PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A grouping comprised of a visor cap, service tunic and breeches for an "Ortsgruppenleiter" (Local-group-leader). The 1934 pattern, khaki-colored gabardine visor cap features a one-piece circular crown, piped in blue, a body with seams to each of its cardinal points and no ventilation grommets, a one-piece center band, of the same color and material as the remainder and also piped in blue along its upper and lower edges, and a brown leather visor. The blue piping, as well as the center band color, is indicative of the political "Ortsgruppenleitung" level. The interior front vertical stiffener is intact, although it appears that its crown wire had been deliberately removed, to give the cap a jauntier appearance. Fixed over the forward seam line of the body is a 1934 pattern, stamped alloy eagle with a silver finish, 1 1/4" in overall height and with a wing span of 1 15/16", which clutches a wreathed, mobile swastika in its talons. The swastika is highlighted by its backdrop being black. Attachment prongs are to the hollow-backed reverse of each of the eagle’s wings. Although almost all of the silver finish has been retained to the swastika, its wreath and the eagle are worn to their highlights, and darkened to their recesses. Beneath it, affixed to the front of the center band, is a 1935 pattern cockade. The cockade is comprised of a 7/8" diameter alloy back plate, edged with a silver finish and faced with red enamel over a fluted underlay, upon which is mounted a 1/8" tall, 5/8" diameter, white frosted alloy roundel in the form of a doubled, simulated cord surround to a cut-out, black enamelled swastika. Only traces of the silver finish along the edge of its back plate remain, and the white frosting to the roundel has mostly worn away, although all of the enamel to the swastika has been retained. Between the center band and the visor is a brass wire, twisted cord chin strap, attached over each ear by brass plated, pebbled metal buttons. The cord and button color establish the wearer as having been an "Ortsgruppenleiter" (as lower levels had silver chin cords and buttons). The exposed highlights of the chin cord have noticeably darkened, although its buttons are only lightly age soiled. The brown leather visor is distorted from storage, has stiffened with age and has noticeable cracking to it, and its stitching has become undone along the center of where it is sewn beneath the chin strap. The interior of the cap is lined in copper-colored rayon, and has a tan-colored sheepskin or imitation leather sweatband, with ventilation perforations to its forward section, and the letters "K" and "R" punched along its right side. A celluloid sweat diamond is to the interior crown, which has a subtle but large, diagonal crack to it. Beneath the sweat diamond is a golden seal, with "Fabrik-Marke Viro" and "Gesetzl. Geschutzt" (By-law ["Gesetzlich"] Protected) to it. Beneath that, printed to the lining itself, is the manufacturer’s name, "Heinr. Hämmerlein," and location, "Mainz," "Ecke Betzeis u. Fuststrasse" (Corner [of] Betzeis and Fust-street). An approximately 4" x 1 3/4" oilcloth RZM, "Reichszeugmeisterei" (National-materiel-control-office), tag is sewn to the base of the sweat diamond, above and to either side of which are, ink stamped to the lining itself, obscured, oval ink stamps, and underneath of which is, similarly stamped, "56," being the hat size (roughly equivalent to 6 7/8). Both the lining and sweatband exhibit typical, light age and usage soiling. The exterior crown of the cap has a couple of moth nips to it, and one may be seen to its body, but it is otherwise only lightly soiled. The khaki-colored wool, single-breasted tunic has a pleated patch pocket to each breast, both with scalloped flaps secured by a single button, and two un-pleated "saddlebag" hip pockets, both with straight-edged flaps and single buttons. Its four button front closure leads up to fold-back lapels and a lay-down collar. The collar is piped in twisted blue cord, and the collar tabs, in the form of khaki-colored wool, 2 5/16" x 1 11/16" parallelograms piped in light blue, have dual golden "Litzen" machine woven to them, being the rank insignia used between 1934 and 1939 by a cell leader at the "Ortsgrupp" level. The Litzen have dulled with age. To the upper left sleeve is sewn a 4 1/2" tall, red cotton armband, with a 3 3/8" diameter, white cotton disk sewn to it, against which is machine woven a black, mobile swastika. Light soiling maybe seen to the armband, most noticeably to its white disk. 5 1/4" tall, folded-back "French" cuffs are to each sleeve. A 10 5/8" tall tail skirt vent rises from the base of the reverse, to either side of the top of which, along the waist, are belt support buttons. Both of these 3/4" diameter, convex metal buttons have, against their pebbled obverses, a spread-winged eagle with a static swastika in its talons. The obverses of the front closure buttons are identical, as are the 11/16" diameter ones to the pockets. Whereas the reverses of the belt support buttons are unmarked, the remainder all have "Assmann" and "& Sohne" to either side of the stylized "A" used by that company, beneath which is "Ges. Gesch." ("Gesetzlich Geschutzt," or, By-law Protected), stamped to their reverses. Silver-washed, pebbled alloy belt hooks are to each hip, each of which have lost much of their finish. The interior of the tunic is lined in medium brown rayon, with its sleeves lined in patterned, white rayon. Descending from each armpit is a 7/8" wide strap of the same material as the lining, either of whose ends are sewn to the reverses of the belt hooks exiting each hip. A horizontal slash pocket is created from the lining to the left breast, and a vertical slash pocket is similarly created along the left side of the tail skirt vent. A horizontal, grey rayon loop is sewn to the interior collar. Although the exterior is typically nap worn, both it and the interior have only light age and usage soiling, with no discernible moth nips, tears or repairs, and all of its buttons appears to retain their original stitching. Approximately a size 38. The matching breeches flare out at the thighs and then taper below the knees. They feature a French fly with three brown bakelite buttons to it, and a slightly larger button and buttonhole at the waist, each with "Steinnuss Hosenknopf" embossed to them. Diagonal slash pockets with button closures are to each hip, and a horizontal slash pocket, with a scalloped, button-down flap, is to the rear right. A small, horizontal slash watch pocket is immediately beneath the right forward waistband. Short, horizontal half belts, each with a nickel-silver plated metal sliding buckle, are beneath the waistband to each hip. Five belt loops are along the waistband itself. The outside seams of each cuff have 9 1/2" tall openings, both with six buttonholes and corresponding buttons to them. These buttons, as well as those to the pockets, are all 1/2" in diameter, and all appear to be made of wood. The base of each cuff has tan-colored rayon reinforcing material sewn to them, which also lines either interior side of their opened seams. The interior waistband is lined in tan cotton, and the pocket bags are constructed of light grey rayon. Four buttons, each identical to the one seen to the waistband, are sewn along its interior in two groups of two, for suspenders. A vertical loop, made of the same material as the waistband lining, is to its central reverse. Both the lining and the exterior of the breeches exhibit only light soiling, although there is a moth nip to its rear left, several smaller ones along the front of its left leg, and a hole may be seen to the crotch nearby. Approximately a 33" waist.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $2,340.00