KLEIDERKASSE SS paper packet and buttons

[Winkelman]

Possibly a first time ever find ?


1 . the thing that has me wondering is FOR WHOM this set would have been meant ;
a Kleiderkasse outlet - it would surely order their buttons by the hundreds .
So IMO ( if said item would be original , and I hope it is ) it would be a SPARE SET , given to the customer as an extra with a tunic ordered .

2. but why supply a complete set of buttons as spares , not just 2 or 3 ? Who loses ALL of their buttons at once ?
Could be pre-war luxury .

3. graphically , on the package the runes seem somewhat out of proportion , demanding attention - after all its just an envelope of spare buttons . But who knows ?

Very curious how it turns out ..
If fake , I'd expect to see other ones show up soon enough ..

[Wagriff]

Perhaps these tunic button sets were intended for Tailors who made custom uniforms? And, yes-I agree with Winkelman-the runes are the 1st thing that drew my eyes to it. They do not look right.

[Winkelman]

I'd expect tailors ( and in particular those specialized ) to have buttons available in huge BOXES , not in single envelopes to be opened individually .. ?
So for me its more likely spare parts .

Indeed the variety of fantasy " SS Sonderpackungen " unleashed upon the collectors , has made us sceptical for a reason .

Well , I've defended both sides now - do love a good discussion ..

[Wagriff]

I thought of that too, but I was wondering if, perhaps, these were kept intentionally in sets-maybe in boxes or bins, so when a tunic is made, you could simply reach in and pick up a full set of buttons to stitch onto it rather than sort through the 2 sizes? In any case, like you said, if they are fake, I'm sure they'll be showing up on the market all over the place any time soon now!

[d'alquen]

I believe that the Kleiderkasse-SS did supply materials for tailors. The insignia, buttons, tresse etc. for the evening dress was certainly offered as a complete set in the 1940 catalogue.
This extract from a Himmler order regarding the white tunic indicates that the white material, the removable collar patches and the screw-on shoulderboard were available from the sales department of the Kleiderkasse-SS. Given that it refers to white material one would surmise it was for the tailoring trade.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Here is what Mr. Derek refers to in the 1940 catalog as requires the Garnitur for the evening dress .

While the SS price lists of the 1934 and after period offer ready to wear items of uniform, the 1940 Kleiderkasse offers varieties of textiles per meter which are obviously only for the use of the tailor.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Textiles on offer in 1940.... you will recall that the point of the Kleiderkasse was a low cost, credit oriented means to allow the officer to equip themselves without large debts to tailors, the latter such phenomena being infamous, i.e. "Die Schulden eines Majors...." being a term of art from the Prussian/German Army.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

PS Based on my collecting of these things for fifty years, I think the bag is fake.
I would be happy to be proved wrong by some other evidence, but none has been forthcoming in this thread.
I have no wish to degrade the reputation of another person on another forum.
My only wish is to serve the truth with evidence.

- - ------- - -

Our very able colleague Hugo Rietzel is especially equipped for this task, because he has a fine collection of RZM ephemera.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

In the 1934 list, tunics, blouse etc. were offered in ready to wear models as well as the textiles and parts. You will note that the buttons for said items were also offered viz. item 631 ff. Please notice that said buttons were offered and priced as individual pieces.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The little devils....