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S029160 SIGNALS SS-OBERSTURMFÜHRER'S GREATCOAT. (SS-Dienstmantel)

BACKGROUND: Originally members of the fledgling Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), had no official uniform until April 1925 when they adopted, what was to become known as the, "Tradition Uniform" and personnel were outfitted with the same brown shirt uniform and kepi as the SA., Sturm Abteilung, (Storm/Assault Detachment), In November 1925 personnel of the newly formed SS adopted a black kepi, necktie, breeches and border trim on their armbands to distinguish themselves from their SA counterparts. On July 7TH 1932 the black service uniform, for Allgemeine-SS, (General SS), SS-VT, SS-Verfügungstruppe, (SS-Special Purpose Troops), SS-TV, SS-Totenkopfverbände, (SS-Death’s Head Units), and SS-SD, SS-Sicherheitsdienst und Sicherheitspolizei, (SS-Security Service and Security Police), personnel was first introduced to replace the brown shirt, "Tradition", uniform. Originally SS personnel wore police overcoats with the insignia removed until the black SS-greatcoat was introduced in 1934. In early 1939 a new field-grey greatcoat, with field-grey collar, was introduced for SS personnel. Regulations of December 1939 altered the greatcoat’s field-grey collar to a blue/green collar. Originally collar tabs and collar piping were utilized on the SS greatcoats but the collar piping for enlisted ranks was discontinued in August 1940. The use of collar tabs on the SS greatcoats was altered no fewer then four times through-out the war. In 1939 the Waffen-SS, (Armed-SS), adopted waffenfarben, (Branch of Service Colors), with each branch of service being allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, with lemon yellow being chosen for Nachtrichten, (Signals), personnel which was generally displayed as the base on the shoulder boards or as piping on the shoulder straps. The SS greatcoat was virtually identical to the army’s version but with a different pattern half-waist belt. The SS greatcoat also followed the same modifications as the army version which included, the early pattern 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. Both of the above regulations were not strictly adhered to. Of Note: It was not uncommon for SS personnel to also utilize the army pattern greatcoats. SS Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and as a result the SS established the SS-Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system in Munich in 1935. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s were allotted a one time clothing allowance from the government with the amount varying depending on the individuals rank. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could also choose to purchase privately tailored garments of higher quality although the price may have been restrictive. This example is a nice quality, private purchase greatcoat in the army pattern.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, private purchase, slightly mottled, field-grey, wool/rayon blend, double breasted style, full length, transitional army cut, 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 with a small protective blue/green badge cloth tab on the eye side. 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 tacked in the upright position at both the inner and outer sleeve seams. The upper left sleeve has a nice Officer’s quality, second pattern, hand embroidered, SS sleeve eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted, swastika in it’s talons in bright, silver/aluminum wire threads with black accent threads, mounted on a cut-out, black, wool base. The eagle is handstitched to the sleeve. (Eagle is a little bit crooked on the sleeve). The reverse of the greatcoat has the army style, horizontal, ornamental, half waist belt with dual retaining buttons positioned at the waistline and a central, vertical tail skirt vent with a three button closure. The tail skirt vent runs from the half waist belt down to the bottom edge of the coat. The greatcoat has sewn on shoulder boards of matte, silver/aluminum Russian braid, with a single, gilt washed, stamped alloy rank pip, and lemon yellow wool waffenfarbe on a black wool base. The shoulder board, screw post retaining buttons are intact. The greatcoat has a lay down, blue/green, badge cloth collar with the typical reinforcement stitching to the reverse. The reverse of the left collar has two buttons and a separate, dual button holed, blue/green badge cloth tab and a single, corresponding button on the reverse of the right side of the collar for a secure neck closure in inclement weather. The greatcoat has no collar tabs or any evidence that any were ever applied. The interior of the greatcoat is fully lined, including the sleeves in grey rayon. The lining has a vertical slash pocket to the left breast panel and a small, field-grey wool reinforced, diagonally angled, slash to the reverse of the exterior left hip pocket for the dagger/sword hangers. The lining also has twenty-seven evenly spaced buttons near the front opening edges, the collar and the tail skirt vent, presumably for securing a removable liner, which is absent. A few of the liner retaining buttons also appear to be absent. The interior of the tunic also has grey, machine woven tailor’s label with machine woven, golden yellow script that includes the tailor’s name and address, "Wilhelm Holters Berlin W. 50 Tauentzienstr. 16". The tailor’s label is hand stitched to the nape of the neck. Of Note: Holters was one of the most celebrated, prestigious, tailors in Berlin and made clothing for many high ranking officials, including Adolf Hitler. The greatcoat is in overall very good condition with minor age and usage toning and a few small moth nips resulting in small areas of lost nap. The buttons are a combination of the molded, grey and tan bakelite and the field-grey painted, pebbled, magnetic sheet metal types all appear to have their original stitching. The greatcoat is roughly size 40" chest. Coat was brought back by an American vet in his foot locker and was recently acquired from his son.

GRADE ****                                                                             PRICE $5,400.00

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