BGS cap

[RJKG]

Just managed to get a BGS sumpftarn cap to complement my sumpftarn jacket. In well worn condition, but probably not too bad for £30.00. Note the somewhat imaginative description on the stallholder's label !
The hat bears a very faded stamp: (Bamberger ?) Mutzen Industrie, 111 /59, so I'm guessing it was made in 1959.
Do I wash it at a low temperature, and risk losing the remnants of the stamp, or leave it as it is ?

[Collectinsteve]

I think that's a fair price even considering it's condition. The seller's description is very humorous

I would not remove anything. My personal collecting philosophy is that if I can make a reasonable repair, in the spirit of contemporary repairs, I will do it. Otherwise I leave it alone. Removing something that's damaged reduces value IMHO. I even hesitate to remove things which might have been added while in service (which might be the case with the shoulders of your jacket).

The tricky problem for you is restoring the missing roundel (bullseye). The BGS versions are distinctly different than those of Bundeswehr items, which is obviously easier to get a hold of. It's also different than later roundels. Very, very hard to tell the difference from eBay listings. They key differences are the size of the rings and the color of the yellow ring. IIRC the earlier ones are more orange, the latter type is bright yellow.

Once you have the roundel then the fun begins I've restored several BGS hats and have developed a technique that results in a near original final look. Here's my tips...

Split the seam of the liner at the front, pin the roundel into the correct position (but not through the liner), then pin the liner out of the way for machine stitching the roundel. You probably won't have enough room to spread the liner open to stitch all four sides of the roundel at once, so pull it to one side. Stitch two sides being very careful to not accidentally stitch into the liner. If you do that you'll have to either start over completely or very carefully restart from the place where you messed up. When you get to the end of the second side of stitching leave the needle down then shift the liner underneath and pin it out of the way so you can stitch the other two sides. Pull away from the machine, cut both the top and bobbin threads, pull the top thread through to the inside of the hat, and tie the ends together. Last thing to do is sew the split in the liner. To do that use a curved needle to allow you to close the gap without visible stitches.

If you're not handy with sewing, I suggest this is not the first project you should take on Instead I'd find someone with reasonable skills and have them do it. The end result is worth it for sure.

Steve

[ReinerMB42]

BGS-cap

Hello fellow collector,
congrats to this find!! A very rare and -usually- very expensive item. The stamp means Bamberger Mützenindustrie III/59, so it´s made in 1959, as you presumed. I would NOT wash it!
Look for a hood for your jacket on ebay UK. There is a seller who sits on a pile of these, he offers one every week or two.
Best regards

Reiner

[RJKG]

Thanks for the comments /advice.
Am on the lookout for a hood, though I also need the correct buttons.
Any ideas where best to get the correct cockade / roundel ?
Saw some excellent condition sumpftarn trousers at the War & Peace show last week, but buyer would only sell as part of a lot, not individually.
Finally, thought it would be interesting to compare late '50's BGS & BW uniforms:

[Collectinsteve]

Sorry, no idea where to get a roundel. German eBay is the best place to look, but you have to know what you are looking for. I need to sort out my picture hosting before I can upload any more pics, but once I get around to that I'll take comparison pictures of the various roundels and point out the differences.

Steve

[RJKG]

Sorry, no idea where to get a roundel. German eBay is the best place to look, but you have to know what you are looking for. I need to sort out my picture hosting before I can upload any more pics, but once I get around to that I'll take comparison pictures of the various roundels and point out the differences.

Steve

OK, thanks. Looking forward to the comparisons !