Uber rare Wiking Tab

[Steve0]

Hello Gentlemen

I just thought I would share with you all a couple of pictures of this little beauty, that I was extremely fortunate to acquire recently.

Cheers

Steve

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

little beauty, but usually a very expensive one.

See You

Vince

[Steve0]

Very true Vince !

Steve

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

what is great is that now you can start a new quest, for example the elusive Summer 1943 "Freikorps Danmark" kragenspiegel... (nota : the one on Weitze is bad).

See You

Vince

[Steve0]

Hi Vince

Like you I have seen also the elusive Freikorps Danmark tab - but only the one you refer to on H,Weitze website.

As regards obtaining that one, I will have to hope on winning the Euro Lottery

Cheers

Steve

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

i identified 5 originals so far of that one. But yes, this is like mission impossible unless to buy it from a local advanced SS collector.

It will be easier for you to find the unissued "DNSAP celtic cross" kragenspiegel, but maybe you already have it ? (picture courtesy of The Guild).

See You

Vince

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

picture of the elusive model.
Courtesy of David Delich collection.

See You

Vince

[Stossgruppe3]

Hello Gentlemen
I was extremely fortunate to acquire recently.
Cheers

Steve

Was this tab ever issued ?
I have never seen any shots of it on a tunic
Regards David

[Steve0]

Hi Vince

The 5 originals that you refer to , I assume refer to the Wiking longship tab (as I remember an old post here on the forum mentioning that number known to exist)
As for the Freikorps Danmark tab, I think I can only recall seeing the recent dubious Weitze example.

The very common Dachau un-issued tabs , like the Danish (DNASP celtic cross) tab you posted here (which I like many others in-correctly attributed to the 33rd French 'Charlemagne' Division) are much easier to find and less painfull on the wallet !

I would also be interested to know, for example, how many Ukrainian 'Galizien lion tabs are out there (I can only remember seeing one of these a couple of years back on German Warbooty website, and I think there may have been one which sold very quickly once on EStand)

Cheers

Steve

[Steve0]

Hi David

This Wiking longship tab was never applied to a tunic, and there is no photographic existence to show it's wear in use.

Thanks Vince for the very nice Freikorps Danemark tab pic (courtesy of David Delich collection)

Cheers

Steve

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

1) on the "drakkar bow", taken from an article i worked on :

The drakkar bow / wiking ship bow design was approved by the Reichsfuhrer-SS on March 3, 1943 for the “Wiking” division (source : Pages 52 and 53, “Foreign Legions of the Third Reich Vol. 1”, David Littlejohn, Bender Publishing, 1979). It is not known if this Kragenspiegel was planned for the whole division, or for the Norvegian volunteers of the unit only (more plausible, at least it 1314 originals were produced as shown on the serial numbers available, see below).
For an unknown reason the drakkar bow Kragenspiegel was unissued and never used in the field (no pictures of it in wear are known). To the contrary of the “Joan of Arc sword” model for the “Charlemagne” brigade/division (which stayed a “projected design”), this drakkar bow model was manufactured (at least by the company August Menzs & Sohn of Wien, RZM code 118) and originals were found in the Waffen-SS warehouses of Dachau.
Some originals for enlisted men have a sticker with RZM markings, most seemed to be partly sewed on the back. To date three serial numbers are known : 379967, 380523 and 381280.
For now i identified 6 originals. This model was probably done in 1943 after Himmler approval, and was stocked in Dachau since then.

2) on the "Danish flag" collar tab, i currently have 5 originals identified, and some period pictures (Summer 1943) showing it in wear. Locally made in Denmark, given to "Freikorps Danmark" that were in the country (wounded volunteers, or new recruited ones) during the few weeks of Summer 1943. Removed around September 1943.

3) on the "DNSAP celtic cross" collar tab, it was probably made in 1944, probably manufactured in Dachau and stocked there. Not so difficult to find it, despite many sellers try to get more money saying it was done for the French SS... who never heard of that one (same for the "Joan Of Arc sword" projected design).

See You

Vince

[Regen]

hi Vince,
in your opinion, it is the only correct design, for these tabs?
they were made only August Menzs & Sohn of Wien/118?

[Regen]

whether there were other producers of these tabs, except 118?

[Steve0]

Hi Vince

Many thanks for the very useful info - especially for me on the 'drakkar bow' article.

I guess you say mine must have been produced in 1943, after Himmler's approval, and was stored in the Dachau warehouses since then ?

Cheers

Steve

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

@ Regen : yes, the one you posted is original.

@ Regen : are those RZM stickers said to be from the drakkar bow collar tab ?
Those are imo or fakes, or wrongly attributed ones.
I only found numbers between 379967 and 381280.

@ Steve0 : yes, produced probably in 1943 by the company August Menzs & Sohn of Wien (RZM "118"). Then stored at Dachau warehouses (like many other stuff produced in the Reich, or in Dachau).

See You

Vince