Imperial German Prussian Generalleutnant Überrock Dark Blue Red Collar c.1900

This is an original Imperial German Prussian general officer Überrock (frock coat), identified by the combination of its dark blue wool body, fully red-faced standing collar, red Hochrot piping throughout, gilt buttons, and — most critically — its Generalsstücke (general officer epaulettes) bearing a single silver Stern (pip), which places the rank of the original wearer at Generalleutnant, the second grade of general officer in the Prussian military hierarchy, equivalent in the Western tradition to a lieutenant general. The garment is inventoried as SKU 15-524 and is labeled "PRUSSIA — ÜBERROCK" in the accompanying stock tag.

The Überrock was the standard undress and service coat of the Prussian officer corps throughout the Wilhelmine period and into the First World War, worn for everyday duty, inspections, and formal occasions that did not require the full parade Waffenrock. For general officers it carried a specific set of distinguishing features prescribed in detail by the Prussian uniform regulations, all of which are present and correct on this example. The coat represents the general officer as an institutional figure within the Prussian military system — a man who by the time he reached Generalleutnant would typically have commanded a division in war and an army corps in peace, and whose coat expressed that authority in every detail of its construction.

The body is cut from dark blue (Dunkelblau) wool broadcloth of substantial weight, consistent with the quality expected of a senior officer's privately commissioned garment. The cut is the characteristic Prussian Überrock form: a long-skirted, waisted frock coat falling to approximately mid-calf on the wearer, fitted through the chest and waist with a pronounced flare into the skirts. The front is double-breasted, with two parallel columns of gilt buttons visible in the provided images — the front button arrangement follows the standard Prussian officer pattern, with buttons in pairs at the chest and a single lower button marking the waist. The collar is the standing Stehkragen type, fully faced on the exterior in bright red (Hochrot) wool — the regimental color of the Prussian general staff and general officer corps — and the inner face of the collar and lapel turnback also carry the red lining, producing the characteristic flash of red visible when the collar is open, as seen in several of the provided images. Red Hochrot piping (Paspelierung) appears at all prescribed locations: the upper edge of the cuffs, the edges of the side pocket flaps, and the back seam and vent piping. This red piping on a dark blue ground was the universal marker of the Prussian general officer in undress, instantly legible to any observer familiar with the uniform system.

The cuffs are cut in the simple round Ärmelaufschlag pattern standard to the Überrock, without the elaborately shaped cuff patches (Ärmelpatten) of the dress Waffenrock, and are edged at the upper border in red piping. One cuff, visible in the detail images, shows fraying at the lower edge of the cuff cloth — a condition issue noted honestly and addressed further below. The side pockets are set at the hip with straight flaps piped in red. The back is cut with a central vent and two flanking seams producing the characteristic flared skirt, with two pairs of gilt buttons positioned at the back waist — one pair at the seam termination points and one pair lower, as prescribed for the Prussian Überrock back treatment — and red piping running along the back seam edges and continuing around the vent.

The epaulettes are the single most significant identification element of this garment. Both Achselstücke are constructed in the Generalslitze braid system — the interwoven gold and silver metallic braid pattern used exclusively for general officers in the Prussian army and unavailable to any other rank. The braid is worked in the heavy, complex interlocking pattern distinctive to Prussian senior officer epaulettes, with multiple thick braid strands crossing and re-crossing to produce a dense, three-dimensional surface. The crescent-shaped body of the epaulette is edged with a twisted gold cord border. Positioned on the strap body is a single silver Stern — a small, multi-pointed sunburst or star pip worked in silver metal — which in the Prussian rank system identifies the wearer specifically as a Generalleutnant. The rank progression ran Generalmajor (no pip), Generalleutnant (one pip), General der Infanterie or equivalent branch (two pips), Generaloberst (three pips), and Generalfeldmarschall (crossed batons replacing the pip system entirely). The single pip on these epaulettes therefore places the original wearer with precision at the second general officer grade. Each epaulette is anchored at the shoulder by a large, domed gilt button. The braid has aged with a gentle oxidation typical of original metallic military braid stored over a century, with the gold strands showing some dulling and the silver strands some darkening — neither process has compromised the structural integrity or the legibility of the braid pattern.

The gilt buttons present throughout the garment are the standard Prussian general officer type, appearing in the provided images as smooth-domed gilt discs. The button face design is not fully legible in the provided images at sufficient resolution to confirm the specific die, but the form is consistent with the Prussian eagle pattern standard to the general officer corps. All visible button positions are occupied and intact.

The interior of the garment is lined throughout in black silk taffeta, the standard lining material for Prussian officer overcoats and frock coats of the Wilhelmine period. The lining is visible in the open-front and spread views and shows the characteristic sheen and drape of period silk taffeta. The collar interior facing is lined in a red wool material matching the exterior collar, visible when the collar is turned back. Two internal hook-and-bar waist fasteners are present, of the type used to cinch the inner lining to the body and maintain the fit of the coat at the waist. A narrow navy blue interior tape runs vertically at the center back, consistent with a hanger loop or structural stay. The lining shows honest age darkening and minor soiling commensurate with a garment of this age, but retains structural integrity without tears or delamination visible in the provided images.

Condition must be addressed with care and completeness for a garment of this significance. The dark blue wool body is overall well-preserved, retaining good color saturation and structural integrity throughout the main panels, with no visible tears, cuts, or moth damage to the face of the cloth. Surface soiling and minor lint accumulation are present and visible in the full-length views. The red collar facing retains its color and fabric integrity. The red piping is present and intact at all observed locations. The epaulette braid is present and complete on both shoulders with no missing elements. The condition issues that require honest disclosure are two: first, fraying is visible at the lower edge of at least one cuff, where the wool has begun to separate at the cut edge — this is a common age-related condition on Überrock cuffs where the unsupported edge of the cuff cloth is subject to abrasion and does not compromise the garment's display or collector value but should be noted for any prospective conservation. Second, a small pale spot consistent with an old stain or minor loss is visible on the front lining panel in the interior view. Neither issue materially diminishes the significance or integrity of this example.

Prussian general officer Überröcke with intact epaulettes, confirmed rank, and original interior hardware represent one of the more infrequently encountered categories of Imperial German uniform material at the upper end of the market. The combination of the Generalslitze braid epaulettes with the single Generalleutnant pip, the correct red collar and piping arrangement, the intact black silk lining, and the internal fittings all present and in place makes this a coherent and attributable general officer's coat rather than an assembled or partial example. A Generalleutnant in the Prussian army of the Wilhelmine period commanded a division of approximately twelve thousand men in wartime and was among the most senior figures in the most formidable military institution in Europe. The coat that expressed that rank in daily service is a primary artifact of the Prussian military system at its height.