M35 Gymnastiorka and trousers - standard real or fake query!

[Johnny C]

Hello all. Kicking off my first post, probably a question that gets asked all the time! I have had an M35 for approx 20 years but never seriously looked into it. It purports to be an NKVD border Rifles OR's tunic but there appears to be something off about the sewing on the collar tips and positioning of the tabs. There is a stamp but its fairly illegible, so no help there. The buttons appear to be steel rather than brass. I have included a picture of the way the sleeves are attached to the main body using grey 'piping'. Given that grey cloth is seen as a Post war feature in other posts, does this indicate later manufacture?

I also have a pair of what appear to be M35 Harovari trousers but there is a clear stamp in these which looks like 1960s manufacture date? As provenance I had these sent to me from St Petersburg in 2001 (so probably at peak fakery time?!!). It would be pleasing if they are genuine but even if not they look fairly nice and they are in great condition so I'm happy. Hoping you can provide a bit more insight, Johnny.

P.S. Sorry about the creases - its been in storage of years and I'm reluctant to iron it yet!

[Marcel Banziger]

The date in the trousers says 1938, so not the 60's,

[Johnny C]

Thank you Marcel.
I have no idea how to read the stamps and thought the 38r on the trouser stamp referred to something else such as size. I have attached a few more photos of the trousers as there are additional details I didn't post as I thought they were 1960s. If they really do date to 1938 they are in exceptional (probably un-issued) condition but perhaps this is more common than I think?

The inside of both legs are stamped '4947' and there is a faint 4947 stamp on the inside of the waistband. Both the fly catch and the buckle for the rear waist band retain a gloss black paint with some very minor rust on the buckle. Once again, apologies for the lack of ironing!

[Johnny C]

Here is the stamp from the gymnastiorka - I played about with the photo contrast to try to get it to show up a bit more but its still tricky to see. Perhaps someone with much more experience can spot where the date should be?

Thanks.

[Dom]

Hello,

To answer simply and unfortunately for you, nothing good in this set the fabric is post war

[Boycie]

Looks like a post war VOKhR tunic with border guards tabs added. The stamp on the trousers looks wrong - far too much information on the tech specification for that period. I think it's been messed with.

Do the buttons on the trousers read МОСШТАМП МОСКВА? Are there markings on the back of the gym buttons?

[Gabriele]

Hello Johnny,

As Dom said, nothing good in this set, at least this is also my opinion based on the pictures...sorry

Boycie, I think the buttons are mosshtamp at 99%.

Best regards
Gabriele

[Johnny C]

Hello both.
Yes, the buttons do say МОСШТАМП МОСКВА. Not sure of the significance of that though so happy to be enlightened.

Just had a quick look at the Gym buttons - bit obscured by paint but appears to be an M and 64 although one button on the left flap pocket is M with two small stars.

Johnny

[Gabriele]

Mosshstamp is the manufacture, postwar. Buttons can be replaced of course, but in such set there are many signs that point to a postwar set altered to represent an m35 uniform.

Fabric is postwar, stamps not good, insignia most probably not original.

It could be, as said by Boicie, a 1960s gymnasterka of the Vohkr (guards of military installations) modified to look like a m35.

[Rob truscott]

There are also many re enactment groups , a Border Guards group for instance in St Petersburg so collar patches get made up on all sorts of variable converted uniforms not intending to con but for wear at events .