Original Waffen-SS SS3 Officer Collar Tab

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Original Pre-1940 Waffen-SS SS3 (Der Führer) Officer Collar Tab – RZM Issue

Museum-Quality Original Waffen-SS SS3 Officer Collar Tab

An exceptionally rare and highly desirable original Waffen-SS SS3 officer collar tab, produced for members of SS-Standarte 3 “Der Führer”, one of the three original regiments of the SS-Verfügungstruppe. Worn before the adoption of the standard SS runic collar tabs in 1940, these numbered regimental insignia rank among the rarest surviving pieces of early Waffen-SS uniform insignia.

Constructed on the correct black wool backing, the tab features finely executed hand-applied aluminium wire embroidery forming the distinctive SS3 designation. The embroidery remains crisp and well defined, displaying excellent period craftsmanship and attractive age-related patina. A hand-applied twisted aluminium bullion border surrounds the tab, identifying it as an officer-quality example.

The reverse retains its original buckram stiffener together with the desirable RZM SS issue label, complete with inspection markings and the size designation 792. The presence of the original RZM label is an increasingly scarce feature and provides further evidence of wartime manufacture. The tab has never been restored or repaired and remains in excellent collector condition.

Historical Background

The SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) formed the nucleus of what later became the Waffen-SS. Before May 1940, the principal regiments identified themselves using numbered collar tabs:

• SS1 – Deutschland
• SS2 – Germania
• SS3 – Der Führer

These distinctive regimental collar tabs were worn for only a relatively short period. Following the Western Campaign in 1940, they were replaced by the familiar double Sig-rune collar tabs, making surviving original numbered examples significantly rarer than later Waffen-SS insignia.

The SS3 “Der Führer” regiment later became an integral component of the 2. SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich”, serving on every major front of the Second World War.

Condition

This example displays outstanding period characteristics expected of an untouched original.

Features include:

• Original black wool backing.
• Fine aluminium wire embroidered SS3 designation.
• Officer-quality twisted aluminium bullion border.
• Original RZM SS issue label to the reverse.
• Buckram stiffener intact.
• Excellent overall preservation with honest age and wear.
• No evidence of modern restoration.

Collector’s Significance

Original pre-1940 Waffen-SS numbered collar tabs are among the most sought-after items of German military insignia. Their brief period of issue and replacement early in the war resulted in relatively few surviving examples. Officer-quality tabs retaining their original RZM issue labels are encountered far less frequently than standard wartime runic collar patches, making this an important addition to any advanced Waffen-SS or Third Reich insignia collection.

Why Collect This SS3 Collar Tab?

• Rare pre-1940 Waffen-SS insignia.
• Officer-quality embroidered construction.
• Original RZM-labelled example.
• Associated with the famous SS-Regiment “Der Führer”.
• Excellent provenance characteristics and untouched condition.
• Ideal for advanced collectors and museum displays.

Related items

Explore related listings: SS Collar Tabs.

References and further reading

For further historical information, consult:

• The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia by Guido Rosignoli.
• Cloth Insignia of the SS by John R. Angolia.
• Waffen-SS Uniforms and Insignia by Andrew Mollo.
• The Uniforms and Insignia section of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
• The Waffen-SS insignia overview maintained by Axis History Factbook.