Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Heer Army Artillery EM/NCO Schirmmütze visor cap in size 56 1/2, retaining an attractive crushed saddle form created by bending the internal crown stiffener rather than removing it. The cap is constructed from Feldgrau whipcord weave wool with a dark Flaschengrün bottle green band and Hochrot deep red piping appropriate for Heer Artillery and related branches.

The cap retains the traditional high forward crown, now shaped into a pronounced service worn saddle form. Three rows of deep red piping are present along the upper crown edge and around the bottle green band. On an EM/NCO cap, this red Waffenfarbe is consistent with Artillery and closely related branches such as assault gun and heavy Flak personnel.

The front is fitted with a stamped zinc Heer eagle above an open aluminum wreath surrounding an aluminum tricolor cockade. The aluminum insignia remain comparatively bright, while the zinc eagle has lost most of its original silvered finish and now displays an even dull gray patina. The red center of the cockade remains strong and vibrant.

A double buckle black leather EM/NCO chinstrap is secured by black lacquered side buttons. The strap remains complete but shows minor deterioration to the finish, including localized softening and degradation typical of aged patent finished leather.

The vulcanfibre visor retains a smooth black leather-look upper surface and a brown checkered underside. It shows edge wear together with light age crazing and checking across the top. The visor is somewhat loose because portions of the original stitching have pulled free from the cap body.

The interior is lined in orange service cloth and retains a mostly complete celluloid diamond sweat shield stitched into the crown. No maker marking is visible, though the size is clearly marked beneath the sweat shield:

56 ½

The brown finished oilcloth sweatband is heavily aged and degraded. It has multiple tears, flaking of the lacquered surface where it meets the cap body, and considerable stiffness. The forehead section is largely detached because the original stitching has deteriorated.

Overall condition is very good for a service worn cap, with the original field gray, bottle green, and red colors still well retained. There is moth damage across the top of the crown with several smaller areas elsewhere, and the seam behind the eagle insignia has begun to open. The loose visor, deteriorated sweatband, moth damage, and opened seam are all fully disclosed.

With its pronounced crushed saddle form, Artillery red piping, complete EM/NCO insignia set, surviving chinstrap, size 56 1/2 marking, and mostly intact interior sweat shield, this is an appealing Heer Artillery visor cap with strong period character. It would display especially well in a Heer Artillery, assault gun, heavy Flak, EM/NCO headgear, or advanced German WWII uniform collection.

The German Schirmmütze Visor Cap:
The visor cap (Schirmmütze) 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.