Germany, Kriegsmarine. An Administration Officer’s Greatcoat

(Kriegsmarine Wintermantel). This is a very well-preserved Kriegsmarine Administration officer’s greatcoat, constructed of black wool. The shoulder are adorned by boards, each constructed of cardboard-reinforced black wool and bearing four bands of interwoven silver aluminum wire piping. Each board is pinned with two gilded bronze rank pips and an Administration insignia of identical construction, indicating a rank of Kapitän zur See. The boards are held in place by a wire band piercing the wool at the outer edge, and by a gilded magnetic metal bearing a raised anchor on the inner edge. Both boards measure 36 mm (w) x 90 mm (l). Underneath the boards are integrated wool straps with a silver aluminum wire tress. The cuff of each sleeve features a Kriegsmarine Administration insignia constructed of gold bullion wire on a dark blue cotton back, each measuring 30 mm (w) x 35 mm (h). Additionally, each cuff bears three machine-embroidered gold bullion wire tresses, indicating a rank of Korvettenkapitän. Stitched into the upper left breast flap is a Kriegsmarine-style German national eagle constructed of hand-embroidered gold bullion wire on a dark blue wool background, measuring 105 mm (w) x 45 mm (h). Underneath the eagle are dual vertically-arranged threaded loops for a decoration with a vertical pinback, while the left flap has four horizontally-arranged loops for the accommodation of a medal bar.

The coat closes with five gilded magnetic metal buttons on each flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the opposite flap. Each button is similarly marked with a raised anchor. The reverse of the coat has a vertical slit on the lower half flanked on each side by buttons of identical construction and appearance. The interior of the coat features a black rayon liner with an integrated belt consisting of a strap with four bakelite buttons meeting an analogous strap with an equal number of buttonholes on the left. The interior features are completed with an integrated rayon suspension loop set into the collar. The coat is unmarked and measures approximately 45 cm across the shoulders, with an arm length of 58 cm and an overall body length of 111 cm. The shoulder boards, while period original, do not match the rank indicated by the cuff insignia and appear to have been added later. The sleeve liners have been removed, the is tearing along the breast flap seams, as well as sporadic patches of mothing. The coat is in an overall better than very fine condition.