Need opinions on this SS Tunic...

[RobertE]

I think that our colleagues are just stressing that an M40 in the only field-grey production tunic that had factory pleats, and that SS tunic style had three support holes.

This tunic has two holes, so shouldn't have pleats, unless they were added by a tailor.

Probably just talking past one another - it is a good looking tunic. I still believe the cufftitle was added later, though it is a nice job. A unit tailor or soldier would have just sewn right through to the other side: no need to hide the inside stitch.

The collar tabs do look very fresh. By that I mean that the thread retains it's glossy finish, and since these tabs would theoretically have been one of the first bits of insignia added upon issue, one would expect some dulling to match the tunic. Not really possible to tell, though, just guess - I've seen stranger things than un-toned thread!

All in all, a nice tunic.

regards, Robert

[besslein]

Nice, but restored insignia like thewiking on estand.

Wiking on estand is a WH m43 with SS insignia,for crazy price
this one is restored but still nice work was done,and yes real war time made SS tunic reworked a bit for m40 look by tailor.

[A c h t u n g !]

Wiking on estand is a WH m43 with SS insignia,for crazy price
this one is restored but still nice work was done,and yes real war time made SS tunic reworked a bit for m40 look by tailor.

The Wiking on Estand has scalloped flaps on the front pockets. So it is M42 (not M43) but I wonder why it has Six-button front with 2-belt-support holes?
SS tunics should have 2-belt-support holes and five-button front. WH tunics have Six-button front and 3-belt-support holes. So what tunic is it (on Estand) SS or WH?

[besslein]

The Wiking on Estand has scalloped flaps on the front pockets. So it is M42 (not M43) but I wonder why it has Six-button front with 2-belt-support holes?
SS tunics should have 2-belt-support holes and five-button front. WH tunics have Six-button front and 3-belt-support holes. So what tunic is it (on Estand) SS or WH?

sure its wh even with depot stamp,its not first time i see a WH six buttons tunic with two belt holes.

[RobertE]

...or an SS two-hole tunic perhaps, that has six buttons. Not having depot stamps isn't a killer for me; neither does the one under discussion.

To bring it back to the tunic that started this thread, I'm glad this story had a happy ending.

s/f Robert

[dzyner]

Thanks Robert

I'm learning a LOT about SS tunics here, which is an area I've wanted to collect for some time. One question I still have, now that I have the tunic in hand and can inspect it, is whether or not you guys think the replaced collar tabs were carefully positioned and sewn over the location of the original tabs, or do you see in the photos I posted where the original tabs were sewn?

Also, what badge(s) would have most likely been placed into the two horizontal loops low on the pleat of the left-hand breast pocket? It would have had to have been short in length as to not touch the badge to the left of it.

Dzyner

[dzyner]

Thought I'd post back some good news regarding this tunic. As collectors we all know the value of an in-hand inspection over photos, which will never be able to tell the whole story.

I had the tunic reviewed by two highly reputable SS collectors here in the US and the reports from both are that everything about this piece is period original and period applied. They also had no problem with the apparent mismatching of the boards to the cuff title, stating similar reasoning to those mentioned on another reputable forum where this tunic was posted a couple years back...

"...if a soldier joined a unit which did not have a cuff title he was allowed to retain his former unit's cuff title in wear on his tunic."

[referring to the comment above] "...at the end of the war some units were folded into each other."

"There could be some other reasons too, if it was end of the war, soldiers didn't follow all of the orders on how to properly wear uniforms, maybe he changed units, maybe he got straps that were available, maybe he found green waffenfarbe as a lucky color, or found green more fashionable... There a hundreds of photos showing soldiers wearing wrong uniforms, even in mid war in trenches."

So for me the question of originality and period application has been put to rest. I'll likely never sell this guy since finding one in this condition is so difficult anymore, but I'm comfortable that any SS expert worth their salt will give it a clean bill of health (with an in-hand inspection) if I ever do decide to part with it.

Another interesting point about this tunic that I'd like to share (pointed out to me by one of the experts who reviewed it)... Both vertical pleats on the reverse of the tunic have been un-threaded. I'd always thought this to be a flaw (i.e. the stitching simply came undone). He pointed out to me that along the button line on the front you can see where the buttons were moved outward by about an inch (you can see the previous button holes in one of the photos I posted). That, along with the removal of the stitching along those two pleats suggests that the SS soldier either gained a little weight or (for whatever reason) needed some extra room in his tunic.

Thanks!
Dzyner

I collect WW2 German SS Uniforms, US Uniforms and Japanese Uniforms.

[H-U Rudel]

Very nice! Great find :-)

Kind regards
Uli

[viva_giulio]

this tunic is a beauty... for sure an item i would have in my collection. Outstanding... it is really "the tunic i would have".