Germany, Heer. A Panzergrenadier Leutnant Field Tunic, by Frentzen & Co.

(Heer Waffenrock für einen Leutnant der Panzergrenadiere). A very well-preserved Heer service tunic for a Panzergrenadier Leutnant, constructed of field-grey wool. It features a turned-down collar which is topped by a layer of smooth green wool, and reinforced on the reverse with machine-stitched darts. The collar is flanked on each side by tabs which are constructed of dark green wool with buckram cores and topped by two silver aluminum wire bars bisected by light green threading, both measuring 45 mm (w) x 75 mm (l). The shoulders are topped by boards which are constructed of light green wool with rigid card stock cores and bear four bands of silver aluminum wire piping. Each measuring 35 mm (w) x 110 mm (l), the boards are fixed in place with stitching at the seam of the shoulder and with pebbled metal buttons on the inner edge. The cuff of each sleeve is rolled up to a depth of 15 cm. Four pleated pockets are set into the breasts, all closing with scalloped flaps perforated with reinforced buttonholes meeting pebbled metal buttons. Stitched onto the upper right breast just above the corresponding pocket is an insignia consisting of a dark green wool backer bearing a hand-embroidered silver aluminum wire Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, measuring 100 mm (w) x 40 mm (h). Two sets of threaded loops are distributed across the upper left pocket for the addition of badges with vertical pinbacks, while a three-piece ribbon bar pinned onto the tunic just above the same pocket features the War Merit Cross II Class with Swords, Wehrmacht Long Service Award with Heer device, and Sudetenland Medal, and measures 7.5 cm in total length. The tunic closes with five pebbled metal buttons on the right flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left, with a 1939 Iron Cross II Class ribbon stitched through the second buttonhole. A multi-piece grey cotton/rayon blended cloth liner partially encompasses the interior. Stamped onto the right side of the liner is a maker’s mark of “FRENTZEN & CO.” for the Mönchengladbach-based manufacturer of Wehrmacht uniforms and cloth accessories, above size dimensions. The tunic measures approximately 42 cm across the shoulders, with an arm length of 60 cm and an overall length of 66 cm (when folded on a flat surface). Some issues consistent with age and field use are evident, and include sporadic material fatigue to cloth of both the collar and base tunic (the latter including some mothing), with some wear to the shoulder boards. This untouched Officer-grade field tunic remains in a near extremely fine condition.