BACKGROUND: Visor caps were a standard item for all military personnel during the Third Reich period and regulations dictated the form of dress they were to be worn with based on the individuals rank. On its inception on February 26^TH 1935, the Luftwaffe adopted most of the uniform items of the earlier DLV, Deutscher Luftsport Verband, (German Air Sports League), its clandestine, civilian forerunner, including the visor cap. In March 1935 the earlier, "Tellerform", saucer shaped, caps were replaced with a new a "Sattelform" cap with a higher front peak and an oval shaped top. The insignia utilized on the visor caps consisted of the Luftwaffe style national eagle as introduced for wear by Fliegerschaft, (Pilot Base), personnel of the DLV on August 18^TH 1934 and was officially adopted for wear by all Luftwaffe personnel on March 1^ST 1935 along with a new winged wreath and national tri-color cockade. The visor caps for Company and Field grade Officer’s holding the ranks of Leutnant up to Oberst were distinguished from EM/NCO’s caps by bright silver/aluminum piping and a silver/aluminum chin cord while Officers holding Generals ranks of Generalmajor up to Reichsmarschall utilized gold colored fittings. EM/NCO ranks visor caps utilized the appropriate waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), piping and blackened leather chinstraps. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own caps and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the Luftwaffe’s Verkaufsabteilung, (Air-Force Sales Department), 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. In April 1935 a white topped visor cap was introduced and was permitted for wear by all ranks as an optional item between April 1^ST and October 1^ST annually. The cap was most commonly produced with a removable top although fixed top caps were also produced contrary to regulations. Originally the removable white tops were produced in a ribbed, white, cotton drill until regulations of June 1937 altered the top to a white cotton/synthetic material blend with a repeating waffle pattern although both styles were worn through-out the war.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, private purchase, Officer’s white top visor cap consists of a removable, brushed, white, cotton/rayon blend top with white cotton/rayon blend piping to the forward edge of the crown. The removable top fits securely to the formed body of the cap. The cap features a black, horizontally ribbed, mohair centerband, and bright, interwoven, silver/aluminum braid piping to both the top and bottom edges of the centerband. The internal cap crown stiffening has been removed but a vertical stiffener to the front center is intact and gives the cap a nice relaxed shape with overlapping side panels and a high, central, forward, peak. The front center of the cap has an early patterned, short winged, hand embroidered, Luftwaffe eagle clutching a canted, swastika in it’s talons, in bright, silver/aluminum wire and bullion threads with pale grey accent threads on a cut-out, white wool base. The eagle is loosely handstitched to the cap. The front center of the centerband has a hand embroidered, winged, oak-leaf wreath in bright, silver/aluminum wire threads, with pale grey and black accent threads, encompassing a hand embroidered, high relief, national tri-color cockade. The national tri-color cockade is constructed of black and silver/aluminum wire threads with an inserted red wool centerpiece. The winged wreath and cockade are mounted on a cut-out, black wool base which is neatly handstitched in place. The cap has an interwoven, twisted, bright, silver/aluminum braid, chin cord which is secured to the cap by two, small, silver washed, pebbled, magnetic sheet metal buttons. The cap has an extended, forward, black lacquered, vulcanfibre visor with a machine stitched, simulated leather lip to the forward edge. The interior of the cap is fully lined in brushed, white cotton/rayon material. The crown lining has a clear celluloid sweat diamond fully intact. The sweat diamond is well marked with the silver printed manufacturer’s name, location and script, "Mützenfabrik Julius Kühn Dresden-A.". The interior of the cap also has an off-wide, white kid leather sweatband with ventilation perforations and an underlaying orange foam rubber padding to the front forehead section. The sweatband has a small, vertically oval, aluminum tab with the embossed initial, "W" pinned in place. The cap is in overall very good condition with minor age and usage toning to the white top as to be expected. The cap is roughly size 57.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $1,785.00