Question on availabilty-SS Officer Collar Insignia

[TP Alexander]

Why is it that I see Untersturmfuhrer and Obersturmfuhrer rank insignia for sale on the E-Stand rather frequently, yet the ranks of Hauptsturmführer, Sturmbannführer and Obersturmbannführer are never seen?
Then when you get up to Standartenführer & above, you at least start seeing single collar tabs for sale again.
It just seems odd.
Curiously,
Tim

[John Pic]

It could be that blank rank tabs in sets of mint unissued tabs had pips added to them post war ,

[TP Alexander]

It could be that blank rank tabs in sets of mint unissued tabs had pips added to them post war ,

If I understand your answer correctly, then why would someone only make sets for Untersturmfuhrer and Obersturmfuhrer, instead of all ranks? It would only be one more pip or an extra piece or two of litzen added.
I just don't understand the paucity of rank tabs for the higher company and field grade officers. I just haven't seen them for sale on the E-Stand at all!

[Greg Domian]

I just think they are a tough few to find. I had all my generals ranks in my collection before I could complete it with a few of the officer mid ranks. Still took me over 25 years to get them all. Just the nature of the beast.

Greg

[TP Alexander]

Well, I guess it answers the question. Seems kind of odd though.
Thanx guys.

[rbno]

Officer Rank Tabs

A few thoughts...

There were many more company grade officers than field grade officers. They mostly led from the front and were cannon fodder.

There seem to have been many allgemeine SS officers whose rank was somewhat honorary, and they were Standartenfuhrer and above.

I suspect most all tailor shops, etc near SS installations had at least a small supply of oalkeaf tabs. When a lower officer needed a uniform, the tailor could put together a rank tab from blank tabs, pips and litzen, but he could not make an oakleaf tab. Hence they were available to the GI looking for souvenirs in his shop.

I can echo Greg's experience. I have officer rank tabs through Obergruppenfuhrer, and Sturmbannfuhrer and Oberstambannfuhrer were the last ones I found. I have heard this from other collectors as well. Maybe someday I'll find Oberstgruppenfuhrer and Reichsfuhrer SS tabs.