Aiguillettes?

willie777 · 12-12-2006, 03:11 PM

What did Aiguillettes represent in the soviet union? I only know of wearing by honor guards and dembel. Why are some silver and some gold? Are there any regs regarding this?

Esteban_cool · 12-12-2006, 03:13 PM

I have never seen silver aiguilettes in soviet uniforms.:nono

However, I have only seen them in East German ones. Gold aiguilettes were for general officers.

Nack · 12-12-2006, 03:23 PM

[QUOTE=Esteban_cool;57625]I have never seen silver aiguilettes in soviet uniforms.:nono QUOTE]

Well, not to fast. This is an as-yet resolved topic I think. http://www.soviet-awards.com/forum/s...ead.php?t=5044

As to whether gold aguilettes were just for g.o., I'm not sure about that either.

willie777 · 12-12-2006, 05:58 PM

I read, officer is gold while em is silver. Still confused about the tassley variation.

Esteban_cool · 12-12-2006, 08:58 PM

I thought EM aiguilettes were just plain white.

ibaya · 12-13-2006, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esteban_cool

I thought EM aiguilettes were just plain white.

All standard-issue Soviet-era aiguillettes (akselbanti) are made of woven metallic threads, gold or silver color, woven around a cotton/polyester core. I have seen examples where tarnish has set in. They can be fairly stiff when new. The silver variety sport 2 unwoven strands, the gold ones 3 unwoven strands.

From what I have seen (I recently saw a documentary on the History Channel about the Russian navy; freshly-graduated naval officers were wearing gold aiguillettes on their parade uniforms), they have not changed in the transition to the Russian military.

Quote:

Originally Posted by willie777

I read, officer is gold while em is silver. Still confused about the tassley variation.

From observation, when to wear gold or silver varied. Officers always wore gold ones, never silver.

Other ranks would wear silver or gold at the commander's direction. If the uniform was officer's cut, gold might be worn. I don't think I've ever seen gold aiguillette on a conscript's cut uniform.

"tassley variation" = invariably an improvised dembel embellishment. Dress uniforms can begin to appear bombastic, but never to the point where it looks like someone raided a good set of draperies!

willie777 · 12-13-2006, 03:28 PM

Possibly there was no way to get a real set, without getting all medals revoked.

ibaya · 12-14-2006, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willie777

Possibly there was no way to get a real set, without getting all medals revoked.

huh? areal set of what?

order of glory · 01-02-2007, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willie777

I only know of wearing by honor guards and dembel. Why are some silver and some gold?

I have seached every photo in every book I have to find some aiguillettes. The guards at the tomb of Lenin wore gold in this 1987 foto in "A Day in the Life of the Soviet Union" published by Collins, foto by Larry C. Price.

January · 01-02-2007, 07:03 PM

I have that book, too--it's a great one. I picked it up for US$5 at a bookstore clearance sale back when the Soviet Union existed.

Amusingly enough, I had actually thought about scanning that same picture myself, but realised that about five minutes of Googling brings up loads of photos, and I figured that KGB honour guards wearing aiguillettes were well-known anyway.

Here are a few good ones (middle photo also shows how to wear a parade belt with the winter overcoat):

12-12-2006, 03:11 PM	#1
willie777 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 392	Aiguillettes? What did Aiguillettes represent in the soviet union? I only know of wearing by honor guards and dembel. Why are some silver and some gold? Are there any regs regarding this?

12-12-2006, 03:13 PM	#2
Esteban_cool Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Santiago, Chile Age: 36 Posts: 1,103	I have never seen silver aiguilettes in soviet uniforms.:nono However, I have only seen them in East German ones. Gold aiguilettes were for general officers. __________________ There's nothing in the streets Looks any different to me And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye And the parting on the left Are now parting on the right And the beards have all grown longer overnight The Who, Won't get fooled again

12-12-2006, 03:23 PM	#3
Nack Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The Buckeye State Age: 46 Posts: 513	[QUOTE=Esteban_cool;57625]I have never seen silver aiguilettes in soviet uniforms.:nono QUOTE] Well, not to fast. This is an as-yet resolved topic I think. http://www.soviet-awards.com/forum/s...ead.php?t=5044 As to whether gold aguilettes were just for g.o., I'm not sure about that either. Last edited by Nack; 12-12-2006 at 03:26 PM.

12-12-2006, 08:58 PM	#5
Esteban_cool Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Santiago, Chile Age: 36 Posts: 1,103	I thought EM aiguilettes were just plain white. __________________ There's nothing in the streets Looks any different to me And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye And the parting on the left Are now parting on the right And the beards have all grown longer overnight The Who, Won't get fooled again

12-12-2006, 05:58 PM	#4
willie777 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 392	I read, officer is gold while em is silver. Still confused about the tassley variation.

12-13-2006, 03:28 PM	#7
willie777 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 392	Possibly there was no way to get a real set, without getting all medals revoked.

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