M40 tropical peaked hat paper

[Lodsworth]

Here's a link to the first part of a new paper on the M40 tropical peaked cap. Its not that good but it might be useful to those of you who are not that familiar with these things.

Note: there're handful of modern photos in it, which I've used without permission, either because I don't know who posted them or because I was unable to contact the person who posted them. If you recognise any of these as yours (they will either be credited to the moniker used on the forum or "unknown"), please contact me and I'll either add the correct attribution, or remove/ replace the photo — if you wish me to do so.

And many thanks to all of you who've allowed me to reuse their photos.
Mike

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320830769

[NZMark]

I'll read this with great interest.
Mark Twiname.
NZ

[Richard T]

Wonderful Mike! Many thanks for putting together and posting

[LeeG]

Well done! I've already read much of it -- a few typos here and there (not many) and it would be great to see the full database after you have it all assembled.

[Lodsworth]

update

My work on the Afrikamütze Database is now finished. Here are links to the final version. The archive.org links are high resolution, the researchgate.net ones, somewhat lower. Many thanks to everybody who has helped me with photos and comments. The paper is far from perfect, but should be of some use and interest.
Cheers
Mike Seager Thomas

https://archive.org/details/asrp81af...thenticcap2019
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320830769

https://archive.org/details/asrp82af...asethefake2019
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320830769

https://archive.org/details/asrp83af...appendices2019
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320830769

https://archive.org/details/asrp8afr...alappendix2019
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335099556

[Lodsworth]

Afrikamütze Database abstract

This essay, the third of four describing and contextualizing the faking for profit of Afrikakorps material culture, is intended to assist students in distinguishing real from reproduction and fake material, and demonstrate in a practical and lasting way how our knowledge and understanding of these can be augmented by a contribution from academia, the analytical approach of which should be more systematic, more disciplined and more open than that of the average lay enthusiast. Its focus is the German army tropical peaked cap, or, for those who wore it in the North African theatre between 1941 and 1943, the Afrikamütze.

The analysis is based on the assumption that different combinations of cap traits are diagnostic both of different cap manufacturers and cap dates, and can be used both to identify these and distinguish real caps from reproductions and fakes. Part 1 of this essay separates out and describes these traits, the object of this being to clarify their exact nature and interpretative role. It then re-sorts them by date and manufacturer, the object of this being to provide a catalogue of authentic caps against which individual caps—real and fake alike—can be compared. Highlighted are the different proportions of cap traits and their first appearance in the record and the implications of these for our understanding of cap manufacturer, issue, and use. Part 2 separates out and describes the traits diagnostic of reproduction and fake caps and compares and contrasts these with those of authentic caps. It then reassembles them by reproduction manufacturer and putative faker group, 12 of which, by perhaps six different legitimate manufacturers and faking operations are distinguished. It also considers the "perfect fake" and how we might identify it. Highlighted are the potential implications of unidentified fakes for our understanding and the value—in the broadest sense—of the real thing. The Appendices include additional sections on army General officers' tropical peaked caps, caps of uncertain authenticity, and sidecaps or Schiffchen, and a provisional identification chart for caps without surviving manufacturer stamps.

Many of the traits and sets of traits of authentic and fake caps discussed here have been discussed before. But this is the first time a discussion of them has been presented as a single coherent whole. Others are discussed—or at least elaborated upon—for the first time. This makes the essay a worthwhile contribution to our understanding of the cap.

Fakers rely on the ignorance, inattentiveness, or blind enthusiasm of their customers to pass off their fakes; and the only way to check them is to educate the latter. This essay, is a first stage in that education. It also provides a possible template for other studies of this sort; and in so far as it reveals certain trends of manufacture and use, it represents a first—albeit tentative—stage in their study.

[jacquesf]

I had a quick look and wow it seems a lot of work went into this. I will spent time (looks like a lot) on it, seems well worth it. Thanx for sharing. J

[AntiqueWW2]

Great work and well done, thanks for sharing

[enorepap]

Hallo Mike

A great work and above all a noble gesture of making it available to all collectors and historical researchers of the specific period. My warmest congratulations and heartfelt thanks

Marcello

[PaulW]

Mike, this is an amazing work, I dread to think how much time you put into this!

A really great tool for the collector. I knew little of these caps with their myriad of manufacturer/ time period variations, despite owning what I think was a good soutache removed (with a trace of Lemon yellow Signals) Alfred Valet cap many years ago that I now regret parting with! However, your study makes me feel a little more educated, and makes me feel like dipping my toes back into this difficult collector area again!

Best regards, Paul

[dakcollector]

Amazing research and database. THANK YOU!

To Mike & our great DAK collecting community,

I had a chance to use this in-depth research and database this weekend to analyze a well-worn DAK Artillery field cap being offered in Ratisbon's next auction starting 9/20/19. Take a very close look at it (see below) and share what you think...

[PaulW]

To Mike & our great DAK collecting community,

I had a chance to use this in-depth research and database this weekend to analyze a well-worn DAK Artillery field cap being offered in Ratisbon's next auction starting 9/20/19. Take a very close look at it (see below) and share what you think...

Well, the eagle doesn't conform to the usual application for Alfred Valet caps (usually hand applied). Curious to hear other opinions especially ref the cockade and soutache. The starting price seems very low for such a 'desirable' cap... and is considerably less than that of the RB numbered tropical cap with damaged sweatband in the same auction that by comparison seems to have a grossly overpriced reserve price!

https://www.ratisbons.com/31st-Conte...be87f19b5b79df

Any other opinions?

Regards, Paul

[Lodsworth]

erratum

In table 2.1 of my Afrikamütze Database I list the name H. Schade Kassel under "Made up, garbled and modern manufacturer names". This is an error. H. Schade was in fact a period maker of the tropical peaked cap (see the authentic cap recently posted on this forum by NatS https://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/for...35&postcount=1).

[OSS]

It would be interesting to know why a number of makers who had not provided caps to the DAK, began making tropical caps (M-40s) in the '43 period. Schade is one of these numerous makers which are not found amoung caps from the campaign in the Western Desert.

[Tim O'Keefe]

H Schade produced visor caps with the logo "KM" not H Schade on its visors. H Schade is also found on caps that are KM or LW fakes.