S000896 EM/NCO'S VISOR CAP. (Schirmmütze)
BACKGROUND: The Allgemeine SS, (General SS), was originally formed in May 1923 as the Stosstrupp Adolf Hitler (Shock Troops Adolf Hitler), and was redesignated Schutzstaffel, (Protection Squad), in April 1925 with the official acceptance of the name verified on the second anniversary of the failed Munich "Beer Hall" Putsch on November 9TH 1925. On January 6TH 1929 Heinrich Himmler was appointed as Reichsführer SS, (National Leader {of the} SS), and on July 20TH 1934 shortly after the, June 30TH 1934, purge of the SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm Troopers) on the "Night of the Long Knives", the SS was rewarded by Hitler by being granted the status of an independent organization under direct control of the NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party). From its inception the SS began an aggressive policy of expansion which resulted in the formation of the SS SD, SS Sicherheitsdienst und Sicherheitspolizei, (SS Security Service and Security Police), in June 1931, the SS VT, SS Verfügungstruppe, (SS Special Purpose Troops), and the SS TV, SS Totenkopfverbände, (SS Death’s Head Units), in March 1933 which would eventually evolve into the Waffen SS, (Armed SS), in December 1939. Originally members of the fledgling SS had no official uniform or headgear until April 1925 when they adopted, what was to become known as the, "Tradition Uniform" and personnel were outfitted with the same brown shirt uniform and kepi as the SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm Troopers). In 1923 the Stabswache (Headquarter Guards), was the first SS unit to adopt the Imperial Prussian Danziger style skull for wear on their headgear which was extended to all SS personnel in April 1925. In November 1925 personnel of the newly formed SS adopted a black Kepi to distinguish them from their SA counterparts and in 1927 the SS were the first to adopted the national eagle insignia for wear on their headgear. In 1932, the first black SS service visor caps were introduced for wear to replace the kepi as the standard headgear for all ranks. Originally, SS personnel wore the Danziger style skull and the political 1927 pattern national eagle on their visor caps. In an attempt to distance themselves from the SA, the SS introduced a new pattern cap skull to replace the previously used Danziger style skull on October 6TH 1934 and in February 1936 a new SS pattern national cap eagle was introduced. Both these pieces of insignia were worn through out the war. Originally all ranks wore white piping on the visor caps until regulations of June 23RD 1934 introduced silver/aluminum piping for the ranks of SS Oberführer up to the rank of Reichsführer SS while the ranks of SS Anwärter to SS Standartenführer continued to utilize the white piping. Also originally all ranks utilized a blackened leather chinstrap until regulations of 1935 introduced silver/aluminum chincords for the ranks of SS Oberführer up to the rank of Reichsführer SS. In 1938 the first earth grey versions of the service visor cap were introduced for wear with the newly introduced field grey uniform and the first field grey version caps followed in 1939. Although the Waffen SS adopted waffenfarben, (Branch of Service Colors), in 1939 the appropriate waffenfarbe was only displayed as piping on the shoulder straps and the base of the shoulder boards. Regulations of May 10TH 1940 introduced assorted waffenbfarbe piping for Waffen SS visor caps for the ranks of SS Anwärter to SS Standartenführer but the order was rescinded on November 5TH 1940 and the white piping was reinstated for all ranks up to SS Oberführer. After the outbreak of WWII the black service headgear were eventually phased out of wear for all but Allgemeine SS personnel. SS Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and headgear and as a result the SS established the SS Kleiderkasse, (SS Clothing Account), system in Munich in 1935. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s were allotted a one time clothing allowance from the government with the amount varying depending on the individuals rank. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could also choose to purchase privately tailored garments of higher quality although the price may have been restrictive. With the rapid expansion of the Waffen SS after the outbreak of the war the SS Kleiderkasse also expanded to include no fewer then nine main offices with offices located in some of the occupied countries including, Poland, Norway, France, Czechoslovakia and Russia. The RZM, Reichzeugmeisterei, (National Equipment Quartermaster), was official founded in June 1934 in Munich by the NSDAP as a Reich Hauptamt, (State Central Office), and was based on the earlier SA Quartermaster’s Department. The functions of the RZM were not only to procure and distribute items to Party formations, but also to approve chosen designs and to act as a quality control supervisor to ensure items manufactured for the Party met required specification and were standardized. Starting in late 1934 items manufactured for the SS came under the quality control of the RZM and were marked with an RZM/SS approval mark or tag. Of Note: In 1943 the Waffen SS assumed full control over their uniform item production and no longer fell under the authority of the RZM.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Issue type, field grey construction, visor cap features a wide, black wool centerband and white wool piping to the top of the crown edge and both the top and bottom edges of the centerband. The cap has a extended, forward, black lacquered, vulcanfibre visor with a subtly raised lip near the forward edge and an orangish/ tan bottom with a repeating cross hatched pattern. A good portion of the original liner is missing. The interior of the cap also has a esatz sweatband which is mostly complete but has numerous tears. Roughly a size 55/56. Cap comes with an original eagle and skull. There looks to be a repair to one of the prongs on the skull with one of the prongs now going directly through the front of the insignia. Original Chinstrap and buttons are complete.
GRADE *** 1/4
PRICE $8,500.00
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