Waffen-SS officers tunic for review

[butschekantiques]

Hello everyone,

This was consigned to us just recently. I would appreciate a review on this tunic, especially on the insignia.

Thanks for your time!
Klaus

www.butschek-antiques.com

[viva_giulio]

Typical foreign trikot, tunics looks good and restored properly.

[RobertE]

Collar tabs and shoulderboards look fine, as do their method of attachment. From these photos, no way to tell if this tunic is restored or not, but as a nice five-button four pocket type, it certainly displays well as SS.

s/f Robert

[Ian Hulley]

Nice, late style machine embroidered wire runic tab .. the rank tab looks fine too.

Ian

[chrischa]

From these photos, no way to tell if this tunic is restored or not, but as a nice five-button four pocket type, it certainly displays well as SS.

s/f Robert

Hello Robert.

Doesn't the uneven wear on the insignia compared to the base tunic indicate it is restored?

Regards,
Chris.

[RobertE]

The collar tabs and shoulderboards appear to be good originals, and the tunic is suitable as an SS base tunic.

As far as the wear, the insignia match as well as any original army tunics' would. In this case, the nap on the collar more or less matches that on the tabs, and are a good match IMO. Ditto on the boards.

Even if they didn't match, bear in mind that officers upgraded their insignia due to promotion, preference for insignia not available when the tunic was first produced (quality or style upgrade), damage if worn as a field tunic (heavy bullion tended to pull and distort if gear was worn over it), and any number of other reasons.

Original SS tunics with original insignia attached are very rare. Any of these tunics should be critically examined, preferable in hand, before making a definitive call. Hence, my first paragraph.

s/f Robert

[chrischa]

Hello Robert.

Thanks for the response.

You make good points it just seems an uneven balance between the tunic and the insignia. Time and storage appear to be the factor of aging on the base tunic but not so the tabs and shoulder patches.

As you say though, in hand is key.


Cheers,
Chris.

[willysproject]

In case restored, other collar tabs and eagle would have made more representable...

Kind regards,
Gerd V

[krikke1980]

Open collar, --- button hole?

Well, maybe a strange question,... but why would there be a buttonhole on a uniform that has an open collar? It's not made to close it till under the chin...

Maybe the uniform had a closed collar once and was re-made to an open collar?

[John Pic]

Original French made tunic that was originally sold by Helmut Weitze I believe the collar tabs were restored to the tunic or the eagle but not sure which. It is a very handsome tunic and rare for its service branch.

[viva_giulio]

I thinkbinsigna are perfect and proper for a late and foreign made tunic.

[willysproject]

A French made tunic would look smarter with French made SS insignia

Kind regards,
Gerd V

I thinkbinsigna are perfect and proper for a late and foreign made tunic.

[viva_giulio]

Of course but here is not bad both. A little add... In many books veterans of army written they remove insignia before wash the tunic (army, for example forgotten soldier) ... So I prefer hand sewn insignia than machine sewn.

[Felix]

I would normally not expect such a late officer rune tab with a style of sleeve eagle more often seen pre war or early war. The collar tab used is a cheap way to fix a SS officer tunic and has been used in this way before. Ok, all combinations are possible but perhaps not likely.

//Felix

[willysproject]

I agree.
Should be redone

Kind regards,
Gerd V

I would normally not expect such a late officer rune tab with a style of sleeve eagle more often seen pre war or early war. The collar tab used is a cheap way to fix a SS officer tunic and has been used in this way before. Ok, all combinations are possible but perhaps not likely.

//Felix