BACKGROUND: Brown was to become the official color of the N.S.D.A.P. and S.A. by circumstance rather than design. A large stockpile of discounted, surplus WWI tropical brown shirts and fabric, intended for wear in East Africa, were located in Austria in 1924 and purchased by the Nazis as a temporary measure to bring uniformity of dress to their party members. In November of 1926 the brown shirt was officially introduced, and retained, as the basic uniform item for the N.S.D.A.P. and S.A., and was eventually adopted by other political organizations such as the H.J., D.A.F., and the N.S.K.K.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A light tan, cotton twill construction, waist-length service shirt featuring a lay-down collar and five button front. Buttons being of gilt washed sheet metal. The shirt has two pleated patch breast pockets with scalloped button-down flaps and buttons identical to those on the front closure. All of the buttons, including the identical, although smaller, one to the shoulder strap, retain the majority of their finish. The quadruple darted sleeves have fold-back French cuffs with dual button closures for the removable buttons. To the waistband are four darts to both the front and rear and five gilt washed, pebbled alloy belt support hooks. Handstitched along its upper edge to the left sleeve is a multi-piece red cotton NSDAP member’s armband. The red armband has a circular white cotton field stitched to it with a black printed mobile swastika stitched to that. The alternating black and white piping along the edge of the collar, along with the emerald colored collar tabs with white chain-stitched numerals and rank tress, and the black dividing line to the rank tress, established the wearer as belonging to Gruppe Nordmark. The golden button color reinforces this, as does the first pattern, single right shoulder strap, with a smaller button, as worn by enlisted personnel between 1933 and 1939, made of four cord rows in the same alternating colors as the piping and with a stiff underlay the same color as that unit’s collar patches. The Arabic numerals to the right collar tab, "8/26," represents the Sturm (Company), "8," followed by the Standarte (Regiment), "26." The rank pip to the left collar tab represents the rank of Scharführer. Both of the collar tabs are hand-stitched to the collar. Approximately a chest size 40". Superb original example that was actually worn and used. Nice.

GRADE ***3/4                             PRICE $775.00