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H015157 ARTILLERY OBERLEUTNANT'S GREATCOAT. (Mantel)
BACKGROUND: The Greatcoat was an essential uniform item worn by all ranks, with minor variations, and followed the basic design of the Imperial German army’s greatcoat. During WWII the German army utilized at least thirteen different styles of greatcoats with numerous variations and intended purposes. The standard issue greatcoat produced during the Weimar Reichsheer era utilized a field-grey collar that was altered to a blue/green badge cloth collar circa 1935. During the war the standard issue greatcoat underwent a few minor modifications. The early production greatcoats came with button holes on both the left and right front closure panels which allowed the coat to be button up either left or right handedly but regulations of December 1ST 1939 abolished all but one of the button holes on the right side of the closure panel. Early production greatcoats also came with small metal hooks positioned at both sides of the bottom front closure panels, and additional small metal hooks positioned at both sides of the reverse tail skirt vent with corresponding thread loops situated at the side seams just below the waistline. The metal hooks and thread loops allowed the wearer to hook the tail skirt up out of the way when mounted or on the march. Regulations of 1940 abolished these metal hooks and thread loops and also reverted the collar back to a field-grey fabric. Of Note: Both of the above regulations were not strictly adhered to. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the army’s Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their uniforms from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase garments of higher quality. Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored uniforms although the price may have been restrictive. The different branches of service within the army were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with bright red being chosen for Artillerie, (Artillery), personnel. On the greatcoat the waffenfarbe was generally displayed on the shoulder straps/boards.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Early, (circa pre-1940), slightly mottled, field-grey wool construction, double breasted style, full length, greatcoat with a lay down, blue/green badge cloth collar. The greatcoat features dual, vertical, parallel, rows of six, front closure buttons with corresponding button holes on both the left and right front panels, enabling the coat to be button either left or right handedly. The greatcoat also has a single, large metal hook and eye positioned at the forward neckline. The greatcoat has two, diagonally angled, slash, front, hip pockets with slightly angular flaps situated at the waistline. The straight cut sleeves have deep, fold back, French cuffs, which are stitched in the upright position at both the inner and outer sleeve seams. The reverse of the greatcoat has a horizontal, ornamental, half waist belt with dual, retaining buttons positioned at the waistline and a central, vertical tail skirt vent with a four button closure. The tail skirt vent runs from the half waist belt down to the bottom edge of the coat. The reverse and side waistline panels have four, small evenly spaced, vertical slashes designed for the belt support hooks. The belt support hooks are absent. The greatcoat has small metal hooks positioned at both sides of the bottom front closure panels, and additional small metal hooks positioned at both sides of the reverse tail skirt vent with dual, corresponding, horizontal thread loops situated at the side seams just below the waistline. The metal hooks and thread loops allowed the wearer to hook the tail skirt up out of the way when mounted or on the march. The greatcoat has sewn on shoulder boards in matte silver/aluminum Russian braid, with a single gilt washed, stamped alloy rank pip to each, mounted on bright red wool waffenfarbe bases. The shoulder board retaining buttons are intact and have the embossed Company/Battery numeral, "1". The shoulder boards may be replacements as evidenced by the opened shoulder seams. The greatcoat has a lay down, blue/green badge cloth collar with the typical zig-zag reinforcement stitching to the reverse. The collar has a two buttons and an extended, dual button holed, field-grey wool tab under the left side and a single, corresponding, button under the right side for a secure neck closure in inclement weather. The greatcoat has no collar tabs as per regulations. The interior of the greatcoat is partially lined with ribbed greyish/tan cotton twill to the upper panels and brushed greyish/tan rayon to the sleeves. The lining has a horizontal slash pocket to the left breast and a small, grey leather reinforced, diagonally angled, open slash to the reverse of the left hip pocket intended for the dagger/sword hangers. The lining also has small vertical, grey cotton/rayon strap with an HBT, (Herring Bone Twill), weave and a nickel/silver plated, steel friction clip, stitched to the left armpit also for the sword/dagger hanger. Two of the four small, vertical slash at the waistline have vertically rectangular, grey leather, reinforcement panels. The lining also has a single large button to the left waistline. The left breast lining is well marked with black inkstamped sizes, the faint, manufacturer’s name and location that appears to include, "Ernst Hoffmann", and "E38", indicating the greatcoat passed through the army’s clothing depot in Erfurt in 1938. The greatcoat is in overall good condition with light age and usage toning, minor chafe wear collar edge, moderate chafe wear to the cuffs resulting in a few small tears, a fair sized hole to the lower, front tail skirt and some light moth grazing resulting in lost nap. The front closure, reverse half waist belt, and the shoulder board buttons are the field-grey painted, pebbled, alloy type while the tail skirt vent, under the collar and the single interior buttons are the molded grey bakelite type. The pebbled alloy buttons retain various amounts of their field-grey paint and all of the buttons appear to have their original stitching. The greatcoat is roughly size 40" chest.
GRADE ***1/4 PRICE $655.00
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