Fall 2026 Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 254:
Description
WWII Luftwaffe Trousers Blaugrau Reithose & Reitstiefel Boots. WWII German Luftwaffe Blue-Grey Wool Riding Breeches (Reithose) with Original Suspenders and Black Leather Riding Boots (Reitstiefel), circa 1935-1945 Offered here is a well-matched Luftwaffe ensemble comprising a pair of blue-grey (blaugrau) wool riding breeches fitted with their original suspenders, together with a pair of tall black leather riding boots. No maker’s label, size stamp, or ownership marking is legible in the photographs, and no named recipient or unit history accompanies the lot; the pieces are catalogued on the strength of pattern, construction, and comparison to published examples of Luftwaffe mounted and field dress of the period. The Luftwaffe’s distinctive blaugrau wool cloth set its personnel apart from the field-grey of the Heer, and officers, staff personnel, and mounted or vehicle-borne NCOs alike wore breeches of this cut throughout the war – flared at the upper thigh in the traditional cavalry "balloon" silhouette, tapering to a close fit at the calf, and reinforced at the seat and inner leg with a suede-finish cotton drill panel to resist the friction of the saddle or a vehicle seat. Such breeches were customarily worn tucked into tall, stiff-shafted riding boots of the type offered alongside them here, a combination familiar from garrison duty in the Reich to forward airfields and staff billets across every occupied theater. The genuine wear visible on the reinforcement panels of this example is consistent with practical use by a mounted or vehicle-riding officer or senior NCO rather than purely ceremonial wear. The breeches are of blue-grey wool twill with a fitted waistband, front button-and-hook fly closure, slanted hip pockets, a pale cotton waistband lining, and a rear adjustment tab; broad pale suede-finish reinforcement panels extend from the seat down the inner legs, and the lower legs finish with light-colored piped edging. The original suspenders remain attached, combining dark and pale webbing sections with brass-toned adjusters and leather button tabs. The boots are full-length black leather riding boots with tall, stiff, unlined shafts, a rounded toe box, leather soles, and natural tan leather visible lining the openings. The breeches and boots are the sole items present in this lot; no tunic, headgear, or insignia accompanies them. Condition is consistent with genuine age and service or stable use: moderate soiling and discoloration to the suede reinforcement panels and waistband lining, light creasing to the wool, and expected toning to the suspenders; the boots show surface scuffing, creasing at the ankle flex points, and minor finish loss to the shafts, but both remain structurally sound and fully displayable. A solid, honestly worn example of Luftwaffe mounted field dress that offers collectors genuine German wool and leather uniform items of the WWII period at an accessible level.
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