Eigentumsstück Model 1892
Preußen Senior NCO Tschako
 
Eigentumsstück (private purchase) Model 1892 Preußen Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Tschako for an Unteroffizier mit Portepee (The two highest rank of NCO, who were entitled to wear the Officer's sword knot). Eigentumsstück Tschako were privately purchased and subsequently were of a much higher quality than issued Tschako.

This pattern Tschako with Garde star and silver fittings was worn by the following units:
  • Preußen Telegraphen (Telegraph) Batl. Nr.1
  • Preußen Luftschiffer-Bataillon (Airship/Baloon) Nr.1 & Nr.2
  • Flieger-Bataillon Nr.1 to 4.
 
 
A view of the Preußen Garde Wappen (front plate). This is a particularly beautiful little Wappen, with superb details to the stamping and polished highlights.
 
The liner of this example is of the highest quality available with internal leather sweatband and silk skull-cap.
 
 
A view of the side profile; as this is a Eigentumsstück (private purchase) example, it does not carry the single air vent on either side, and as with all Tschako after 1897, only the Reich's Kokarde was worn on the right side. The chinstrap appears similar to the issued M91 pattern, but made from a very fine leather with slides on each end to keep it tight. Clearly shown is the 49mm Unteroffizier mit Portepee Kokarde with the additional silver ring with a distinctive diagonal ribbing; this pattern of Kokarde only worn by Unteroffizier mit Portepee entitled to wear the officer's sword knot.
 
A view of the rear profile of this example.
Eigentumsstück (privately purchased) Feldzeichen were normally made of a looped cord over a wooden form, with a black velvet center and backing. Collectors often refer to the looped cord Feldzeichen as "NCO", when there is no proof or documentation that this pattern has anything to do with it being an NCO. It appears consistently in period photos of Jäger with the ranks of Private which indicates that looped cord Feldzeichen were just a Eigentumsstück (private-purchase) "upgrade" and not dependant on rank.
A period photo of a young Preußen Private in a Flieger-Bataillon.