GERMAN WWII BLACK PANZER WRAP OVER TUNIC DER SPEISS.

An exceptionally rare example of a Panzer tunic worn by a Stabsfeldwebel (Der Speiss) for Panzer Regiment 31. The other rarity of this jacket, apart from the rank, is that it is constructed in the ribbed material, at least 90% of all the Panzer wrap over jackets we have had over the last 50 years have always been in the smooth wool cloth of slightly different weights, depending on the period of construction and encountering the ribbed material is in fact a rarity. Stitch-in shoulder boards, pink wool piped to the rank of Stabsfeldwebel. Matching wool collar patches with early aluminium skulls, pink silk piped. A Bevo woven early period white on black breast eagle. Medal ribbons to the upper buttonhole of the East Front Medal and the Iron Cross 2nd class. To both lower sleeves are twin rows of Der Speiss rank lace. Loops to the right hand half of the jacket comprise of twin loops for a short medal ribbon bar and three sets of two loops for various awards. The tunic has been shortened by one button’s length, this was quite a common event, like all armies fashions follow and it was fashionable within the German Armed Forces Panzer formations to shorten the jackets, therefore there are three full closure buttons instead of four. The interior two small closure buttons, the loop on the lining side can clearly be seen to have been moved up with different threads from the original factory attached. Good clear size markings with the depot issue marking of ‘B43’, just prior to the ‘B’ there is another ink mark, which at first glance appears to be WB but is in fact an ink run. The tunic is devoid of any moth damage, staining or any other problems. This tunic was acquired from the Helmut Weitze Company in Hamburg in 2001 with the sum then being paid of 5,000 deutschmarks. The origin Weitze web site printout complete with this tunic.

Code: 91608