Germany, Schutzpolizei. A Hauptwachtmeister’s Service Uniform

(Schutzpolizei Hauptwachtmeister Uniform). A complete and well-preserved Schutzpolizei Hauptwachtmeister’s service uniform, consisting of a tunic and trousers. The former is constructed of police-style blue-grey wool and features an integrated collar lined on the exterior with dark brown doeskin wool. The collar is fully trimmed with light green piping, and flanked on each side by tabs. The former are constructed of light-green wool, trimmed with twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire piping, and embroidered with silver aluminum wire insignia overlaid by three machine-embroidered light green bands. Each collar tab measures 35 mm (w) x 75 mm (l). The shoulders are both adorned with boards constructed of cardboard-reinforced green wool bases. Each board features two bands of silver aluminum wire piping interspersed with brown threaded chevrons, surrounding two bands of dark brown threaded piping. The boards are both pinned with two silvered bronze rank pips and are secured in place with machine stitching at the outer edge and by a pebbled aluminum button on the inner edge. They each measure 35 mm (w) x 115 mm (l). Stitched onto the upper left sleeve is an insignia consisting of a blue-grey wool base, overlaid by a machine-embroidered Schutzpolizei insignia consisting of a machine-embroidered light green German national eagle clutching a wreathed black mobile swastika, in turn overlaid an oval oak leaf wreath. The eagle insignia measures 85 mm (w) x 70 mm (h). The cuff of each sleeve is lined in dark brown doeskin wool, trimmed at the top with light green piping, and stitched with two decorative pebbled aluminum buttons. The breast flaps each bear two pockets, all opening with stylized horizontal flaps with reinforced buttonholes meeting pebbled aluminum buttons. It closes with eight buttons of identical construction on the right flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left flap. Completing the exterior features is vertical reverse slit, lined with light green piping, topped with two pebbled aluminum belt hooks, and flanked by two pebbled aluminum buttons. All buttons on the tunic are original and stamped on the reverse with the mark of maker Knopffabrik von Hofe & Co., Lüdenscheid. An olive-drab rayon-blended liner fully encompasses the interior, transitioning into a which features a single pocket at the upper left breast, above a reinforced horizontal slit for the accommodation of a dagger hanger. Stamped onto the upper right breast flap is a maker’s mark of “G. ASSMANN”, with a manufacture date of “1940”, as well as size dimensions. An additional date of “1940” is stamped inside of the pocket. Completing the interior are three magnetic metal clips on the right of the collar meeting an equal number of loops on the left side, ensuring a flush fit with the wearer’s neck. The tunic measures approximately 450 mm across the shoulders, with an arm length of 590 mm and an overall body length of 680 mm. Some material fatigue is evident to the wool near high-contact points, with slight soiling of the interior liner. It is in an overall near extremely fine condition.

The accompanying trousers are constructed of heavy blue-grey wool twill, with bands of light green piping descending the outer edge of each leg. Nine bakelite buttons are distributed around the waistband. The trousers close with a French fly featuring five bakelite buttons on the right side of the slit meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left side. Dual side pockets open with diagonal slits, with an additional narrow slit set into the upper right leg. A double-strapped integrated belt is set into the reverse, adjustable with a functional magnetic metal buckle. A single reverse pocket at the upper right leg closes with a bakelite button. The interior features a partial olive-drab liner bearing a black ink maker’s stamp of “STEINER & KELLER GMBH, POL. 1942”, above size dimensions. An additional distribution stamp is also visible on the liner. The trousers measure approximately 410 mm across the waist, with an inseam of 340 mm and an overall length of 1040 mm. Material fatigue and mothing is evident to the exterior wool, and the trousers are in an overall better than very fine condition.