Germany, Imperial. A 2. Hannoversches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 26 Service Tunic, by T. Schmidt

(Waffenrock für Männer der 2. Hannoversches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 26). A rare and well-preserved service tunic belonging to a soldier of the 2. Hannoversches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 26. Constructed of a classic pre-1907 smooth Dunkelblau (dark blue) wool, it features a turn-down black cotton blended collar trimmed along the edge with red piping, and pinned with two bronze buttons bearing raised Prussian imperial eagles. The shoulders are flanked by straps constructed of smooth white wool, each bearing a red machine-embroidered exploding bomb above a number “26”. The straps are secured in place with machine stitching at the outer edge and with polished, bronzed magnetic metal buttons on the inner edge. The cuff of each sleeve features a layer of black cotton trimmed with red piping, also pinned with two polished bronzed, bronze buttons. It closes with eight bronze buttons on the right breast flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left flap. The reverse features a central vertical slit flanked on each side by scalloped flaps, trimmed with red piping, with four decorative bronze buttons, topped by two bronze belt hooks. The interior is fully encompassed by a multi-piece black and field-grey liner which transitions into a pinstripe design through the arms. Emanating from each armpit is a loop bearing a maker’s mark of “T. SCHMIDT, BERLIN SW”, while the remnants of illegible green ink stamps are also visible to the armpit liners of both arms. The right side of the collar features two bronze hooks meeting three loops of identical construction on the right side. The tunic measures approximately 425 mm across the shoulders, with an arm length of 545 mm, and an overall body length of 710 mm.. It demonstrates issues consistent with age and wear, including some mothing and material fatigue of the exterior wool, loss of finish to the buttons, soiling and fatigue of the interior liner with evidence of repairs, and the loss of one collar hook with replacement of one of the loops. This experienced and unit-attributed tunic is in an overall very fine condition.