Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice service-used example of a Soviet Model 1927 Budenovka winter cap, the distinctive pointed cloth helmet closely associated with the Red Army from the Russian Civil War through the pre-WWII period. Although the Budenovka was officially superseded by the ushanka in 1940, examples remained in use during the early years of the Great Patriotic War and continued to appear among rear-area troops, schools, and other formations after their official replacement.

This is a very nice example of a WWII Issue Model 27 Budenovka Winter Cap, which is in very nice, service used condition. The exterior is made from dark blue wool, and it has a small fabric visor on the front. It has a raspberry colored star sewn on the front, which has a Soviet Red Star pinned in place The body has some minor moth nipping. The two Soviet buttons holding in the flaps show wear and are certainly original. The raspberry-colored star denotes Infantry.

The interior is dark gray cloth, most likely cotton, with gray padding and insulation. It is marked with a size, 56. There is a maker’s stamp in Russian, but it is too faint to translate. A good research project.

Known officially as the cloth helmet or shlem sukonnyy, the Budenovka became one of the most recognizable pieces of early Soviet military headgear. Its popular name derives from Red cavalry commander Semyon Budyonny, while the alternative name Frunzenka was associated with Bolshevik commander Mikhail Frunze. The cap's pointed profile also led to the earlier nickname bogatyrka, referencing the heroic bogatyr figures of Russian folklore.

The origins of the design have long been surrounded by differing accounts. It has traditionally been attributed to artist Viktor Vasnetsov and linked to a proposed late Imperial Russian uniform inspired by medieval Russian military dress. Another frequently repeated account holds that the design was intended for a stylized historical or victory uniform during the First World War. These early-origin stories remain debated, but the pointed cloth helmet became firmly established as Red Army headgear during the Russian Civil War.

By the early Soviet period, the Budenovka had developed into a standardized winter headdress with a cloth visor and ear and neck flaps that could be fastened beneath the chin. Branch-of-service identification was displayed through colored cloth stars on the front, with raspberry associated with infantry, blue with cavalry, orange with artillery, light blue with aviation, black with engineers, and green with border troops. A metal Soviet star badge was worn at the center. The pattern was modified in 1927, reducing the tall profile of earlier versions and producing the lower, more practical form represented by this example.

The Budenovka eventually proved less effective as a cold-weather field headdress than intended. Its wool construction offered limited protection in severe winter conditions and was not particularly convenient when used in conjunction with a steel helmet. Experience during the Soviet-Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940 contributed to its replacement, and in July 1940 the Soviet military formally adopted the ushanka in its place. Budenovkas nevertheless continued to appear in service during the opening period of the German-Soviet war, with surviving use documented after their official withdrawal.

This example retains the principal features collectors look for in an M1927 Budenovka, including the pointed wool body, folding winter flaps, original-style Soviet buttons, branch-colored cloth star and central Soviet badge. The size 56 marking and still-visible maker or depot stamp add further interest, while the minor moth nipping and general wear are consistent with an original service-used textile. As a surviving example of one of the Red Army's most recognizable forms of headgear, it represents the transition between the revolutionary-era Soviet uniform tradition and the equipment still encountered during the opening years of WWII.