Original Item: Only One Available. This cap is a wonderful example of a German WWII Wehrmacht Heer Army Panzer Armored Corps Officer's Schirmmütze (visor cap), which looks to have seen light to moderate use during the war. The cap has a lovely "Crushed" or "saddle-form" shape that is highly desirable, accomplished by removing the crown support stiffener ring. It features the typical feldgrau (field gray) "whipcord" weave wool construction with a flaschengrün (dark bottle-green) "badge cloth" band and a traditional high forward crown. The also has matching rose-pink (rosa) piping along the top edge and flanking either side of the band. This is the Waffenfarbe (Corps Color) for the Panzertruppen (Armored Forces), as well as Kraftfahrkampftruppe - Kraftfahrtruppen (Motor Vehicle Combat Troops). It has the correct silver bullion chin strap, indicating that it is for an officer.

The insignia on this cap are both the very early fully hand embroidered aluminum bullion type, and have a fantastic lightly worn look. The peak eagle is woven onto a forest green background, with some light green threads that help hold the design in place. The bullion does not show any fraying, though there definitely is some oxidation and exposure of the base metal of the threads, which may be copper. The oak leaf wreath is also very well executed, woven onto the same green background, and surrounds a bullion cockade, which has a red felt insert in the center. There is just a bit of wear and oxidation on the wreath, with only some minor fraying at the ends. Really a great set of early pattern insignia.

The chin strap is attached with the standard pebbled buttons on either side of the cap, which show a bit of finish loss, displaying a gray color. The vulcanfibre visor has a gloss black patent leather-look upper, exhibiting light wear along the edge, and matte black on the underside. It also has a lovely pattern of light crazing and checking on the black enamel finished top. The brown leather sweatband is still in very good condition, supple with no tearing, and showing only light wear. As a real rarity, the stitching holding it in place is fully intact.

The inside of the cap is lined with golden rayon faux silk fabric, which is in very good condition with no tearing, though it does show staining from use and wear. The top celluloid sweat shield diamond is partly intact, having torn away from the stitching towards the rear, and there are no maker markings that we can see, even under the sweatband. This is most likely a bespoke cap made for a high ranking officer early in the war. There is no size marked, but it seems to be about a 56-57cm.

Overall condition is very good, showing light wear consistent with service, but no major damage or signs of abuse. There are just a few moth nips to the crown, with the cap band showing a bit more, as the loose fabric is a favorite of insects. This is definitely a cap that was "really there", with a patina that impossible to duplicate.

A great example of a classic hat worn by German Panzer Officers in WWII with a fantastic "crushed" shape. Very impressive and ready to display!

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.