Heer M36 tunic, odd 'Pioniere' shoulder-straps

[Fiore]

Gentlemen,

I am presenting to today this Heer M36 tunic for your comments. I know that it is mismatched, but nonetheless I would be grateful if some of you could confirm that, and maybe answer some questions I have

Advertised as a 'Pionere' tunic, its comes complete with black-piped shoulder-boards to an Oberfeldwebel; however it is missing the collar tress required for NCOs. Instead the collar has a pronounced 'bead' or lip running around the bottom edge that I have not seen on my other tunics of any rank. The litzen are of the '38 generic type, after the abandonment of waffenfarbe, so no telling to what branch they belong (I believe). They are in very good condition. The breast eagle looks to be hand-applied. Additionally, a Gefreiter chevron remains to the left sleeve - which obviously should have been removed if the man was promoted up through the NCO ranks. So far, so bad.

Interestingly the tunic is named on the interior to a 'Hermann Lahr'. Maker stamp is very hard to read, but I can make out 'Bekleidung-something-something'.

Regarding the shoulder-boards, they are quite a bit smaller than other NCO examples I have (see photos for comparison with a Feldwebel board, Inf. Rgt. 423). Did shoulder-boards come in different sizes? Additionally, the shoulder-boards themselves seem mismatched - one showing a sort of grey-green cotton thread patterned through the silver tress, the other showing only the silver wire threads. The rank pip attachment prongs are square-profiled and look very new, as opposed to the pointed pattern of all the other rank pips I have on various boards.

Might these shoulder boards be not only mismatched to the tunic, but actual fakes themselves?

Again, I know its a frankenstein, but all comments and opinions welcome, especially to confirm my opinion.

[Kohima]

Certainly re-dressed by someone who thought it was ‘close enough’.
The Schulterklappen clearly don’t belong, fitting so poorly on the bridles and stretched to the buttons (and I don’t like those pins either), so I would have no qualms in replacing them with something more appropriate and a better fit - perhaps sticking with one of these less glamorous arms, for interest.

I see no trouble with the turn-back seam to the collar edge.
Interestingly, the whole of the back section has been substantially re-tailored for use as a walking out garment and is a remarkable example of such work (there is a lot of work in that)!

Schulterklappen did, indeed, vary quite notably in size; not only in length, but also in width - in particular with those of a Stabsfeldwebel (to make room for all the sterne)!
A very nice tunic which will reward a little extra effort.

[TWS]

The collar tabs are bad repops.

See if you can make out the date on the stamp. I can't even see a depot stamp in the photo.

Something funny going on with the lining. There are the slits for the internal suspenders in the middle, but the slits at the top are missing.

[Loyds]

Shoulder straps are original but private purchace the collar patches are fake and eagle is original but not original to this tunic

[Fiore]

Thanks everyone. Tunic has been definitively consigned to the 'bad' folder.

[Kohima]

I wouldn’t say it is a ‘bad’ tunic, just in need of a little effort and TLC.
If the insignia is ‘corrected’, it would be a very nice example of a walking out tunic (albeit, a restoration).