Hi guys, found this jacket today, it was marked only as "European Camo Jacket", but it instantly caught my eye, and I looked at the buttons and found a RZM mark on the epaulet buttons. It seems to have the right age, and the RZM marking(RZM circle logo with M5/72), though, only the epaulet buttons are marked in this way, and the front buttons seem to be replacements. I found a spot on the right breast where it looks like an eagle had been sewn on at one point, but it's VERY faint, there's also a spot on the left arm where a chevron or an eagle was sewn on? Can you fellas help me figure out what it is exactly?
Thank you,
Eddie
This smock definitely isn't an officially issued garment but a hands-on inspection would be mandatory in this case because it could well be a field-made item.I don't know where Eddie has found it,but it would be nice to know about its whereabouts.
The buttonholes are obviously hand-made but in a way I've already noticed on field-made garments.Of course...it coald also be a smock recently made as a field-made piece and aged/repaired (in a typical German way though!) to look the part.
Cheers
Manny
Hi, thanks for the replies fellas, I noticed the material doesn't have the "herringbone" pattern texture to it, and it feels waterproof. I haven't personally handled a Zeltbahn, but I would feel comfortable saying that this is a tent material. Rene Blacky also thought it was a "field made example". I bought it at a trendy re-sale shop, where it was only marked as "European Camo", for $75(NYC is expensive!), it was mixed in with Bundeswehr camo jackets, but it really caught my eye. I'm trying to figure out how I can highlight the threading pattern where the breast eagle was sewn on for a better photo, along with better photos of the epaulet buttons, where it looks like there is wear to RZM logo from the epaulet fabric rubbing against it.
Hi Eddie, the material looks like original Zeltbahn cloth. But the real problem with "field made" items, when made from original materials, is determining just when they were put together.
I have been a re-enactor for almost 35 years now and I have seen countless jackets, caps, helmet covers etc all made from original materials. Buttons are easy to obtain too.
But at the price you paid, I think you could easily move this on at a profit if you so desired.
Hi Ade, thanks as always. You're completely right, the construction date is the crux of the issue. I know that black light tests are not 100%, but would this be a good candidate for that test? Or would that simply prove that the person who made the jacket used old twine to sew up a Zeltbahn? The wear on the jacket, including the stitching holding it together, looks very convincing to me since I have it in hand, and that was the thing that convinced me to pick it up. In any event, if it's not real, it fits me surprisingly well, and I could have a nice rain coat, lol.
Here's some more photos of the wear on the jacket and some rust spots, the closing hook at the neck, and some up close shots of the epaulettes.
Also, there's a spot on the left shoulder where it looks like a patch was once sewn on, is there a rank patch or a patch of any kind that would be appropriate for this spot? The epaulette buttons, the breast eagle, and this spot on the left mid shoulder all use this black fabric, but it's not present elsewhere.
The second to last pic is from the inside, held up to the light, where it looks like there was once a breast eagle attached.
There are many details I do like, as the black thread used for example, but I won't (and wouldn't) be too "emotional" about the traces left by eagles,shoulder boards pips,cheverons and all that jazz....you've got to look for other details that would tell you more than a faint trace.
In my opinion if this smock isn't a period field-made one then somebody went a long way to tailor a garment looking and capturing the feel of a.....period field-made one !
Of course,we only have your pictures to go by and some of them are quite fuzzy (don't be offended Eddie...my lack of photographic skills won't be easily equalled,therefore I'm not the right guy when it comes to being picky !) but if I were you I'd keep it.
I've been fortunate enough to have owned and seen quite a few items field-tailored out of camo gabardine fabric ( you don't necessarily have to butcher a zeltbahn !) and many details do match!
Again...it could be a modern copy which extraordinarily looks like and has the "feel" of a field-made smock but all in allI like it.
Of course...even if it's good you cannot ask the price demanded by original,Wehrmacht-issue smocks in case you'd decide to let it go but if I were you I wouldn't...I owned a field-made M44 jacket made of the same material....sold it to a guy who knew its story (who found it,when and where)....regretted my decision ever since!
Cheers
Manny
Manny, thanks for all your replies. Yeah, I have no interest in getting rid of it, I'm pretty fond of it, and I'm hanging it on my wall at the moment! I think I have the beginnings of a new display... (It never ends!) I'm still not quite up on my breast eagles, but the outline looks more like a Wehrmacht/Heer eagle doesn't it?
Thanks again for all the info, I really appreciate it!
Eddie
German "Green Splinter" pattern Camo jacket?
.
!) but if I were you I'd keep it.
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