'SS Das Reich SS'

[Robin Lumsden]

I like 'oddities'.

I first saw one of these for sale a couple of years back and missed it.

I'd never seen another one in over 50 years of collecting.

By some sort of minor miracle, I spotted another one on the web recently and have now been able to obtain it.

It's almost certainly a film prop from one of those old black-and-white 'B' Movies of the 1950s.

Very old and very well made.

The slanted runes are distinctively 'French'.

Many French movies have been made on the subject of the infamous 'Das Reich' massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane in 1944, so perhaps it's from one of these films.

It's sewn closed at the ends, so it could be moved easily from tunic to tunic during filming.

As an aside, the last photo here shows a Flemish SS man wearing a non-regulation Gothic lettering 'Das Reich' cuff title ....... sadly without the runes !

[Robin Lumsden]

Some other 'odd' non-regulation Gothic etc. cuff titles from period photos.

[Adrian]

Interesting as to the reasons behind the production of these. There was a BEVO Florian Geyer cuff title produced so why the need for a variation and as I believe, these were awarded quite late on in the war too so not a common type yet these variations exist.
Conversely the Das Reich was an early war award so quite an established and fairly common cuff title, why the need for a free style variant?
I wonder how many have been dismissed by collectors for not conforming to the regulation standard?

[Robin Lumsden]

Another couple of related pix .........

[Robin Lumsden]

....... showing how these things can evolve over time .......

[MM1985]

[MM1985]

Both RZM variations , one incl. the former owner of the cuff title (the lower one).

And a picture of the first type in wear - the one with the thick lettering and the different s.

[Robin Lumsden]

The strange style of Gothic lettering (with various 'upticks') apparent on these only two known surviving examples of the early film prop oddity appears to be the result of a flaw, or flaws, in the setting of the sewing machine.

Each of the flaws highlighted is slightly different.

The lower photo here shows what this particular film prop was probably intended to look like originally, without the flaws.

[ATHOR]

Hello all

Another DAS REICH CUFF TITLE, but perhaps with somes issues .....

Regards
ARNAUD

[MM1985]

I dont think this one is real. The lettering is off comparing it to known real examples.