SS NCO tunic for review

[Zauberflöte]

... I suppose it was stripped and improperly rebadged for SS because of the shape of the luft collar tabs...

Bob Hritz

Not necessarily Bob, indeed perhaps stripped of the eagle and cufftitle(?)... but HG collar tabs were officially no longer worn on these M43 tunics (and any other late war tunics for that matter).

All the more easy it must have been to convert it in to a more desirable (certainly back then) W-SS tunic...

Best
F.

[Rene Chavez]

Erik you have a desirable HG tunic with SS insignia attached. I don't see a problem selling it Just say it was incorrectly restored with SS insignia and whoever is the buyer will have the option of restoring it as a HG tunic.

Rene Chavez
www.foreignvolunteerlegion.com

[Erik]

The tunic was bought from Weitze indeed around end of 2001. It was part of a put together lot that included this tunic, M43 pants, SS M43 cap, boots a belt and a steel SS belt buckle. All sold to me for about 10.000 DM at the time if I remember correctly. It was one of my first purchases from Weitze. Long before I knew what I was getting in to.

The pants, belt and buckle were 100% correct. The boots and cap were brainers in the end. I only have the pants and the tunic left.

I understand the tunic is considered a HG tunic and indeed when looking close you can see an old imprint of zig-zag stiching with LW-eagle contours. I am considering to remove the insignia and sell the tunic and insignia seperately. What do you guys think? Should I sell it in it's current state? What would be the best thing to do? And what would be a fair price for the (stripped?) tunic?

Thanks for all your input!

Erik

[Ian Hulley]

Curious from where did you save it?

To be honest at the time my interest was pricked by the cypher and the colour of the wool so I saved the photo of the straps and the tunic itself but I'm sorry I can't remember where the photos came from. I do however vaguely remember seeing it or something very similar on N&T Militaria.

Ian

[Erik]

Erik,

Does your tunic show possible evidence of a previously attached HG cufftitle on the lower right sleeve?...Has the seam perhaps been opened as far as you can tell?

I can't see any evidence of the seam being opened but if you turn the sleeve inside out I can spot two or three loose treads that stick out that could have been stitching of the cufftitle. I don't have the time now but will post pictures later.

Erik

[Zauberflöte]

.....

I understand the tunic is considered a HG tunic and indeed when looking close you can see an old imprint of zig-zag stiching with LW-eagle contours. I am considering to remove the insignia and sell the tunic and insignia seperately. What do you guys think? Should I sell it in it's current state? What would be the best thing to do? And what would be a fair price for the (stripped?) tunic?

Thanks for all your input!

Erik

Hi Erik,

Like I mentioned in my previous post #24, I would indeed carefully remove the SS insignia and none correct NCO collar braid and professionally restore it with a nice LW breast eagle to its historical correctness. All it further needs is a pair of HG shoulder straps and maybe a CT.

Even better perhaps is to offer it for a week or two in it's current "W-SS" state and leave the option to a future buyer...? IMO you should still price the tunic as in a stripped HG and the SS insignia separate for their value in parts. If this does that work you can always decide to actually strip the tunic, this would be a more interesting purchase for the average (advanced) collector I would think?

Fair price for the tunic? A very nice stripped M42/43 W-SS tunic could easily go for as high as Euro 2000-2500,- ; I would expect it is therefore not unfair to ask a similar amount for a tunic like this one. After all it is a very, very rare tunic to encounter in any condition although perhaps not as generally desired as SS...?

Best

F.

[PaulR]

It makes me sad to see such a tunic stripped. These are far more rare than an SS tunic. It took me about 14 years to find/afford mine.

[NickG]

Restore it back to HG! Rare!!!!

[Runic]

Erik,

I find this piece highly unconvincing...
It needs work to even get it into the 'acceptable' ballpark. Although, as we all know, getting it into the right shape is not only possible, but most likely highly probable nowadays, given the right motivation.

Cheers,

John

[Runic]

Erik - I must apologize to you. I was wrong - I was way too quick on my judgement on this item. I was wrong when I said it was unconvincing. I went back over it a little while ago and realize what a mistake I made.

It is not bad all. It is not unconvincing - the advice the majority have given you I agree with. ONce again, please forgive my way too hasty conclusion. I would count myself lucky to have this one in my collection.

Next time, I promise, I won't jump to conclusions so fast without really looking at the item first. Once again, please accept an honest apology from yours truly.



John

[wewelsburg]

Erik - I must apologize to you. I was wrong - I was way too quick on my judgement on this item. I was wrong when I said it was unconvincing. I went back over it a little while ago and realize what a mistake I made.

It is not bad all. It is not unconvincing - the advice the majority have given you I agree with. ONce again, please forgive my way too hasty conclusion. I would count myself lucky to have this one in my collection.

Next time, I promise, I won't jump to conclusions so fast without really looking at the item first. Once again, please accept an honest apology from yours truly.



John

Oh Lord.

[billbert]

These are rare tunics..Is everybody convinced the conversion was not period done in the feild ?? Billbert

[Robert H]

Production sewn on eagle, wonder how all this goes forward.
Is the tunic original pre 45 tailored or post war tailored?
Can anyone tell? Good luck!

[Erik]

John, thank you. No hard feelings at all.

Erik

[Scott A. Hess]

Not sure this started out life as a Luft issue tunic, I've owned one and seen several, they all share the same color of wool to the body and interior, unless its the lighting, this one looks different.