PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Slightly mottled, field-grey, wool/rayon blend construction field blouse with a lay down collar, features a vertical, six button front closure with a single, metal, hook and eye positioned at the forward neckline. The field blouse has four, non-pleated, front pockets with straight edged button down flaps. The breast pocket are the basic patch type while the hip pockets are the saddlebag type with expanding side panels. The field blouse has four sets of three, vertically aligned, stitched eyelets with one set situated at either side of the front closure and two to either side of the back panel, at the waistline. The eyelets were designed for the belt support hooks. The belt support hooks are absent. The reverse of the field blouse has two, vertical, tapering darts and a short, central, vertical tail skirt vent. The straight cut sleeve cuffs each have a small, vertical slash to the outside seam with dual, fit adjustment, buttons to each. The upper left sleeve has a faint outline and a few loose stitches where it appears an SS style eagle had been applied at one time. The shoulder strap fabric retaining loops and pebbled, buttons are intact but the slip on shoulder straps have been removed. The reverse of the lay down collar is lined in reed green rayon with an HBT, (Herring Bone Twill), weave and has the typical zig-zag reinforcement stitching. The collar has the faint outline and a few loose stitches where collar tabs had been applied at one time. The interior of the field blouse is partially lined in grey rayon, with the lining running down the front closure panel edges and to the upper breast and back panels. The right front tail skirt lining has a field dressing pocket with a single button closure. The lining also has four, vertical, grey, canvas web straps with seven stitched eyelets to each, positioned to the reverse of the exterior belt support hook eyelets. The right breast panel lining is well marked with the purple inkstamped sizing and, "St 44", indicating the field blouse passed through the army’s clothing depot in Stettin in 1944. The field dressing pocket is also well marked with a faint, black, RB number inkstamp. Of Note: The RB numbers, Reichsbetriebnummer, (National factory code numbers), were introduced in late 1942 and were intended to replace the manufacturers marks on garments and equipment to conceal the manufactures name and location from the allies, to prevent bombing raids on German industrial factories. The field blouse is in overall good condition with light age and areas of light to moderate nap wear. The front closure, exterior pocket and the shoulder strap buttons are a combination of the field-grey painted, pebbled, magnetic sheet metal and alloy types while the cuff and field dressing pocket buttons are the ersatz, pressed, grey cardboard type and most of the buttons appear to have their original stitching. The field blouse is roughly size 39" chest.

GRADE ***1/2                             PRICE $1,548.00