Mike

I left the tags attached ..right where they put them

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This is a rare Tunic and since most of us already know the SF story , I won't recap it?But I'm listing this Link to a site but , you might have to click the ?Translate? tab to get an interesting version. http://www.google.com/search?q=sonderfuhre...art=10&sa=N ...this is a 2nd Lt rank Besides the distinctive insignia , notice how they use a Grey Background on the Collar/Visor band and even the Breast Eagle. The Gray backed Eagle is harder to find and I?ve seen several SF Tunics using the standard Heer Eagle. The Green Piping on the Visor was for his ?Specialty? while the Shoulder Boards are standard SF. Now this particular Tunic also came with a sad story . I also bought this in the early 70?s ?the Veteran who originally took it was gathering War Souvenirs and labeling them and shipping them home. His name was Cpl Medas and he labeled it on 3/19/45 ?on the flip side of his tag he wrote that it was a German Naval Field Jacket (he didn?t know) Then I found a second Tag ?it was labeled by another Soldier and said that Staff Sgt Medas (he was promoted) was killed in action on April 9th 1945 . So the Tunic did end up as a War Souvenir ...but not with the Soldier who took it first.

I finally took a few new pictures of it (took long enough huh ? ) ...I'll start a Thread

Thanks for the help Paul and , thanks to Eric and Hipnos as well . The Quality and attention to details really shows that it?s from another era ?. :cheers:

That's a really good sign but ..as Rob said , these are tricky . Back in the early 70's Delta Int (or one of those outfits) flooded the market with silk screened Armbands like this. They were a "tad" smaller than the originals and for some reason they were so stiff they felt like they'd been soaking in starch (anyone else remember those ?) I use to see them at shows in bundles and the "story" was they were just found in Germany (surprised ? )

FANTASTIC ! Thanks Eric ?so I guess it would be safe to say this is one of the earlier produced examples. Have any of you seen any of these Orders sell at Auction ? I?d like to give him an idea as to its value

Thanks for that Paul ...here's a close up --

Also a shot from the Royal Museum showing the 5 classes ..poss the above shot is a lower class. Here's the link -- http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...microsoft:en-US

Now just for comparison ?here?s what I think might be a modern version of this order ?the Stars are larger as well as the center disk. It doesn't have the same fine details as the one I posted above . I don't see a Ribbon Loop so I'm assuming this is the Breast Star version ..but the Crown is higher. This picture can be found here -- http://apocalipsetotal.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html

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A few weeks ago I was introduced to a Gentleman who for years specialized in buying out entire Estates. After everything was sorted out ?whatever Militaria they?d find was boxed up and stored away. After about 40 years of storing things ..he?s decided to catalog it all now and start selling it. There are boxes full and Binders and Bags and and and ?. There?s a lot. Apparently they not only ended up with groupings from Veterans Estates but also some late 60?s/70?s collections. So unfortunately , there are also many repros but mostly the old Souval /Ken Lane stuff and Globe Int, Delta Int and WW2 Ltd stuff. One of the reasons I?m helping him out here is , I don?t mind working with someone who?s on the level ?. he knows there are fakes mixed in and he was adamant about separating and marking them as fakes since he does not want to ?rip anyone off? ?refreshing to see there are still honest people out here (for once) Anyway ?I?ve been sorting through the WW2 German first but , he also has a lot of other European Awards ?incl this Breast Star which really stood out and I thought I?d share with you. From what I?ve found so far ..it?s a Portuguese Royal Order that was instituted in 1818 . But The Web says it was limited to only twelve Grand Crosses. I found another shot of the same Star but a different pattern so I?m wondering if this is one of the early original examples from the 1800?s , and if any of you have any idea as to what it would be worth today ? I've been giving him a Lowest (sell it quick) Price and a Highest (don't sell it quick) Price and letting him price it where he wants ...any help you could give on this one would be appreciated

Me too ..at least this is your second , yours is a first for me and I love it ! I bought my SF back around 1969-70 and back then none of us really had a clue of exactly what it was. Funny how little we knew back then and yet the "Hobby" still grew ...and we're still learning today ! Here's a better shot of the Collar Tabs and of the Grey backed Breast Eagle (which we rarely see) --

Now that?s a rare one ! I?ve never run into a Sonderfuhrer Deathcard and it?s interesting how they posted a shot of him not wearing a SF Uniform . We rarely see anything from this group so thanks for posting it.

I'd never seen Vickers with Italian Troops ...interesting. I wonder if they were rechambered or left in 303

Thanks for posting those shots Rick ...so , there's a chance he could have served in WW1 and then ended up as a Customs Officer after the War. I'll ask him if there are any other shots available.

Thanks Rick ?.ya know , I just Emailed John with the Link to this Thread and told him I bet Rick would ID it ---so you just proved me right ! The missing Stars threw me off too and at first I was wondering if it was some sort of Navy Uniform because of the dark color ?but the last shot looks Army . Wouldn?t Italian Military Police be authorized to wear a sidearm ? ?.that could explain an armed NCO ?and his branch

another shot --It looks like he's wearing more of a Service Uniform in this shot. Even the Visor is different

Hi Gents ?.A very good friend of mine in our Town sent me these photos they have in a Family Album ?I believe it?s of his Grandfather before the Family came to America. He asked if I knew anyone who could identify the Uniform he is wearing. I contacted a few other Collectors but no one can be sure if it?s a WW1 Military Dress Uniform or some sort of Gov/Police officials Uniform. Any help would be appreciated !

back of photo --

And here?s a rare shot of the German Diplomatic delegation being received upon their return to Germany from the US