Early black piped KVP hat 1958, help please

[zbv500]

Hi all,

a friend of me just got this cap and we wondered what it might be ? Further we are looking to get a rough value as I might buy it from him.
I would be happy for any help.

Thanks, Jens

[zbv500]

2

[tony james]

Very nice pioneer NVA skimutze and rare and hard to find . if i were selling it i would price it 350 to 400 euro or maybe higher.

[zbv500]

Many thanks for hsving it ID'd Also special thanks for the value range. That will help me alot negoting.
Thank you, Jens

[Rev462]

Jens,

Looks 100% good to me. If you can afford it grab this hat. This is only the 3rd Pioneer piped Skimuetze I know of.

I would be willing to pay over 500 EU for this hat.

[friede]

it looks good, could be that the badge was replaced, but thats does not smaler the value!!!

NICE HAT!!!

[Jan Klaassen]

Very, very nice item! Agree completely with Rev on the value. There's only a handfull of these items floating around the world.

[zbv500]

Thanks guys. Sounds very intresting. As for the badge, well he got it on last weekends fleamarket for 5 euro so I dont think its messed with in any way.
I will try to get it soon.
Thsnks Jens

[zbv500]

I now bought it off from him.

By the way, can you explain why there are so few of them around ? I mean was the unit so small back then ? Or were they reissued with other, later insignia ?

Many thanks, Jens

[Jan Klaassen]

He bought it for only 5 euros? Man, what a find! Bargain of the century?
These items are rare for several reasons. First, they were only worn during the 1956-1961 period, after which they were replaced by the same style of cap - without the coloured piping, however. So even though some might have survived up to 1961, a number of them would've been converted (I have seen examples where the cockade had been changed to the Staatswappen introduced in that year), others just worn out. Then minus the ones thrown away, still hidden in attics et cetera and the fact that indeed these items were probably not made in their tens of thousands due to the relative small size of the armed forces back than, and we (the collectors) have only a few of them in our collections.

[tony james]

These hats were issued and worn years after they were replaced by the urshanka in 1963 . I've seen a foto album from the early 1970's showing panzer soldier's wearing them doing service maintenance to their panzers. also pioniere , chemischen truppen ,KFZ - truppen. that wore black piping. were small units . keep in mind that from 1956 to 1961. The totaled combined armed forces was only 80,000 . Starting in 1962 conscription was introduced swelling the army to 120,000 overnight. any old uniforms and hats would have emptied the quartermasters supplys and from what I've seen they wore these for many years .

[Rev462]

Another piece of the puzzle - after colored piping was discontinued in 1961 many existing hats had the original piping covered over with white to conform to the new regulations. In many cases the original piping was shaved down before being covered. Being piped in white allowed them to be worn for years after the change in regulations. Apparently just a small percentage of pre-1962 hats avoided being worn out and/or re-worked.

[zbv500]

That was interesting read ! Thanks to all for taking the time to explain.

My best, Jens

[Jan Klaassen]

Another piece of the puzzle - after colored piping was discontinued in 1961 many existing hats had the original piping covered over with white to conform to the new regulations. In many cases the original piping was shaved down before being covered. Being piped in white allowed them to be worn for years after the change in regulations. Apparently just a small percentage of pre-1962 hats avoided being worn out and/or re-worked.

I did know this was done quite often with Schirmmütze, but was this also the rule for the Skimützes?

[Rev462]

Jan,

I have two MfS piped Skimuetzen that have been piped over in white.