifically why it is fake. I personally think it might be real. One thing that I find interesting is the unusual way the threads are missing from the skull and the wreath of the eagle. To me, that is an interesting match.Originally posted by besslein View Post
are you serious now??
PeterComment
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all parts of this tunic are real,but not have meet befor may 1945,maybe ten years agoOriginally posted by Peter Manzie View Post
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