{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-austrian-made-heer-army-smoke-and-chemical-troops-em-nco-visor-cap-by-litto-kappe-with-saddle-form-crown-named-to-otto-meilinger-measured-size-57cm","title":"Original German WWII Austrian Made Heer Army Smoke and Chemical Troops EM\/NCO Visor Cap by Litto-Kappe with Saddle Form Crown, Named to Otto Meilinger, Measured Size 57cm","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Heer Army EM\/NCO visor cap made in Austria by Litto-Kappe of Vienna and named on an interior paper tag to Otto Meilinger. The cap is constructed in a Reichswehr style without the usual dark green cap band and is piped in \u003cem\u003ebordeauxrot\u003c\/em\u003e (Bordeaux Red), the branch color associated with Heer smoke, rocket, and chemical troops. It has a well developed saddle form crown, dual buckle leather chinstrap, intact celluloid sweatshield, and a measured size of approximately 57cm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cap is made from field gray worsted whipcord wool and retains a traditional high forward crown. Unlike the more familiar Heer visor cap pattern with a dark bottle green center band, this Austrian made example is constructed in the earlier Reichswehr style with the body fabric continuing through the band area. Bordeaux red \u003cem\u003eWaffenfarbe\u003c\/em\u003e (corps color) piping runs around the crown and is associated with Heer \u003cem\u003eNebelwerfer\u003c\/em\u003e (Smoke Thrower) Rocket and Chemical Troops\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe crown stiffener has been removed, allowing the cap to settle into an attractive crushed or saddle form appearance. The underside of the crown also incorporates unusual ventilation grommets on both sides, a feature not normally encountered on standard Heer visor caps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe front is fitted with a silvered stamped zinc Heer eagle above an open aluminum oak leaf wreath surrounding an aluminum tricolor cockade. The insignia show light oxidation and service wear. The eagle has aged to a gray tone, while the wreath and cockade show minor staining and oxidation. The red felt insert in the cockade remains present with strong color.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dual buckle black leather chinstrap, appropriate for EM\/NCO wear, is attached to black lacquered side buttons. The leather shows age related checking and cracking but no major tears.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eVulkanfiber\u003c\/em\u003e visor has a smooth black leather look upper surface with light edge wear and fine checking and crazing from age. The underside is checkered brown and remains generally well preserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe interior is lined in gray satin rayon and retains its original celluloid crown sweatshield with complete stitching. Beneath the diamond is the maker label:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLITTO-KAPPE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKAPPENFABRIK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLITTOMERICZKY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWIEN VIII.,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGEGASSE 13\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn old paper name tag remains in the interior slot and reads:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eMeilinger OTTO\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eKam. 12\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe brown leather sweatband is still present and remains in very good to near excellent condition with no major tears or structural damage. The cap measures approximately 57cm using a hat sizing tool.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall condition is very good and consistent with service use. The field gray fabric retains strong color but shows scattered holes, small tears, wear, and areas of moth damage. The right side around the chinstrap attachment shows particularly noticeable mothing. There is additional wear along the lower edge and beneath the crown. Both left side vent grommets remain present, while the right front vent has torn out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its Austrian Litto-Kappe manufacture, Reichswehr style construction, Bordeaux red smoke and chemical troop piping, named Otto Meilinger tag, saddle form crown, intact celluloid sweatshield, and measured 57cm size, this is a distinctive German WWII Heer EM\/NCO visor cap. The scattered mothing, small holes and tears, chinstrap checking, lower edge wear, and missing right front vent grommet are all fully disclosed. It would fit especially well in a Heer smoke troop, \u003cem\u003eNebelwerfer\u003c\/em\u003e, Austrian made German headgear, named visor cap, or advanced WWII uniform collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe German \u003cem\u003eSchirmmütze \u003c\/em\u003eVisor Cap:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe visor cap (\u003cem\u003eSchirmmütze\u003c\/em\u003e) was an important part of the headgear worn by German uniformed military, civil, paramilitary and political organizations during the Third Reich. This was the standard cloth headgear worn as a part of the service uniform. Visor caps were worn outdoors as well as indoors, and were often required to be worn by all personnel on duty. Visor caps were made in versions specific to each organization and were often further differentiated through the use of insignia, colored piping, or style of chin cord, to indicate rank, role or branch. The insignia used on these caps ranged from simple stamped metal emblems, to elaborate hand embroidery. Visor caps were issued to enlisted soldiers and NCOs in the military and in some other organizations. Officers had to purchase their own hats, and lower ranks could choose to purchase caps that were of a higher quality than the rather basic, issue examples. The private purchase caps were generally made in very high quality, with fine materials. A wide variety of fabrics were used, from Trikot and doeskin, to heavy wool, or even lightweight white fabric for summer wear. In the military, issue of these caps was generally suspended shortly after the outbreak of the war, but they continued to be worn by some troops until the end of the war.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45817541951557,"sku":"ONJR26AULC148","price":1095.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/45CC6AB9-1FFB-4736-BF6B-A24B94E3F636.jpg?v=1790439566","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-austrian-made-heer-army-smoke-and-chemical-troops-em-nco-visor-cap-by-litto-kappe-with-saddle-form-crown-named-to-otto-meilinger-measured-size-57cm","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}