U-083 Impressive Named Greatcoat for a
Top-Tier Diplomatic Official; From the Ed Stadniki Collection and My Personal
Collection
This extremely fine garment originally came from Ed Stadniki’s
collection, and has resided since then in my own collection. Being as we are
only temporary caretakers of these historical artifacts, however, it is time for
this very nice greatcoat to pass on to a new guardian! It is a very smartly
turned out garment! The somewhat dark wool – officially considered field grey,
but in fact more of a “field green” with a very subtle hint of brown - is
excellent quality and nicely contrasted by lapels in a super soft, dove grey
felt. The coat wool is in excellent condition, clean and with very little
mothing – nothing that attracts any attention! It collar is in fine shape with
only a small faint stain on the left side lapel (as worn), and two tiny
pinhole-sized holes at the outer point of the right lapel. The coat has a superb
set of sewn-in 1940 pattern shoulder boards with three-part braid (two outer
strands of lightly toned gold bullion braid, with a silver center braid) on
black wool/felt underlays, and a handsome gilt eagle insignia affixed to the
center of each board (indicative of the highest pay grade series). The board
buttons are nice, brightly gilded metal with a raised relief Foreign Ministry
eagle. Dashing! The coat sleeves have French cuffs and just above the cuff level
on each sleeve is the revised style of insignia that followed the discontinued
embroidered bullion eagle: three hand embroidered gold bullion rank stars (toned
to a dusky hue!) arranged in a horizontal line. The gold color indicated this
person was in an assignment outside the Reich; the three five-pointed stars
indicated a position within the highest tier of diplomatic pay grades. The front
of the coat has all of its gilt Foreign Ministry buttons. The coat interior is
fully lined in a dark steel green (a lot of blue in the mix) colored rayon.
There is a lightly frayed, machine woven black tailor label at the neck that
identifies the Berlin maker as Robert Kochan - his shop was named “Jockey
Club” (perhaps he enjoyed a large foreign clientele before the war)?!
The inside left breast pocket has a white oilcloth tag, again showing the
“Jockey Club” title (but not Kochan’s), and with the garment owner’s
name handwritten in blue ink – though I can’t quite make this out. The
interior has a few minor snags, but overall is in very good condition and
complete with a narrow hanging strap with chrome-plated ring, for attaching a
diplomatic dagger. All in all, this is an extremely fine greatcoat that would
fit someone about 5’8” tall, and up to about a size 38. The sleeves are long. A
stunning collectible for addition to any collection.
$6,500.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Item U-083
