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Swaziland
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CollectinSteve
vonstuck
6 posters
Swaziland
vonstuck- Colonel
- Location : FRANCE
Registration date : 2010-03-30
Number of posts : 3414
CollectinSteve- ADMIN
- Location : New England, US
Registration date : 2009-03-08
Number of posts : 6952
You know, before I clicked on this thread I thought:
Gilles + Swaziland = Purple Slangvel
I am glad to see Gilles did not disappoint me
A beautiful bunch of pieces!! I wish I could get rank slipons for my shirt. I really wish I had the Slangvel.
Steve
Gilles + Swaziland = Purple Slangvel
I am glad to see Gilles did not disappoint me
A beautiful bunch of pieces!! I wish I could get rank slipons for my shirt. I really wish I had the Slangvel.
Steve
CollectinSteve- ADMIN
- Location : New England, US
Registration date : 2009-03-08
Number of posts : 6952
I have the same basic set as Gilles, but I also have this set. I was told it is also Swaziland Royal Guard. It is not in the same cut, though, and the tags have been sliced out. So I'm skeptical of what I was told. Can anybody confirm?
Steve
Steve
vonstuck- Colonel
- Location : FRANCE
Registration date : 2010-03-30
Number of posts : 3414
About the airborne wing
red: instructor, gold: avanced, blue: basic, white: despatcher
red: instructor, gold: avanced, blue: basic, white: despatcher
mcoleman762- Junior Sergeant
- Name : Mike
Location : Downeast Maine
Registration date : 2009-02-18
Number of posts : 172
Nice post Gilles! So that's where that set went....
Steve, your posted set is most likely commercial. Here's what I've been able to piece together, as well as a few of my examples.
There are actually two types of purple DPM attributed to Swaziland. There is the purple/bright blue pattern of the Royal Guard (Gilles set), and then a purple/dark blue type purportedly used by the Swaziland police. I've never seen a photo of either pattern in use, so it's hard to say. The only photos I've seen of Swaziland police show them wearing all blue uniforms. Here's examples of the "police" issue purple/dark blue DPM:
As you can see, the bush jacket is cut just like SAP bush jackets, and just like Gilles' Royal Guard bush jacket. In regards to the pattern, note the Royal Guard pattern has a light blue base color, whereas this "police" pattern has a light gray color. The blue in the Royal Guard pattern is brighter as well. Also note that the police pattern has quite a bit of the dots associated with the black shapes in the pattern. The Royal Guard pattern has them to some extent, but the patterns are not the same.
Now, to muddy the waters even further, there is another police variant, which is what Steve has posted. This pattern has a dark ash base color instead of the light gray, and the pattern has a much darker look to it. I suspect most of these are commercial, as Camo Joe has offered this pattern for at least the last ten years. Check it out:
http://www.camojoe.co.za/
Go to "clothing" and then check out the "night camo". The question then becomes, has the Swaziland police procured any of the Camo Joe uniforms for their use? I have no idea. But, I would suspect that most of this pattern in collector hands is in fact commercial. Not that I'm totally convinced of my above posted sets either, but they are clearly different. Something else that doesn't sit well with me is that none of these "police" items are properly marked. They all just have size tags. Swaziland Defense Force items are usually very well marked, and note the tag in Gilles' Royal Guard set. I know lots of folks assume that African countries don't properly label their uniforms, but that's generally not the case.
Anyway, here's a couple of the Camo Joe pattern items, to include a shirt that came with my items posted above. Another wrench in the works is the sergeants rank brassards, which seem quite genuine to me.
Well, that's all I have on the Swaziland purple DPM patterns. As you can see, absolutely nothing definitive.
Cheers,
Mike
Steve, your posted set is most likely commercial. Here's what I've been able to piece together, as well as a few of my examples.
There are actually two types of purple DPM attributed to Swaziland. There is the purple/bright blue pattern of the Royal Guard (Gilles set), and then a purple/dark blue type purportedly used by the Swaziland police. I've never seen a photo of either pattern in use, so it's hard to say. The only photos I've seen of Swaziland police show them wearing all blue uniforms. Here's examples of the "police" issue purple/dark blue DPM:
As you can see, the bush jacket is cut just like SAP bush jackets, and just like Gilles' Royal Guard bush jacket. In regards to the pattern, note the Royal Guard pattern has a light blue base color, whereas this "police" pattern has a light gray color. The blue in the Royal Guard pattern is brighter as well. Also note that the police pattern has quite a bit of the dots associated with the black shapes in the pattern. The Royal Guard pattern has them to some extent, but the patterns are not the same.
Now, to muddy the waters even further, there is another police variant, which is what Steve has posted. This pattern has a dark ash base color instead of the light gray, and the pattern has a much darker look to it. I suspect most of these are commercial, as Camo Joe has offered this pattern for at least the last ten years. Check it out:
http://www.camojoe.co.za/
Go to "clothing" and then check out the "night camo". The question then becomes, has the Swaziland police procured any of the Camo Joe uniforms for their use? I have no idea. But, I would suspect that most of this pattern in collector hands is in fact commercial. Not that I'm totally convinced of my above posted sets either, but they are clearly different. Something else that doesn't sit well with me is that none of these "police" items are properly marked. They all just have size tags. Swaziland Defense Force items are usually very well marked, and note the tag in Gilles' Royal Guard set. I know lots of folks assume that African countries don't properly label their uniforms, but that's generally not the case.
Anyway, here's a couple of the Camo Joe pattern items, to include a shirt that came with my items posted above. Another wrench in the works is the sergeants rank brassards, which seem quite genuine to me.
Well, that's all I have on the Swaziland purple DPM patterns. As you can see, absolutely nothing definitive.
Cheers,
Mike
mcoleman762- Junior Sergeant
- Name : Mike
Location : Downeast Maine
Registration date : 2009-02-18
Number of posts : 172
While I'm at it, here's a Swaziland Defence Force DPM jacket.
CollectinSteve- ADMIN
- Location : New England, US
Registration date : 2009-03-08
Number of posts : 6952
Nice pics Mike! Also good to know about the differences between police and guard. Subtle.
Here's how I think the info relates to my mystery uniform:
1. Mine is MUCH darker than either of the patterns shown. It also appears darker than what Camel Joe is selling. But what I have might just be an older version.
2. Mine did have manufacture's tags, hanging form the inside seam below the neck seam and behind the size tag (like Mike's last picture). Of course, people LOVE to cut out those Camel Joe tags to fake collectors.
My conclusion is, as expected, that I have a commercial set of some sort. Most likely Camel Joe. There's too many red flags on both the shirt and trousers. Possibly they were worn by police forces as part of a large, or individual, purchase program... but I'm going to assume not.
Looks like I have another Camel Joe set up for sale
Steve
Here's how I think the info relates to my mystery uniform:
1. Mine is MUCH darker than either of the patterns shown. It also appears darker than what Camel Joe is selling. But what I have might just be an older version.
2. Mine did have manufacture's tags, hanging form the inside seam below the neck seam and behind the size tag (like Mike's last picture). Of course, people LOVE to cut out those Camel Joe tags to fake collectors.
My conclusion is, as expected, that I have a commercial set of some sort. Most likely Camel Joe. There's too many red flags on both the shirt and trousers. Possibly they were worn by police forces as part of a large, or individual, purchase program... but I'm going to assume not.
Looks like I have another Camel Joe set up for sale
Steve
Camo_fiend- MODERATOR
- Name : Ben
Location : Lefthand side of the Atlantic
Registration date : 2009-07-22
Number of posts : 2705
Nice patterns... more types of DPM for me to hunt down, yay! 
_________________
Interested in any European digital camo.
See my collection online: http://benscamo.webs.com/
koalorka- Lieutenant Colonel
- Location : Canada
Registration date : 2010-05-22
Number of posts : 1733
That Slangvel is quite stunning with the golden insignia. Amazing how any of this stuff was made available to the outside world.
TennoHeikaNate- Senior Sergeant
- Name : Nate
Location : USA
Registration date : 2013-10-16
Number of posts : 342
While I hate to defib an older thread like this, but since Swazi stuff is so few and obscure, I figured I'd just put these here.
Here's a couple of caps I found, the first is what I had thought to have been a Swazi police purple DPM flap cap in the classic Southern African style, but after reading the thread it seems it might have just been an old Camo Joe product, unless like mentioned the Swazi police might have potentially purchased some of their uniforms from Camo Joe.
The only marking it has is a sewn in paper size "60" tag.
The second is a more patrol cap type that was advertised and purchased as a Swazi Royal Squadron/Guard cap.
It is much brighter than the "police" flap cap and the pattern seems to match Giles' genuine Royal Squadron stuff, although there are zero tags or markings on it to prove otherwise.
The "police" flap cap, probably from Camo Joe.
The unmarked "Royal Squadron" patrol cap.
Comparing the two:
Now, these ones are not of my collection but rather pics I saved from some listings I saw.
First, a cap near identical to mine but with folding ear flaps and a rather crudely/off-kilter sewn Royal Squadron patch.
It also has a paper "LARGE" size tag sewn into the interior. I can't find any evidence of a size tag or a Royal Squadron patch having been on my "Royal Squadron" cap.
One thing about my cap however, is that there is somewhat rough stitching and fabric around the bottom edge, which makes me wonder if mine did have earflaps at one point that were cut off, or if it was just poorer finishing work.
And a Royal Squadron cap badge that was sadly "already sold" when I tried to purchase it.
Lastly, after hours of searching, this single photo turned up, dated from some riots in Swaziland on June 28, 2021.
It's obviously poor quality and somewhat artifacted but the uniform on the man in the helmet is the closest I've seen to proof that the purple DPM has actually worn by the Swazi police.
I searched for photos of the coronation of King Mswati III in 1986 since the "Royal Squadron version" was alleged to have been first issued in the 80's, which made sense to me for it to have at least been a one-off uniform for them to be worn during the coronation, but all the Royal Guards I could find in photos were wearing parade/dress uniforms, no camouflage or utility uniforms in sight.
Here's a couple of caps I found, the first is what I had thought to have been a Swazi police purple DPM flap cap in the classic Southern African style, but after reading the thread it seems it might have just been an old Camo Joe product, unless like mentioned the Swazi police might have potentially purchased some of their uniforms from Camo Joe.
The only marking it has is a sewn in paper size "60" tag.
The second is a more patrol cap type that was advertised and purchased as a Swazi Royal Squadron/Guard cap.
It is much brighter than the "police" flap cap and the pattern seems to match Giles' genuine Royal Squadron stuff, although there are zero tags or markings on it to prove otherwise.
The "police" flap cap, probably from Camo Joe.
The unmarked "Royal Squadron" patrol cap.
Comparing the two:
Now, these ones are not of my collection but rather pics I saved from some listings I saw.
First, a cap near identical to mine but with folding ear flaps and a rather crudely/off-kilter sewn Royal Squadron patch.
It also has a paper "LARGE" size tag sewn into the interior. I can't find any evidence of a size tag or a Royal Squadron patch having been on my "Royal Squadron" cap.
One thing about my cap however, is that there is somewhat rough stitching and fabric around the bottom edge, which makes me wonder if mine did have earflaps at one point that were cut off, or if it was just poorer finishing work.
And a Royal Squadron cap badge that was sadly "already sold" when I tried to purchase it.
Lastly, after hours of searching, this single photo turned up, dated from some riots in Swaziland on June 28, 2021.
It's obviously poor quality and somewhat artifacted but the uniform on the man in the helmet is the closest I've seen to proof that the purple DPM has actually worn by the Swazi police.
I searched for photos of the coronation of King Mswati III in 1986 since the "Royal Squadron version" was alleged to have been first issued in the 80's, which made sense to me for it to have at least been a one-off uniform for them to be worn during the coronation, but all the Royal Guards I could find in photos were wearing parade/dress uniforms, no camouflage or utility uniforms in sight.
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