BACKGROUND: Visor caps were a standard item for all armed forces personnel during the Third Reich period and regulations dictated the form of dress they were to be worn with based on the individuals rank. Originally the insignia worn on the visor caps consisted the Weimar era, (Circa 1919-1933), Reichswehr, (National Defence {Force}), pattern oak-leaf wreath and cockade and a blackened leather chinstrap for all ranks. In February 1927 new chin cords for Officer’s ranks were introduced with silver cords for the ranks of Leutnant to Oberst and gilt cords for the ranks of Generalmajor to Generalfeldmarschall. On March 14^TH 1933 the Reichswehr’s oval black, red and gold cockade was replaced with a circular cockade in black, white, and red and on February 17^TH 1934 the Third Reich pattern national eagle for the army was officially introduced for wear on the visor cap. In March 1935 a new, more detailed, pattern wreath and cockade and a second, larger pattern national eagle were also introduced for wear and in late 1935 regulations altered the Reichswehr era field-grey colored centerband to a dark blue/green coloration which was utilized until the end of the war. Further regulations of February 26^TH 1936 also permitted senior NCO’s who were Officer Candidates to wear the Officers twisted silver/aluminum chin cord on their visor caps as opposed to the standard EM/NCO’s leather chinstrap. 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 which was displayed as piping on the visor cap for EM/NCO’s and Company and Field grade officers. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own caps and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the army’s Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their caps from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase visor caps of higher quality. Although enlisted personnel were issued their caps from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored caps although the price may have been restrictive.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, private purchase, visor cap with a slightly mottled, field-grey wool/rayon blend body and crown, a blue/green badge cloth centerband with white wool waffenfarbe piping to the crown edge and both the top and bottom edges of the centerband. The internal crown stiffening wire has been removed but an internal padding is still intact and gives the cap a relaxed shape with overlapping side panels and a low, central, forward peak. The front center of the cap has a machine woven, second pattern, (circa 1935-1945), national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted swastika in it’s talons, in bright, silver/aluminum, flat-wire threads, mounted on a woven, cut-out, blue/green rayon base. The front center of the centerband has a machine woven, oak-leave wreath in bright, silver/aluminum, flat-wire threads encompassing a woven national tri-color cockade with a black rayon outer edge, a silver/aluminum flat-wire roundel and a red rayon center dot, all mounted on a woven, cut-out, blue/green rayon base. The eagle, and wreath/cockade are neatly handstitched to the cap. The cap has a bright, twisted silver/aluminum chin cord which is secured in place by two, small, silver washed, pebbled, buttons. One of the chin cord buttons is in magnetic sheet metal while the other is in a non-magnetic alloy. The cap has an extended, forward, black lacquered vulcanfibre visor with a subtly raised lip to the forward edge. The interior of the cap is fully lined in two grades of golden/tan rayon with a ribbed body lining and a smooth crown lining. The interior crown lining has a clear celluloid sweat rhomboid that is retained about 75% with a few tears and missing stitching. The sweat rhomboid is well marked with embossed, black printed, stylized eagle with out-stretched wings and script, "Deutsches Wertarbeit", (German Value Craftsmanship). The crown lining has the addition of an unknown, black inkstamped numeral, "009695", that may be a post-war applied museum or film works control number. The interior of the cap also has a wide, tan alkor sweatband with ventilation perforations to the front forehead section and an inserted strip of orange foam padding to the reverse. As is typical the alkor sweatband has stiffened with age and has a few creases and surface cracks and a few missing stitches. The cap has no visible size markings. The cap is in overall very good condition with minor age and usage toning and some light nap wear to the overlapping side panels. The cap is roughly size 56.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $2,262.00