DAY 2: The World at War: A Historic WW1 & WW2 Militaria Auction
Sun, Jul 19, 2026 11:00AM EDT
Live Auction
Lot 946
Rare German WW2 Waffen-SS Artillery Musikkorps Drum Major Swallow’s Nest
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $100 | $50 |
| $500 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
This German World War II Waffen-SS Artillery Musikkorps Drum Major swallow’s nest shoulder uniform designation is a rare and highly desirable military musician’s uniform piece. The color combination of red artillery branch color with black Waffen-SS association gives this example especially strong visual and collector appeal. Swallow’s nests of this type were worn by military musicians during the World War I and World War II eras, identifying members of military bands and senior musical personnel during formal, ceremonial, and parade use.
German military bands played an important role in ceremony, morale, public presentation, and unit tradition. Swallow’s nests, or Schwalbennester, were worn at the shoulders to distinguish musicians from ordinary personnel, with branch colors helping indicate service or unit type. Artillery red is one of the most recognizable Waffenfarbe colors, and when combined with black Waffen-SS-associated styling, the result is a particularly striking and hard-to-find variant within German WWII textile collecting.
This is a standout German WWII Musikkorps shoulder designation and a difficult variant to locate, especially in strong collectible condition. The Waffen-SS artillery association, red and black color scheme, Drum Major or senior bandsman use, and rarity of branch-specific swallow’s nests make it an excellent addition for collectors of Waffen-SS material, German WWII uniform insignia, artillery branch items, military musician pieces, and scarce wartime textiles.
Condition
★ ★
Honest Wear or As Found - Standard Wear, medium to heavy use, or other wear/patina that adds to the item’s character and authenticity. Typically the state of most Antiques and Antiquities. Also refers to militaria that has seen extensive field wear with lots of character, often desired by collectors and referred to as “salty”. For Antiquities, ground or river finds may be labelled As Found which means they are Untouched, uncleaned, and in original condition from discovery. Any state of Amateur or Professional Restoration or Preservation will be noted.
Honest Wear or As Found - Standard Wear, medium to heavy use, or other wear/patina that adds to the item’s character and authenticity. Typically the state of most Antiques and Antiquities. Also refers to militaria that has seen extensive field wear with lots of character, often desired by collectors and referred to as “salty”. For Antiquities, ground or river finds may be labelled As Found which means they are Untouched, uncleaned, and in original condition from discovery. Any state of Amateur or Professional Restoration or Preservation will be noted.
Condition assessed using Treasure Trove Auctions’ proprietary grading scale. While we strive for accuracy, all ratings are subjective and based on our best evaluation as determined by a dedicated team of researchers, from expert appraisers to knowledgeable historians and veteran collectors. Full grading details can be found on our Authentication page for reference. For a more in-depth condition report or additional images, please contact us and we will be more than happy to oblige.
Available payment options
If you have not contacted Treasure Trove Auctions 512-221-2540 to arrange payment within 3 days of the time that invoice is sent, we will charge the credit card you used to register for the auction for the amount of your invoice.
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