Article about: Hi, wondering if anyone can give any advice on this feldbluse? It's made of (captured?) Dutch wool by a German Stettin based maker and has a "St.40" Stettin Depot acceptance stamp.
Hi, wondering if anyone can give any advice on this feldbluse? It's made of (captured?) Dutch wool by a German Stettin based maker and has a "St.40" Stettin Depot acceptance stamp. It also has the pre-war type mounted collar patches with Waffenfarbe despite presumably being made after May 1940 when stocks of (captured) Dutch wool became available. I understand that the timeline for the introduction of the M40 style tunic (feldgrau collar) is obscure. In Jean-Philippe Borg and Laurent Huart's "Feldbluse" book they state that the precise introduction date is unknown and probably varied between makers. Nevertheless it may be one of the last M36 types to be made? Naturally the condition suggests a 'Best' / Walking out tunic and 'Der Spiess' may have had some leverage when it came to picking a tunic from the stores!
Grateful for any thoughts.
On another note I was also wondering if anyone has heard of German manufacturers acquiring Dutch wool legitimately (i.e paying for it!) before the occupation of Holland in May 1940, i.e as an import. I had wondered about the rapid expansion of the Wehrmacht in 1939 / 40 and whether stocks of German made wool might have been supplemented with imports? That would allow the possibility of a tunic such as this being manufactured in 1939 and leaving a Depot early 1940 - just a thought.
There appears to be no history with the blouse but if the shoulder straps are original to it (impossible to say), Kavallerie Regiment 14 was dissolved in August 1939 (it's men being distributed among various Aufklarungs sub-units), but the staff (which might include some senior NCO's?) continued as a training and replacement battalion until December 1944.
The seller informed me that the collector he acquired it from stated that he had owned it since the 1970's.
The eagle is the light-grey on dark green type (as described by the seller) and is hand applied as expected I think for an M36 type?
Only liability on this one is the size. Somewhat small. I am not familiar with the history involved, but the tunic is quite nice. Yes...the hand stitched eagle is expected for this year/model tunic.
D.
Hi real steel, thanks for taking a look and glad you like it.
You're right, it's on the smaller side, (about a 35.5" chest) but I have other tunics in that size (and one even smaller!) and I can get them on my Webster torso mannequins OK which is fine for me.
I know that some people think it's sacrilege (!) not to display them on mannequins but at least in the future when I sell them (reluctantly, and possibly from my deathbed...) they will still be in great condition hopefully!
When I collected tunics decades ago, I would put moth balls in the pockets, careful not to let them touch the wool. Mothballs in small plastic bags unsealed. Then into the plastic garment bags & hung in a closet. Every month or two, I would take them out & admire them.
The dealer who is offering this tunic is "top notch" for honesty & integrity & experience. I know of maybe two or three that are his equal...Jean Philipe being one of them.
D.
Hello Gentlemen,
That's too much honour for me David, i'm just the normal bloke who was lucky enough to be born in a country that has been occupied for four years (can't believe i just wrote that), lucky to have a mother who was fond of flea markets where i went with her each weekends since i could walk, lucky to have a good memory and very lucky to have met some great guys, of which some are no more with us, guys who educated me and did put me on the right tracks. These values allowed me to stay away from the dark side of the Force. I'm still learning everyday and hope i can help others out to the best of my knowledge...thanks anyway.
I don't have much to say about this Feldbluse, it's very nice...
Thanks
The sacrifice of life is a huge sacrifice, there is only one that is more terrible, the sacrifice of honor
An update on this, went ahead and bought it. Many thanks to Mike Davis of the Virtual Grenadier for excellent service and communication as usual.
I will add the other pictures for reference, in case the (Virtual Grenadier) link above disappears in the future. Mr Davis added that the seller (VG acquired it in February at this years's SOS show) who had owned it since the 1970's stated that it was "in it's original state".
The eagle, although appearing white when photographed with a flash is (as described) actually the light grey on green type introduced from February 1939. I can't find any reference anywhere of the lighter green Dutch wool being obtained via trade before hostilities therefore can only assume this was made after May 1940 with captured stock.
The description in the VG link:-
"Striking Heer M36 service blouse for a Kavallerie Spiess, lightly service worn example constructed of Dutch wool and with lining and internal bandage pocket bag of ribbed cotton, having the dark green badge cloth collar with steel hook and eye, five button front, four pleated patch pockets and adjustable cuffs, the lining is stamped in dark blue black ink with size markings and St.40 depot, the Stettin-based maker's information is stamped in black ink to the bandage pocket, the collar liner and cuff buttons are the horn type, the lowest two collar liner buttons are pressed paper, the field grey painted pebbled steel buttons all match, all buttons are present and originally sewn, the mounted litzen collar patches are piped in golden yellow and machine sewn to the collar, metallic NCO tresse is machine sewn to the collar's lower edge, the matched pair of slip on shoulder straps have dark green badge cloth upper panels, golden yellow colored wool piping and machine applied metallic NCO tresse, each strap has two silver rank pips and the numerals 14 (14. Kav. Regt.), there is a button for anchoring a marksmanship lanyard under the right shoulder strap, each lower cuff has a double row of 'piston rings' machine applied and with ends tucked into seams indicating the Hauptfeldwebel's assignment as Spiess, the light grey on dark green national emblem is originally hand sewn, there are loops for a two place ribbon bar which is included, at one time it appears that a badge was pinned top the left breast pocket, blouse is pleasingly age toned, has the odd pick and little stains but is in generally excellent condition."
Regarding the maker "Wilhelm Vordemfelde" of Stettin, it appears they still exist today under the name WILVORST (WILhelm VORdemfelde STettin) - i.e still incorporating Stettin (now Szczecin in Poland) in the company name, and have numerous outlets in Germany after relocating to Northeim after 1945.
Some information from the company website (translated):-
WILVORST was founded in 1916 in Szczecin: this year Wilhelm Vordemfelde took over the company of his previous employer in Szczecin and soon changed the company name to WILVORST, to his name and to the city of Szczecin - WILhelm VORdemfelde STettin.
From the beginning the most important goals were: high-quality fabrics - outstanding employees - quality, fit and good workmanship down to the smallest detail.
1929/1930 - 1945:-
1929/1930 - Wilhelm Vordemfelde had a new company building built on Turnerstrasse in Szczecin. The modern workshop concept allowed for the first time a work-sharing production. This created the basis for a functional, cost-effective and high-quality production. 1945 - WILVORST had to leave Szczecin - the old company building was used from there for 50 years for the production of clothing products by a Polish-state provider.
Heer M36 Kavallerie Spiess tunic for review (St.40 Stettin Depot marked)
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