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H018861 INFANTRY EM/NCO'S M34 OVERSEAS CAP. (Feldmütze M34 für Infanterie Mannschaft und Unteroffizier)
BACKGROUND: The M34 overseas cap for wear by EM/NCO personnel was initially introduced on March 24TH 1934, with non-functional front buttons, a branch of service soutache and the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era national tri-color cockade. Regulations of October 1935, did away with the buttons and altered the insignia utilized on the cap. On March 14TH 1933 the Weimar Reichswehr era oval black, red and gold cockade was replaced with a circular cockade in black, white, and red and was utilized through-out the Third Reich period. The German army originally adopted a slightly modified version of the NSDAP’s, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), national eagle by order on February 17TH 1934, with instructions to have it applied to all steel helmets, visor caps, and tunics by May 1ST 1934. Regulations followed on October 30TH 1935 that stipulated the national eagle was also to be applied to all field caps. The different branches of service within the army were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with white being chosen for Infanterie, (Infantry), personnel. Originally the early M34 and the modified M34, (circa October 1935), overseas caps, were outfitted with an identifying branch of service soutache until regulations of July 10TH 1942 abolished the use of the soutache and instructed it to be removed from the caps, although the directive was not strictly adhered to. Of Note: The M34 overseas cap was only intended for EM/NCO’s ranks while officers ranks wore the old "Crusher" style visor cap until the introduction of the officer’s M38 overseas cap on December 6TH 1938. Officially wear of the old "Crusher" style visor caps was extended until April 1ST 1942. Further regulations of July 21ST 1942 discontinued the M34 overseas cap in favour of the newly designed, more functional, M42 pattern overseas cap but the changeover was never fully completed.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Modified, October 1935 pattern, mottled, field-grey wool/rayon blend construction cap with fold down side and back panels with gently sloping, downward scallops to the front and forward sides. As is typical, the fold down panels are handstitched in the upright position at the front center of the cap. The cap has a field-grey painted, alloy, ventilation grommet positioned to either side, just below the crown edge. The grommets retain all of their olive drab paint. The front center of the cap has a machine woven national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted swastika in it’s talons, in pale, mouse grey rayon threads, mounted on a cut-out, woven field-grey rayon base. The front center of the fold down panels has a machine woven national tri-color cockade, in black, white and red rayon threads, mounted on a woven, diamond shaped, field-grey rayon base. Both the eagle and the cockade are handstitched to the cap. The cap has an inverted, white, "V" shaped, rayon soutache flanking the cockade indicating service with the Infantry. The soutache has been applied in the correct manner, being machine stitched in place and inserted through two, small, puncture holes near the bottom edge of the cap. The interior of the cap is fully lined in loosely woven, grey rayon/cotton blend material. The lining is well marked with a slightly blurred, purple, size inkstamp, "57", and the manufacturer’s name, location and date, "Otto Schlientz Straubing 4 1941". The cap is in overall very good condition with minor age and usage toning, small areas of light nap wear and a couple of small rips and tears, near the central, back seam. Scarce cap, until fairly recently this maker was only associated with Political headgear. Have only seen one other surviving original with a 1940 date.
GRADE **** PRICE $822.00
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