K000396 OBERBOOTSMANNMAAT'S REEFER JACKET. (Seemannsjacke)

BACKGROUND: German Naval uniforms and headgear were based on traditional designs that date back to the creation of the Prussian Navy in 1848, and although the uniforms and headgear did evolve during the interim years, many items used during the Third Reich would still have been quite recognizable to the Imperial sailor. The Pea jacket was a basic, traditional, uniform item issued to enlisted personnel and Junior NCO’s, with minor variations, and followed the basic design of the Imperial German Navy and Reichsmarine Pea jackets. The most easily visible difference between the Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine era Pea jackets was the Reichsmarine era Pea jackets had two, vertical, rows of six, visible, front closure buttons while the Kriegsmarine era Pea jackets had two, vertical, rows of five, visible front closure buttons with an additional button hidden beneath each lapel. On later produced Third Reich era Pea jackets the buttons under the lapels were usually omitted. The early Third Reich era Pea jackets were manufactured with a single back panel until regulations of 1939 altered the construction to two back panels with a central, vertical seam. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and headgear and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the OKK, Offizier Kleiderkasse der Kriegsmarine, (Officer’s Clothing Account of the Navy). Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms and headgear from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored items although the price may have been restrictive. Generally speaking officers bought nice quality, private purchase, uniform items but they could also choose to buy their uniforms directly from the military clothing depots.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, early, private purchase, navy blue construction, three quarter length, double breasted style jacket with fold back, upswept, peak lapels and a small lay down collar. The jacket features two, vertical, parallel, rows of five, front closure buttons with corresponding button eyelets on both the left and right front panels. The right breast has a hand embroidered national eagle in gilt wire and bullion threads with golden/tan accent threads on a cut out navy blue wool base. The eagle is handstitched to the jacket. The jacket has two, horizontal, slash, front, hip pockets with overlapping, straight edged flaps. The straight cut, non adjustable sleeve cuffs have a single row of horizontal stitching positioned about 4" up from the bottom edge. The jacket has sewn on shoulder straps. The navy blue wool construction, pointed tip, sewn on, shoulder straps feature ribbed, gilt, wire, NCO’s tress, machine stitched to all the outer edges, two alloy rank pips and a gilt washed, stamped alloy, Boatswain’s, (Bootmanns), career cypher consisting of a fouled anchor. Of Note: Rank designations were tied to the career the individual was assigned to and in this case the proper rank designation is Oberbootsmannsmaat which was the equivalent of the army rank of Oberfeldwebel. The jacket has a lay down collar with the typical zig zag reinforcement stitching to the reverse. Fully linen in black rayon. The lining has a horizontal slash pocket to both left and right breast panels. The jacket is in overall excellent condition. The buttons are all the gilt washed, stamped alloy type and feature an embossed fouled anchor on a horizontally ribbed field with a simulated, twisted rope, outer border and all appear to have their original stitching. The jacket is roughly a size 36" chest.

GRADE ****1/4                             PRICE $1,630.00

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