SS Totenkopf Tab Uniform Removed for review

[Winkelman]

But seems it has been redone from a vertical tab, both sides on the backing has reattached wool

Well spotted .. !

The sides of a formerly vertical tab would not be wide enough to make it into a horizontal tab .

So 2 tiny narrow strips of black cloth had to be sewn to the sides to make it just wide enough to fit onto that horizontal piece of buckram .
( the precious hand embroidery would now be saved from vertical to horizontal . )

Complicated adjustments on vertical TK tabs to remove numbers are already well-known ,
but this conversion from vertical to horizontal is the very first one I have ever seen .

In our day and age perhaps a complicated procedure like this would seem too costly -

but it would simply have been common sense at the time , when people did not throw away things without reason .

And more importantly , this little detail for me is the ultimate proof of its authenticity .. !

[Winkelman]

Back to the dance floor ;
first both of you turn to the left .
Then both , turn to the right ..
( pics by Lumsden / Beaver -
did anyone ever find a picture of these facing each other ? )

I have to add : horizontal ones ..

[Tony & Kaiser]

// did anyone ever find a picture of these facing each other ? //

Almost always the double Totenkopf face the same direction. I know of only five period photographs of SS-TV men with actual "mirror" Totenkopf tabs facings in opposite directions. But there must be more.

A quick Google search of these two men will show images of two of them, maybe the links will work:

SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Seela

SS Hauptsturmführer Horst Peiper

Dr. Strangelove posted a brilliant image here of a SS Hauptsturmführer of SS-Heimwehr Danzig true mirror tabs. I searched for it here, couldn't find it.

Oh, and yes, well spotted espenlaub on the added cloth. That makes the horizontal left-facing hand embroidered Totenkopf collar tab that started this thread an even more interesting example.

[Winkelman]

Yes , the Strangelove picture is absolutely great ,
truely mirrored tabs = both are looking outward .
But here also the tabs are vertical , not horizontal ..

[Winkelman]

Collar tabs , are you joking ?
You want to have a closer look at our collar tabs .. ?!

[clestuff]

Well spotted .. !

The sides of a formerly vertical tab would not be wide enough to make it into a horizontal tab .

So 2 tiny narrow strips of black cloth had to be sewn to the sides to make it just wide enough to fit onto that horizontal piece of buckram .
( the precious hand embroidery would now be saved from vertical to horizontal . )

Complicated adjustments on vertical TK tabs to remove numbers are already well-known ,
but this conversion from vertical to horizontal is the very first one I have ever seen .

In our day and age perhaps a complicated procedure like this would seem too costly -

but it would simply have been common sense at the time , when people did not throw away things without reason .

And more importantly , this little detail for me is the ultimate proof of its authenticity .. !

I wondered why the tab seemed to have the 2 sewn in strips on the back and you guys cleared it up for me, thank you! I find the subject of TK tabs to be very interesting, and this thread confirms some of my past research. I bought this tab to replace the right rear facing, horizontal TK tab I sold last year. Wish I never sold it but I wanted a uniform removed example which seems nearly impossible to find for sale. I'm very happy with this tab and like it even more now [hope I never have to sell it]. Cliff