SS untersturmführer-good or not?

[Vlado]

Hello again dear forum colleagues.
I think that I finaly found an original and completly untouched SS unuform of a untersturmführer.I would say that it is OK but im not an expert in SS uniforms.What do you think about it?And should I buy it or not?
Here is the link:
https://www.weitze.net/detail/04/Waf...n__141504.html

[jacquesf]

Untouched, Weitze and SS in one sentence

[Ian Hulley]

Untouched, Weitze and SS in one sentence

Yep, looks like just another parts piece. Original insignia BUT when did they meet .... ?

Can't comment on the wrap itself.

Ian

[Bobwirtz]

It's an Army style with the seam down the back.

[besslein]

It's an Army style with the seam down the back.

in my opinion,the basic tunic is repro.

[Vlado]

Do you really think that the tunic is a repro?
Isnt weitze a honest militaria dealer who only sales originals?

[C.Reinhardt]

Do you really think that the tunic is a repro?
Isnt weitze a honest militaria dealer who only sales originals?

I'm not sure I think it's a repro; I'm more inclined like Ian to believe its a parts piece.

Weitze is an honest dealer - the insignia is all real and in my opinion so is the jacket - it's just been put together. There's a large debate about 'put together tunics' and whether or not they're deemed original.

[Pieter Verbruggen]

Isnt weitze a honest militaria dealer who only sales originals?[/QUOTE]

...yes he is, and when he makes a mistake ( and we all do ) you get a refund before you can spell his name...
Pieter.

[Ian Hulley]

Herr Weitze is as honest as our memories are long .... he's been caught out in the past having tried to sell a stripped item and a few weeks/months/years later the same item BUT Abracadabra it's now an untouched ________ tunic, direct from the family

Usual pattern is original parts on a stripped tunic but valued not far above the sum of the parts plus 20% premium

[Vlado]

Thank you for your help but now I see that many militaria dealers sell fakes
Now Im only going to buy my things from 2 places which have been recommended here:Virtual grenadier and Craig Gottlieb militaria.And also a question here:can I buy from this web sites only over the internet or do they also have regular shops?

[C.Reinhardt]

Now Im only going to buy my things from 2 places which have been recommended here:Virtual grenadier and Craig Gottlieb militaria.And also a question here:can I buy from this web sites only over the internet or do they also have regular shops?

If you're referring to the two dealers you listed, I believe Virtual Grenadier is online only, and Craig does allow for schedule drop-ins to check-out material (based out of California). I have dealt with Craig and I have had excellent service; Virtual Grenadier is top notch too! NO worries about these two dealers. Check out our eStand too, there's good deals to be found right now.

[Ian Hulley]

Rely on your OWN knowledge and perception with ALL dealers. Both you mention have made mistakes but no-one can be an expert on everything, the same mistake over and over again starts to ring the alarm bell though.

[DKNYC71]

If you're referring to the two dealers you listed, I believe Virtual Grenadier is online only, and Craig does allow for schedule drop-ins to check-out material (based out of California). I have dealt with Craig and I have had excellent service; Virtual Grenadier is top notch too! NO worries about these two dealers. Check out our eStand too, there's good deals to be found right now.

I think these days a good dealer is the one who stands behind his merchandise and is willing to take anything back without any questions asked.

In regard to ALL ORIGINAL SS tunics, at best the buyer is purchasing a REAL SS garment with REAL SS inisignia, but majority of the time it has all been put-together. In my humble opinion, only about 5% of all SS tunics offered are ALL-ORIGINAL, and rarely do they make it to an open forum for sale. These days one has to assume that at best they are put together with all original parts. Again, in my humble opinion that accounts, at best, for 30% of those offered. The majority I feel have either fake insignia, non-SS garment, or all togther ground up trash.

In regard to SS garments sourced in Europe, one has to remember that majority of those that survived have been de-nazified after the war, meaning the runic tabs and eagles removed. There certainly have been instances where all original tunics have been discovered, that were lost to time for one reason or another, but for the majority they were de-nazified. One ofcourse needs to keep in mind that all-original tunics exist in Europe, but that is more due to all the trading and selling back and fourth with collectors in the US. I have only been collecting for 25 years and am limited in experience, however, speaking with veteran dealers and collectors (those who have been in the field since the 60's) and who have traveled in Europe and especialy Germany in search of militaria, all have the same infomation to report: there has always been more material here in the US and certainly untouched garments which have been brought home by vets from the war and early occupation, than in Europe and especialy Germany. Uniforms have always been rare to find, and most have been stripped, or at best de-nazified.

Therefore, to think that one can browse Europen militaria internet websites and purchase untouched SS tunics/uniforms, is somewhat of a pipe-dream. It could happen, but VERY unlikely. I think it is important to understand the history and culture of what we collect in order to have a sober approach and not live in a fantasy world.

Just a humble opinion of one collector.