BACKGROUND: On July 20TH 1934 shortly after the, June 30TH 1934, purge of the SA 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. Originally, (circa 1932), SS personnel had worn the Imperial Prussian Danziger style skull and the political style 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 Imperial Prussian Danziger style skull on October 6TH 1934 and on February 15TH 1936 a new SS pattern national eagle was introduced. Both these pieces of insignia were worn through-out the war. Generally all ranks wore the stamped metal versions of the insignia on their visor caps and machine woven or embroidered insignia on the overseas and M43 caps although Officer ranks were permitted to wear a hand embroidered version of the SS eagle in silver bullion wire threads if so desired. The wear of the hand embroidered eagles was not a common practice making them a relatively rare piece of insignia.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Very nice quality, hand embroidered Officer’s cap eagle in bright silver/aluminum wire and bullion threads with black accent threads on a cut-out black wool base. The eagles wingspan is roughly, 70mm from tip to tip. The reverse still has its original protective black paper backing intact.