Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Luftwaffe officer Schirmmütze visor cap manufactured by Alteste of Berlin. It has an attractive swept-back saddle form, a high front profile, fine silver bullion piping, hand embroidered officer insignia, bullion chin cords, and a fully legible maker’s mark beneath the intact celluloid sweat shield. The exterior remains in especially attractive condition with no visible moth damage.

The cap is constructed from Luftwaffe blue gray whipcord wool, commonly described as Flyer’s Blue, with a wide black ribbed wool cap band. Three rows of fine silver bullion piping extend around the cap, positioned along the crown seam and the upper and lower edges of the black band. The cap has developed a desirable swept-back saddle shape while retaining the standard high front associated with an officer’s visor cap.

The front is fitted with a matching pair of officer-quality embroidered insignia. A silver bullion Luftwaffe eagle on dark blue gray wool backing is positioned above a high relief silver bullion oak leaf wreath with stylized wings and an embroidered national cockade. The insignia remain in very good condition. The bullion is well retained and shows very little oxidation, with only minor localized fraying. The red felt center of the cockade remains bright and provides strong contrast against the silver bullion and dark cap band.

The visor is constructed from black vulcanized fiber with stitched black imitation leather edge trim and a green underside. The upper surface retains an attractive matte texture without major chipping, warping, or heat-related deterioration. The underside has a checkered green finish. The edge trim remains complete, with its stitching intact and only light wear from age and use. The visor remains firmly attached to the body of the cap.

Above the visor is the correct silver bullion officer chin cord, secured at each side by pebbled metal buttons. The chin cord remains in very good condition. The retaining buttons show some wear to their finish.

The interior is lined in soft blue square woven cotton. The lining shows scattered staining but no tears or major structural damage. The celluloid diamond-shaped sweat shield remains fully intact with its original stitching complete. The maker’s name and address are printed beneath the shield in silver:

Alteste
Berliner Mützenfabrik
Berlin S W
Wilhelmstr. 65

The printed marking shows wear from use but remains fully legible.

The sweatband is made from natural colored leather and has ventilation perforations across the forehead area. The leather remains soft and supple, with no visible tears. Light staining is present around the forehead section.

The underside of the sweatband bears a rectangular area where a maker, owner, or unit marking may once have been present. The surface was deliberately abraded, and the original marking is no longer readable.

Overall condition is very good, with the exterior especially well preserved. The wool shows very little wear and no visible moth damage. The silver bullion piping remains free of significant fraying, while the insignia and chin cord retain strong color and detail.

With its desirable Alteste Berlin maker mark, swept-back saddle form, fine Flyer’s Blue whipcord wool, complete bullion piping, hand embroidered officer insignia, intact vulcanized fiber visor, officer chin cord, supple sweatband, and complete celluloid sweat shield, this is a particularly attractive Luftwaffe officer visor cap. The light lining and sweatband staining, minor insignia fraying, button finish wear, and abraded interior marking are fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Luftwaffe officer headgear, Alteste Berlin, embroidered insignia, Flyer’s Blue uniform, or advanced German WWII cap 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.