Does anyone know this uniform Maker?

[Mike Maxwell]

I have in my collection an original M42 6 button tunic That I can just make out the maker/size marks inside lapel still. The ink is faded, and it appears to have ran a bit when they first stamped it.

It reads, as best as I can decypher:

Tal Zhau J & D Co.
Hannover
46 47
113
78 70


Searching about, I find Tal Zhau would be the name of a czech fellow. That is all I have so far.
Anyone else got more for me or themselves own an item (tunic or hat, etc.) of the same firm's manufacture?

I made an edit here. I just got it in different light, and saw it is a T on the first name and not an R

I would be willing to sell this tunic and its shoulder boards by the way.
And the whole Tunic:

[youthcollector1]

Any pictures?

[Mike Maxwell]

I can try to take one of the stamping, but it might not show much. It is pretty hard to read on the rayon there.

[youthcollector1]

Seeing the stamping and the uniform as a whole could help identify its origin.

[Mike Maxwell]

picture of the stamp on the original post now.

[Mike Maxwell]

Also a pic of the whole tunic. The sucker is mostly brand new. Must have been sitting in stock in the war, or someone's spare. Had Heer eagle, and litzen on it once, and it is free of wear except for the color being faded all over the back side and shoulder area (with it being unfaded under where the shoulder boards were. Oh, and the shoulder boards are real live EM GD panzer piped feldgrau with white embroidered gd cyphers). Whole tunic is a great example of later wool too. Made on good equipment out of less than desireable materials. Good weave, but not anything super sturdy, and a definite brownish tinge to it in certain lights. Huge difference in color and fiber versus an original M40 SS tunic I had once upon a time.

I guess I can't tease you with mention said shoulder boards without torturing you with pics:
Piping quite faded, factory heavy paper (or cardboard?) reinforcement between the layers where the embroidery was done. I have never yet seen a repro be able to match that original guage of thread on the letters by the way. Though I do have a repro set that is a few steps closer to it than most. Woll material is likewise a more ginger quality later war weave.

[Franz1944]

To bad we cant see any depot marks. it would be intersting if it came from the one in Hannover.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Mike, and welcome to the forum.

I cannot make out the stamps on the Feldbluse to any extent. But I think you are mistaken on them. Let me do some research on this stamp for you.

The shoulder straps are sadly reproductions in my honest opinion. Look at the poorly done button holes and the way the "GD" is embroidered. This is totally unlike any original.

Cheers, Ade.

[Mike Maxwell]

Fascinating. I will definitely trust your opinion on the straps. I have really some very good repro's and these put them to shame. I should give drop jahnke and gd43 a line and see if they know about ones of such a nature of their own doing in the past.
As for the stamping on the tunic. That is what it says. It also lacks a depot stamp (where the other reply was asking if it had a hannover depot stamp.

Speaking of repro shoulder boards, I have in my collection what was told by me is one of the tunics used in the movie "Tobruk" with george peppard and rock hudson. It is an EM tunic, and it would actually be an outstanding reproduction of an M40 DAK tunic is if weren't made out of such a light poplin fabric (more linen-like in weave). It's cut and construction are spot on everywhere. And that it also does not have any lining to it. Otherwise, it literally has real war time buttons on it (that are sewn on), and if I did not know any better would also go so far as to say has original insignia on it as well (litzen and eagle are dead ringers for those i have seen in high detail photos from original tunics in museum collections). The shoulder boards on it are very very good repro's that look as good as original, but are in the same lighter fabric. Whoever made it was was one hell of a tailor who knew his German tunics. It also does not have the same costume company tag inside that I have seen on a few other tunics on the market from the movie. But those were also those of credited actors from the movie as well. If you watch in say, the oasis scene of the movie, you can see random guys walking around with identical tunics to this one.
Oh, and why not some pics?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Thanks for showing the film prop tropical tunic. I remember the film well. It would certainly look "ok" on film. But many details are missing compared to an original, but props do not need to be perfect. The insignia are actually repro, litzen were never printed.

Cheers, Ade.