Austrian Imperial Era, Enlisted Private Purchase Tunic, One Year Volunteer
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $295.00

Original era manufacture. Medium blue wool single breasted tunic, with a black wool collar and cuffs. Each cuff has a 12 mm wide gold band machine sewn around it's top, indicating the status of a One Year Volunteer. Loops for two badges or medals on the left chest, no mothing to report, full complement of gilded, domed brass buttons, and an enlisted quality shoulder knot on the left shoulder. Size about a 36. Quite likely this coat, and many like it, formed part of the large purchase of Imperial Austrian items by Hollywood back in the 1920's. If you do a search for the Western Costume Research Library, there is a very interesting story about the purchasing of these artifacts for the 1928 Erich von Stroheim directed epic "The Wedding March". When literally thousands of uniforms, hats, swords, equipment, medals, and the Royal Hapsburg Coach, were purchased and sent to Hollywood for the filming. They remained in stock at the costume houses until the early 1990's. I remember when attending the old Great Western Show in Pomona, seeing heaps of Austrian uniforms lying on the floor behind dealers tables. They were there to be rummaged through, seeking that elusive treasure, pay the bill and off you go.