BACKGROUND: The M34 overseas cap for wear by EM/NCO personnel was initially introduced on March 24^TH 1934, with non-functional front buttons, a branch of service soutache and the Reichswehr era national cockade. Regulations of October 1935, did away with the buttons and altered the insignia utilized on the cap. Further regulations of July 21^ST 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. The German army originally adopted a slightly modified version of the NSDAP’s national eagle by order on February 17^TH 1934, with instructions to have it applied to all steel helmets, visor caps, and tunics by May 1^ST 1934. Regulations followed on October 30^TH 1935 that stipulated the national eagle was also to be applied to all field caps. On March 14^TH 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 different branches of service within the army were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with lemon yellow being chosen for Nachrichten, (Signals), personnel. Originally the early M34 and modified M34, (circa October 1935), overseas caps, were outfitted with an identifying branch of service soutache until regulations of July 10^TH 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 6^TH 1938. Officially wear of the old "Crusher" style visor caps was extended until April 1^ST 1942.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Modified, October 1935 pattern, 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. The fold down panels are handstitched in the upright position at each of the scalloped side panels. The cap has a field-grey enamel painted, metal alloy, ventilation grommet to either side, positioned just below the crown edge. The grommets retain about 90% of their painted finish. The front center of the cap has a machine woven, national eagle in pale, mouse grey, threads on a cut-out, woven, blue/green rayon base. The front center of the fold down panels has a machine woven, national tri-color cockade, on a woven, diamond shaped, blue/green rayon base. Both the eagle and the cockade are neatly handstitched to the cap. The cap has a lemon yellow rayon, inverted, "V", soutache flanking the cockade indicating service with Signals troops. The soutache has been applied in the correct manner, being handstitched 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 ribbed, grey cotton/rayon blend material. The lining is well marked with a black size inkstamp, "56", the partially legible manufacturer’s name and location with only the name visible as, "L. Ritgen", and "F41", indicating the cap passed through the army’s clothing depot in Frankfurt in 1941. The cap is in overall good condition with small areas of light to moderate nap wear and light age and usage toning.

GRADE ***3/4                             PRICE $580.00