Germany, Federal Republic. A Bundeswehr Luftwaffe General’s Tunic and Visor Cap

(Bundeswehr Luftwaffe Dienstrock und Schirmmütze für General). A very well-preserved Luftwaffe General’s tunic constructed of dark blue-grey whipcord wool. It features an integrated collar which transitions into double-breasted flaps. The collar is trimmed with twisted and rolled gold bullion wire piping, and flanked on each side by tabs. The latter are constructed of red wool with buckram cores and bear hand-embroidered gold bullion wire insignia, each measuring 32 mm (w) x 60 mm (l). The shoulders are each adorned with straps constructed of grey-blue wool, trimmed with red piping, and pinned with three gilded bronze rank pips with oak leaf wreaths. Each strap measures 52 mm (w) x 120 mm (l) and is secured in place with machine stitching at the outer edge and with a pebbled magnetic metal button on the inner edge. Each breast flap features a pocket located at the lower quarter, both opening with reinforced horizontal slits. Stitched onto the upper right flap is an insignia consisting of a dark blue-grey wool base bearing a central hand-embroidered silver aluminum wire Bundeswehr-style German national eagle, within a gold bullion wire wreath, flanked by stylized wings. The eagle insignia measures 115 mm (w) x 42 mm (h). The upper left flap features three horizontally-arranged threaded loops, accommodating a medal bar. The latter features three 1957 version decorations, including a 1939 Iron Cross II Class, a War Merit Cross II Class with Swords, a Wehrmacht 4-Year Long Service Medal, and a Wehrmacht 12-Year Long Service Medal. The medals are affixed to a 120 mm-long bronze bar with a horizontal pinback and red wool reverse liner. The tunic closes with four gilded and pebbled magnetic metal buttons on the right flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left flap. Wrapped around the right shoulder strap and surplus black bakelite button is a period original General’s aiguillette, constructed of multiple rows of twisted and rolled gold bullion wire. The interior features a complete grey rayon liner, with a single pocket located at the upper left flap. An additional pocket at the upper right flap remains sealed with stitching. Embroidered onto the upper back is a maker’s label reading “RUD. WILKEN, OLDENBURG”. The tunic measures approximately 470 mm across the shoulders, with an arm length of 640 mm and an overall body length of 785 mm. Minor, age-appropriate material fatigue is evident, but the tunic is in an overall near extremely fine condition.

It is accompanied by its period original visor cap, constructed of dark blue-grey wool. The cap features reinforced side walls, fully lined on the exterior with a woven blue-grey cap band. Twisted and rolled gold bullion wire piping trims both the top and bottom of the cap band, with an additional length of identical piping surrounding the crown. Stitched onto the peak is a wire Bundeswehr-style tricolour cockade, measuring 20 mm in diameter. Underneath the cockade in the centre of the cap band is an additional insignia consisting of a blue-grey wool backer bearing hand-embroidered gold bullion wire wings set through an oak leaf wreath, measuring 80 mm (w) x 56 mm (h). The cap band is also flanked on each side by gilded and pebbled magnetic metal buttons, securing in place a black plastic chinstrap, adjusted with two buckles of identical construction. When not in use, the chinstrap rests upon a protruding vulcanfibre-reinforced visor, trimmed on the obverse with dual rows of hand-embroidered gold bullion wire oak leaf branches. The interior is fully surrounded by a grey leather sweatband, bisected by a band of gold bullion wire, measuring 40 mm in width and secured in place with machine stitching. A grey rayon liner encompasses the interior, with a transparent plastic rhomboid moisture guard stitched onto the crown. The guard retains a gilt mark of “BAMBERGER MÜTZEN-INDUSTRIE”, and retains a paper label with a size stamp of “57”. It measures approximately 250 mm (w) x 275 mm (l) x 170 mm (h). Some oxidation is evident to the gold bullion wire features, but the cap is in an overall near extremely fine condition.

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