Austrian Imperial Era General Officers Coat, Feldmarschalleutnant
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: $995.00

Original period manufacture.Pike Gray doeskin wool double breasted coat with red wool collar and cuffs. Gold brocade cuff decoration in the width for a General officer on each cuff, full complement of General officer pattern buttons throughout. Two six-pointed silver stars on each side of the collar, which indicate the rank of Feldmarschalleutnant. Gray cloth body lining, with red silk lined skirts. Mothing to the rear of the right sleeve just above the cuff. Overall the coat presents very well, with a nice tailor's label machine sewn to the exterior of the inside chest pocket.  Some of the seams of the gold brocade cuff and collar decoration have loosened up a bit. All in all, it remains a regulation example of the Imperial Austrian General Officers Service Dress Coat. 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.