BACKGROUND: The Officer’s M38 overseas field cap was originally introduced on December 6TH 1938 as a replacement for the old pattern visored field cap that had been introduced in March 1934. The design of the Officer’s M38 overseas cap was based on the M34 overseas cap as worn by EM/NCO’s. Originally the M38 overseas caps were only produced in a field-grey material until March 27TH 1940 when a black version for Panzer officers was introduced. Company and Field grade Officer’s M38 overseas caps were piped with bright silver aluminum braid while Officer’s with Generals ranks utilized bright gilt braid piping.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, private purchase, M38 pattern, field-grey wool construction cap features fold down side and back panels with scalloped slopes to the forward side panels. Some mothing to the body. The crown edge and the forward scalloped side panels are both piped in bright, interwoven, silver/aluminum braiding. The front center of the cap has a nice quality, hand embroidered, national eagle with outstretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted swastika in its talons, in bright silver/aluminum wire threads with bright silver/aluminum bullion and pale tan accent threads mounted on a cut-out, blue/green badge cloth base. The front center of the fold down panels has a nice quality, hand embroidered, national tri-color cockade in black rayon, bright silver/aluminum and red wool threads. Both the eagle and the cockade are original handstitched to the cap. The interior of the cap is fully lined in rayon. Full and complete leather sweatband. Roughly a size 60.