BACKGROUND: The development of SS camouflage items was initiated by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler in 1935 when he tasked the Reichsführung-SS, (National Leadership of the SS), to begin research of new camouflage patterns and garments for use by the fledgling SS-VT, SS-Verfugüngstruppe, (SS-Special Purpose Troops). In late 1936 and early 1937 the first SS camouflage garments were issued to personnel of the SS-VT Standarte Deutschland for field testing and evaluation. The first items evaluated were the Quarter shelters/ponchos, followed by steel helmet covers, face masks and smocks. As the war continued various other clothing items were produced in the assorted camouflage patterns. Originally the camouflage patterns were all produced in the time consuming manual screen printing until the development of the machine roller printing in 1940. By the end of the war no fewer then ten assorted camouflage patterns had been developed and used by the SS. At the beginning of WWII the Waffen-SS utilized four types of Quarter shelters/ponchos which consisted of the square army field-grey pattern, the triangular army field-grey pattern, the triangular army splinter camouflage pattern and assorted SS triangular camouflage patterns. As the war continued the SS developed and introduced new camouflage patterns and manufacturing techniques. The M31 Zeltbahn was a standard issue item and came accompanied with tenting accessories that consisted of the M1892 tent rope, the three piece M1901 breakdown tent pole, and two M1929 tent pegs enabling the individual to utilize his Quarter shelter with others to form a tent. The Plane Tree camouflage pattern was originally developed in 1936 and was utilized by SS-VT personnel until a new Plane Tree pattern was developed in 1940. The new 1940 Plane Tree camouflage patterns was produced in six subtlety different models that were utilized through-out the war.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Water resistant, cotton drill construction, quarter shelter/poncho with machine roller printed reversible, spring/autumn, Plane Tree #1 camouflage pattern. The spring camouflage side is in assorted shades of green, tan and mid-brown while the autumn camouflage side is in assorted shades of orangish tans and browns. The colorations to both sides are still quite crisp and strong. The triangular shaped shelter, measures roughly, 7' 11", at the base edge and, 7' 1", at the side edges with a central, vertical, machine stitched seam. The shelter has a roughly, 12 1/2" long, opened slash with dual overlapping flaps, to the center, allowing it to be slipped over the head for wear as a poncho. The shelter retains forty-nine of its original sixty-two alloy dish buttons. The remaining buttons all appear to have their original stitching. The buttons and corresponding button holes allowed the shelter to be worn as a poncho or joined together with other shelters to form assorted sized tents. The shelter has two small and one large alloy grommet to all three corners and the center of all three sides also have an additional two small alloy grommets. All six of the small grommets on the base edge have a short inserted guide rope. Interestingly all but one of the grommets and a few of the buttons have a golden/tan finish on the spring camouflage side. Both the spring and autumn sides show the printing numeral, "1", clearly visible to each side of the central vertical seam. The base edge of the autumn side has dual, faint, black manufactures inkstamps with one that appears to be, "Warei Patentzelte Walter Reichert Berlin NW 40", and the other that appears to be, Warei-Zeltbahn D.R.P. 1940", with the "D.R.P.", indicating, Deutsche Reichs Patent, (German National Patent). The shelter is in overall good condition with two fair sized tears, numerous small tears and light to moderate age and usage toning.

GRADE ***1/4                     PRICE $1,300.00