This is the overcoat of Lev Mekhlis, head of the Commissars of the Red Army. Note the unique insignia he used from 1937 (M1935) through 1942. He has Army General First rank insignia, but with black collar piping and gold commissar stars without sleeve rank insignia. He was the only one with this rank; really nasty guy.
Its difficult for overcoats to impress me, but this one is terrific.
Nice piece. I wonder if the senior comissars felt left behind in 1940 when their comrades traded diamonds for stars or if it gave them a sense that they were the last true revolutionaries.
Actually it is not a suprise that it's in such good shape; a guy like this would not have been in real combat, but just sitting around yelling at real officers. However, there is one diamond on the right collar tab that has been damaged.
The quality of the coat is very high; the lining is silk, and there is a heavy silk lining for the pockets.
I have only been able to find a pic of him in his M1945 tunic (when he was a Colonel-General). He had been demoted after failing to hold the Crimea, but then sort of worked his way back up.
Nice coat! the condition is astonishing... Looks brand new
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
Nice overcoat Doug. Surely a rare bird and with it being attributed that only makes it even more desirable. Now if those pesky overcoats did not take up so much space (compared to a regular tunic) in the display room.....
Thanks Clete; its on its way to its new owner today....but you are correct, if it were a tunic it would be worth 50% more at least. Overcoats juts ar not as wanted unless they are really special (I am thinking of a nice GPU one).
As for the guy, Mekhlis was the only guy with the rank, so it makes it easy! By 1945 he was a regular Colonel-General and nailing down his uniform would be very difficult.
