Heer General Breast eagle

The breast eagle (Brustadler) for the rank of General was a masterpiece of military insignia, hand-embroidered using fine gold bullion thread (Cannelille). Unlike the standard silver-colored eagles for lower officer ranks, the gold eagle was the ultimate symbol of high command within the Wehrmacht. These were worn on the iconic dark-green collars of the M36 and M40 service tunics.

This item:
A powerful and 100% original Heer General’s Breast Eagle. This is a textbook example of high-level hand-embroidery on dark bottle-green wool, showing heavy character and a deep, honest age patina. Hand-woven gold bullion thread on a dark-green wool base. The reverse features the correct grey paper backing, typical for high-end period insignia. This eagle has "been there." It shows significant wear, with approximately 85% of the gold bullion intact. There is some loss of wire around the body and the lower left wing, revealing the white structural padding underneath. This type of wear is often seen on tunics that were worn extensively in the field. The gold wire has toned beautifully over the last 80 years, losing its bright shine and taking on a prestigious, muted gold/bronze hue. Sourced from an old US-based estate, this eagle is a perfect "combat-look" piece for a collector who values an item with a real history over a mint-condition replica. An affordable opportunity to own an original General's insignia with a fantastic "salty" appearance.