U-072 Extremely Rare SS Panzer Wrapper and
Trousers for a Hauptscharführer
One heck of a piece of history, including a trip of nostalgia for me!
I first observed this set in 1975 when I was doing an inventory and appraisal
for the PLYMOUTH MILITARY MUSEUM in Plymouth, Massachusetts. I remember
being very impressed seeing it on a mannequin in a glass display case! The
museum closed and the contents disappeared for over 20 years. Then an
antique dealer contacted me and asked if I wanted to buy some items that were
being sold off from an old museum. Well I quickly put one and one together
and managed to get quite a few items that I had seen 20 years before. I was
thrilled to be offered this set as one of the items. I have had this in my
collection ever since and it is being offered for the first time. Because
this is not a standard SS issue set, it is something that you have to be
comfortable with just like I have been. The tunic is the standard Army cut in
terms of the collars and the seam down the center of the back. However, it is a
known fact that the SS also were issued Panzer wrapper tunics from Army
supplies, especially in times when there was a uniform shortage. I
sincerely believe this is an example of that, as I would not have kept it in my
collection if I felt differently. It is made of good quality black wool
material, with light to moderate even overall wear. There is a definite wartime
repair on the left sleeve under and to the left of the sleeve eagle. This
is a machine done zig-zag and is located in an area just where the tunic would
have worn against one of the walls of the armored vehicle (see picture).
This is a wartime tunic with slip-on boards, which are pink piped and have
subdued tressing. This is for the rank of Hauptscharführer (Senior NCO) and has
two aluminum pips. The machine embroidered SS runic collar tab and the rank tab
(matching properly for the shoulder boards) are hand applied, but just like
everything else on this tunic, the wear and way it sits on the body let you know
it's original to the tunic. The same goes for the nice, hand applied, machine
embroidered sleeve eagle. There are two original sets of combat badge loops and
these are probably for a Tank Badge and a First Class Iron Cross. The
interior has the grey cloth lining and has all the size marks and issue depot
marking (looks like K 40). These are in the proper location on the upper
left interior. It also has the correct cheesecloth underside to the
lining. The trousers are also not the standard Panzer type. They are black wool
very similar to the wool on the blouse and display the same wear as the tunic.
The front pockets are slash pockets with single-button closure. The legs taper
at the ankles and have the ties and elastic strap intact. There is one pocket
(also one-button closure) in the rear. This set also has the adjustment buckles
on the hips. The interior has the partial liner, which is a grey cotton
material. There is some tracking and a few small moth holes in the groin
area, but overall these trousers are very sound and match very well with the
tunic. The reverse has the reinforced seat. These look like a pair of
Keilhosen which have been converted for use by this NCO. These are the
exact trousers I remember with the tunic when I first saw this set in 1975!
Overall very sound and very desirable grouping.
$15,000.00
SUMMER
CLEANING SALE PRICE: $13,500.00
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Item U-072
