BACKGROUND: Visor caps were a standard item for all personnel during the Third Reich period and regulations dictated the form of dress they were to be worn with based on the individuals rank. Officer and senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own caps and could choose to purchase them from the army clothing depots or to privately purchase visor caps of higher quality. Originally the insignia worn on the visor cap consisted the Weimar Reichsheer patterns which included a blackened leather chinstrap for all ranks. In February 1927 new chin cords for Officer ranks were introduced with silver cords for the ranks of Leutnant to Oberst and senior NCO Officer aspirants and gilt cords for the ranks of Generalmajor to Generalfeldmarschall. Of Note: Both the first pattern Reichsheer era visor cap eagle and wreath were replaced with the second pattern in March 1935.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Private purchase, field-grey wool and rayon blend construction visor cap with a blue/green badge cloth centerband and pink wool waffenfarbe piping to the crown edge and both the top and bottom edges of the centerband. The front center of the cap features a nice quality, early pattern, hand embroidered national eagle with short, out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted swastika in it’s talons, in bright, silver/aluminum and bullion wire threads with dark green accent threads, mounted on a cut-out, blue/green, badge cloth base. The front center of the centerband has a nice quality, hand embroidered, oak-leaf wreath in bright, silver/aluminum wire threads with bullion wire accent threads, encompassing a highly vaunted, three piece, stamped alloy, national tri-color cockade, all mounted on a cut-out, blue/green badge cloth base. The national tri-color cockade consists of a black fluted alloy base, a silver washed alloy, roundel and an inserted red wool center dot. Both the eagle and wreathed cockade are neatly handstitched to the cap. The cap has a twisted silver/aluminum chin cord which is secured in place by two, small, silver washed, pebbled, alloy buttons. The cap has a black lacquered vulcanfibre visor with a subtly raised lip near the forward edge. Centerband insert is broken in one spot, but not visible. Nice completed leather sweatband with a couple of sewing repairs. Nice complete gold rayon on liner with Hamburg maker mark. Sweat diamond is missing. Roughly a size 57/58. Decent original, well worn and use Panzer cap.