Description
Product Description: This tunic removed Bullion SS Collar Tab is a lovely example with a desirable “been there” look. This hard to find piece of insignia features the runic emblem of the SS, hand embroidered in silver bullion on a backing of black wool badge cloth. This was likely worn by an SS officer. The bullion wire shows some wear but remains complete, and is very nicely embroidered with expected precision and skill. The black badge cloth also shows wear with some moth nips and small wear holes at the edges, as well as a bit of damage on one corner, perhaps from when this was cut from a collar and taken as a souvenir. There is no doubt that this piece was worn on a uniform, and some of the stitching that once affixed this to a collar remains present. On the reverse, this Bullion SS Collar Tab shows a partial RZM paper tag and a typical buckram backing. This is an evocative “combat worn” original piece with great character. The condition rates as very good plus.
Historical Description: Regulations for the SS Collar Tab went through quite an evolution in just a short 16-year period. The first SS Collar Tabs were introduced in 1929 by Heinrich Himmler as part of the newly introduced SS uniform code. Initially, tabs were worn by both lower rank SS men and their senior leaders. Lower ranks would wear a rank tab as well as a numbered unit identification tab, with senior leaders wearing their rank tabs on both collars. In 1933 the well-known “SS” runic tab was adopted by Hitler’s personal bodyguard detachment, the “Leibstandarte” or “LAH”. The LAH used this runic tab in lieu of the numerical unit identification tab to identify them as members of the elite unit protecting the “Führer”. In 1934 the runic “SS” tabs were again adopted for use by the early “SS-VT” units. This adoption eventually led to the widespread use of SS runic tabs by German Divisions; the later non-German volunteer units would not be permitted to wear the runes, and bore their own unit designed patch instead. SS Collar tabs can be found in an extraordinary variety of numbers, designs, and pipings depending on unit and rank, from hand-embroidered tabs worn by officers to mass produced embroidered and machine woven types that were used on combat uniforms.
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