Bargain?

[NickG]

A work in progress! Note flatwire silver SS tabs (former NCO promoted to officer status),
his collar tresse scars will remain visible, as the (enlisted pattern) tunic would have been modified
to officer status (field promotion set up!)

[NickG]

Very cool front-line image of an Untersturmfuhrer RK trager in field dress, received from another WAF member today!
THANKS! Note similar collar set up (modified enlisted)!

Thanks for the encouraging PM's guys!
That's all for now!

[NickG]

Just received another example of this practice! Prinz Eugen! More widely done than people might believe....
Most uniforms that survived untouched are best dress (gabardine) "closet survivers" so with off.tab piping of course, which was regulation.
At the front it was often a different story, enlisted wool tunics with modifications! (my restoration goal with this piece, less "bling"...)

[Thorsten B.]

Continue your great work - it´s well worth it.

Great pics as well!

[NickG]

Thanks Thorsten
OK somebody asked in a PM to show Pz.examples of this practice...
(in post #89 I mentioned I had found some, but did not post, as the topic concerns field gray tunics)
Officers in DOT camo and a black TK wrapper! (promoted NCO's?)

[thormod]

Hello Nick! Just seems to be almost the same projekt: I also have a simular tunic and the planes are the same as you describe; going for officer ..., by the way thanks for showing all the relevant pics for the NCO upgrading project! Was very courious about upgrading a typical NCO, but after seeing the pics, its ok! Will do the same (non "silver thread" around the collar tabs also here) ... Best Thormod

[NickG]

Hello Nick! Just seems to be almost the same projekt: I also have a simular tunic and the planes are the same as you describe; going for officer ..., by the way thanks for showing all the relevant pics for the NCO upgrading project! Was very courious about upgrading a typical NCO, but after seeing the pics, its ok! Will do the same (non "silver thread" around the collar tabs also here) ... Best Thormod

Thanks for your input. many members have shared their feelings, their positions on this... (also in PM's)... "What kind of paint to put on this blank canvas"! NCO? Officer? unit?

One member was kind enough to offer NCO tresse so it can be rebuilt as NCO ... but I declined...
You would be covering up the traces of prior tresse and you can no longer prove it had tresse to begin with...post war NCO made?
(and frankly its a bitch to apply...if done wrong it would really look like its messed with...= NCO creation post war)

and ask yourself: who would remove NCO tresse post war? Makes the tunic more valuable if left alone, so it was war time removed, meaning officer promotion!

With this officer promotion idea using "make-shift" officer tab insignia, this tunic really starts talking, once done. With all the medal loops "field promoted officer status" is very plausible!
Thanks for your comments Thormod ! Would like to see your officer promotion project too, when time permits!
Nick

[NickG]

Some more examples! Latvian officers!

[NickG]

TK officer!

[NickG]

A zugfuhrer or kompaniefuhrer in the trenches doing his rounds,
but even Regimental commanders (with RK 2nd image) wore simple tabs occasionally!

[NickG]

Lots of oddities going on here!
Many RK recipients shown here, hence existing images...So imagine the amount of none photographed officers
wearing such conversion collar insignia ! More common (in the field) than probably expected (just not documented)...
The majority of images such as portraits, family pictures etc...will show "best dress" regulation uniforms with standard officer's grade collar tab insignia,
not these field worn conversion uniforms, which I am trying to recreate, for that "in the trenches" officer's combat look! Mostly shown enlisted flashes,
I will be using flat wire silver BeVo NCO flashes (a promotion), and more members here are with me on this idea (via PM communications)

[TrondK]

Great photos NickG, I like this thread. !

[Kengir]

Excellent project on a wonderful tunic, and great period photographs.

-Jeremy

[Chris Boonzaier]

For me the SS uniform thing is like Jesus walking on water.... either you are 100% sure that you know everything... or you leave it alone...

Anyone who has been in the hobby long enough.... answer these 2 questions..

1) How many dealers do you know who would have turned this down?
2) How many dealers do you know who sell stripped down tunics.

If this had walked into many dealers stores it would have been in the back room in a minute flat, and would not have seen daylight till "badged and original"

Many years ago I sold a stripped Heeres tunic on the estand... the buyer wanted me to remove the pics right away... I can only guess why.

Which is better... pimping a tunic and knowing you pimped it... or pay 10 000 for one and pray someone else did not...

Best
Chris

[NickG]

For me the SS uniform thing is like Jesus walking on water.... either you are 100% sure that you know everything... or you leave it alone...

Anyone who has been in the hobby long enough.... answer these 2 questions..

1) How many dealers do you know who would have turned this down?
2) How many dealers do you know who sell stripped down tunics.

If this had walked into many dealers stores it would have been in the back room in a minute flat, and would not have seen daylight till "badged and original"

Many years ago I sold a stripped Heeres tunic on the estand... the buyer wanted me to remove the pics right away... I can only guess why.

Which is better... pimping a tunic and knowing you pimped it... or pay 10 000 for one and pray someone else did not...

Best
Chris

===============
Stripped (SS) tunics are a mine field...
If these are in good condition like mine and re- badged properly with whatever period insignia (in a back-room) + add the dufflebag souvenir story,
who knows what a gullable collector is willing to pay for an "out of the woodwork vet bring-back" that has never been in a collection before...
and dealers know that!

Look at all these choices! LAH, Deutschland, Der Fuhrer, Flandern, Das Reich... you can create anything desirable! (as shown here! choices, choices)

Replace the LAH soldier handling the laundry with a modern dealer!
At least I am being upfront with my restoration! =for the world to see! (+ I get feedback on the restoration process and obtain parts from fellow WAFers )
and I rather purchase a "fixer upper" at a reasonable price than take a gamble with an intact tunic priced much higher (franky unaffordable for me)