Early SS Summer Tunic

[backtothefront]

Greetings. IMHO it would be great to see this tunic restored. My question and ongoing problem (in Sydney) is who to perform the work?
I havent been able to get a sleeve eagle properly stitched let along a full tunics worth of insignia. Good luck and I look forward to seeing the finished product.

[greimers]

If done I would only consult Ben

[Glenn66]

Perhaps a phonecall to the conservation department of the NMA might get you a lead? I know the conservation team in the textiles area of the National Art Museum to which I am attached does some amazing work. They are unlikely to do an 'outside job' for you but if asked nicely might get you a lead.

A quick search found this link to their textiles conservator National Museum of Australia - Carmela Mollica

[greimers]

Thanks Glenn, but no thanks. The curator ship of antiquities in Australia leaves much to be desired.

[Bochmann]

Personally, if the tunic were mine I would restore it, if only because that was the way the tunic was supposed to be.

I can understand your dilema but to me a stripped tunic with no insignia is a bit like a vase with no flowers, so if you restore it properly, you enhance both the tunic and the insignia and I would not consider the process to be in any way detrimental.

[kirby]

Did the SS ever have 7 or 8 button fronts? This looks more Police than SS.

[ddavies]

Personally, if the tunic were mine I would restore it, if only because that was the way the tunic was supposed to be.

I can understand your dilema but to me a stripped tunic with no insignia is a bit like a vase with no flowers, so if you restore it properly, you enhance both the tunic and the insignia and I would not consider the process to be in any way detrimental.

I agree with Bochmann,I don't see a problem with a restoration.
Cheers
Dave.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Exactly-as Glenn said. As for the insignias, you would have to unpin them, of course, and post front and back photos of each piece to make sure that no sinkers have slipped through the nets, so to speak. The sleeve eagle, shoulder boards and the 2 collar tabs.

Mr. G. here gives sound advice, especially for this insignia you want extra scrutiny.

I had an LAH white uniform in the early 1970s, with a grey silk cap and black lange Hosen (which I still own...). The insignia were very poorly and loosely attached.
Here is the grey silk cap in an image from that far off era.
I sold the tunic to a prominent collector.

[Bochmann]

For info.

Did the SS ever have 7 or 8 button fronts? This looks more Police than SS.

[HPL2008]

The official white SS tunic was cut in the style of the black one and thus had an open collar and a four-button front.

Period photographs show that some Waffen-SS officers wore a closed-collar white tunic in the army- or police style.

This, however, was a strictly unofficial, non-regulation choice by a few individuals. Heiner Bremer (seen above) was one, Karl-Maria Demelhuber and Fritz Schmedes were two other examples that come to mind.