BACKGROUND: The M35 dress tunic was introduced for wear by all ranks on June 29^TH 1935 as the walking out, parade and ceremonial dress with the piped, stone grey long pants. The design of the M35 dress tunic was based on the Imperial German army’s service tunic but was a different color and generally of much higher quality. Originally all personnel were issued two M35 dress tunics but manufacture was to be discontinued in late 1939 or early 1940 and was to be reinstated at the successful conclusion of the war although it appears they continued to be manufacture through most of the war. Regulations of March 21^ST 1940 stated that the M35 dress tunics that were no longer suitable for dress wear were to be modified and reissued to personnel of the replacement and reserve units for every day wear. 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 lemon yellow being chosen for Nachrichten, (Signals), personnel. On the M35 dress tunic the waffenfarbe was generally displayed on the edge of the front closure panels, the cuff and collar facings, the shoulder straps/boards and the collar tabs. 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, field-grey, doe skin wool construction tunic features a vertical, eight button front closure with dual metal hooks and eyes positioned at the forward neckline. The right breast has a nice quality, machine woven, national eagle in bright, silver/aluminum flat-wire threads with dark, blue/green, accent threads mounted on a cut-out, blue/green, rayon base which is machine stitched to a blue/green badge cloth backing which is machine stitched to the tunic in the typical zig-zag fashion. The tunic has no exterior pockets. The tunic has ornamental bright lemon yellow wool waffenfarbe piping running down the full length of the left front closure panel edge, the lower half, right, front closure panel edge, around the top edge of the simulated French cuffs, at the forward edge of the lay down collar and on either sides of the reverse tail skirt vent. The simulated French cuffs and the lay down collar are both constructed of dark, blue/green badge cloth. The blue/green badge cloth cuffs feature dual, machine woven, vertical litzen in bright, silver/aluminum, flat-wire threads on vertically rectangular, bright lemon yellow wool bases with an ornamental button to the top of each. The reverse of the tunic has a central, vertical, tail skirt vent with vertical, scalloped flaps piped in bright lemon yellow wool waffenfarbe. The tail skirt vent has two sets, of dual, vertical, parallel, ornamental buttons to each side with two belt ramp support buttons positioned at the top edge. The tunic has sewn on shoulder straps in blue/green badge cloth with bright lemon yellow wool waffenfarbe piping. The shoulder strap retaining buttons are intact. Of Note: Enlisted Signals personnel’s shoulder straps signify the ranks of Funker, Oberfunker, Gefreiter, Obergefreiter and Stabsgefreiter inclusively. The lay down, blue/green badge cloth collar has the typical zig-zag reinforcement stitching to the reverse and bright lemon yellow wool waffenfarbe piping to the forward edge. The collar has machine woven, collar tab litzen in bright, silver/aluminum flat-wire threads with interwoven silver/aluminum wire "branch of service" stripes mounted on bright lemon yellow wool bases. The bright lemon yellow wool bases show through the litzen as the center stripe. The collar tabs are handstitched in place. The interior of the tunic is fully lined, including the sleeves, in ribbed greyish/tan cotton twill. The lining has a horizontal slash pocket to the left breast, and two vertical slash, "glove", pockets to the reverse of the tail skirt vent. The original three collar liner buttons are still intact. The left breast lining is well marked with black inkstamped size numerals and the manufacturer’s initials and location, "U.C.W. Köln", indicating an unknown manufacturer. The tunic is in overall very good condition with light age and usage toning and some minor moth grazing resulting in small areas of lost nap. The exterior buttons are all the bright, silver washed, pebbled, alloy type while the collar liner buttons are the molded grey bakelite type and all appear to have their original stitching. The tunic is quite small and is roughly a size 34" chest.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $860.00