WW1 German Gloves....

[Chris Boonzaier]

Has any one seen any photos of WW1 mittens?

either in use or in a militaria book?

Thanks

Chris

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here are some pics... they are pre- field grey.... more like the stone grey.

[Chris Boonzaier]

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[Chris Boonzaier]

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[Chris Boonzaier]

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[Chris Boonzaier]

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[Guest Rick Research]

Those look like "issue" items and not the usual homemade stuff.

WERE there issue mittens?

[Chip]

Chris,

I have a nice pair and period photos too.

Chip

Edited March 22, 2006 by Chip

[Daniel Murphy]

I have a WW2 pair. They are virtually identical, but in field grey with grey leather tabs. Yes, They are issue items Rick.

Dan Murphy

[Chris Boonzaier]

Good to know... I will seal the deal then :-))

[Chip]

Chris,

Mine are identical in materials (lighter gray overcoat colored wool on the outside and blue/gray wool on the inside), the only difference being that my pair does not have the separate trigger finger.

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

For EUR30 I could not go wrong ;-)

[Tom Y]

For EUR30 I could not go wrong ;-)

Isn't that a lot for a pair of oven mitts?

The stone grey seems to be a common color for accessories. I have a pair of leggings that are a closer match to an Austrian cap than anything German.

[Chip]

Chris,

That is a good price. I paid $38 for a pair in 1984!

Chip

[Daniel Murphy]

I just picked up a minty pair of original field gray mittens without the trigger finger. In addition to the "ball and slot" straps to keep them together, there is a third strap to suspend the pair from an overcoat button. The body is lined with a dark grey wool and the thumb is lined with tan and brown striped wool.

Tom,

The reason these are so hard to find is that objects like this had a practical every day use (in cold weather) and were used after the war during the depression until worn out and then thrown away. You may not wish to wear your uniform and either had it converted to a civilian cut or packed it away. Officers had a little more money and could afford to pack their items away. During the depression, the common ex-soldier wore whatever he had, so now to find issue shirts, underwear, trousers, etc. is extremely hard and often very expensive. The stuff that was worn hard and thrown away is now what is the most rare, even if it is just a pair of mittens. Look at the price of a common ammunition bandolier, made to be thrown away after use. The last two I saw for sale were over $200 each.

Dan Murphy

[Chip]

Daniel,

Nice find. They are pretty much just like mine with the exception of the longer strap. Definitely keepers!

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

Having stupidly traded the pictured gloves away some years ago.... I am now on the lookout for a "classic" pair.... what should I look for?

[Chip]

Look at the ones that are pictured in this thread, especially Daniel's. The wool should be the light gray overcoat wool material as used on the early issue wartime coats (and their shoulder straps). Linings can vary. Issue examples often have maker or issue stamps on the inside. Leather toggle and keeper straps.

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

I guess finding one a second time round is going to be more difficult :-(

[Chip]

I should say....

There was a Reichswehr issue pair on Ebay recently. They were marked inside and even had a period Etikett sewn in.

Chip

[Hoss]

I've never seen the WW1 ones with a trigger finger thank you for showing. I took extra pics of mine to add, the canvas jobs are just WW1 equivalent of disposable gloves imo some people call them 'Gas Gloves' etc I doubt it and they are not much help with hot weapons either for that they used asbestos.

Eric

[Hoss]

Found something maybe these are just general fatigue mitts.

Eric