Hello-
I just purchased a 1915-dated infantry kratchen/feldmutze that has me a little puzzled. It is just a story but the seller (who was an older man and gave me no reason to doubt) said he had had it for over 30 years and bought directly from the veteran's family in Wisconsin (he was unsure whether the veteran was US or German). Anyway, some things do not look "textbook" yet it appears/feels/smells like the real deal. I looked unsuccessfully for a existing thread that would clear this up for me so I'm hoping there are others who can shed light (please see attached photos). I'll start with the band cover: It is stitched to the cap along the top edge. No stamps/marks that I can see. The color is unbleached cotton so sort of an off-white which seems as bad as the red from a camouflage standpoint. I think I think I remember reading that they used white bands for pre-war training maneuvers but that does not fit with the wartime date in the lining. The Bavarian cockade is sewn to the band with no horizontal buttonhole like others I have seen. There are no felt squares behind either of the cockades. There is no evidence that the red band ever had a cockade attached. The cap's main body is a greenish-brownish-gray with a herringbone-type weave (private purchase?). Inside, the cotton lining is marked faintly with the size (55) and more boldly "I.L.R." (I think the first is an "I") and then "1915". I don't know what ILR means but it does not follow the format of any depot mark that I have ever seen. It shows wear with the sweat stain predominatly toward the front as you would expect. Anyway, the pictures do a better job describing than I can. (I just realized you can only attach 2 files per post so I'll have to add the others in separate posts). Thanks in advance!
I just purchased a 1915-dated infantry kratchen/feldmutze that has me a little puzzled. It is just a story but the seller (who was an older man and gave me no reason to doubt) said he had had it for over 30 years and bought directly from the veteran's family in Wisconsin (he was unsure whether the veteran was US or German). Anyway, some things do not look "textbook" yet it appears/feels/smells like the real deal. I looked unsuccessfully for a existing thread that would clear this up for me so I'm hoping there are others who can shed light (please see attached photos). I'll start with the band cover: It is stitched to the cap along the top edge. No stamps/marks that I can see. The color is unbleached cotton so sort of an off-white which seems as bad as the red from a camouflage standpoint. I think I think I remember reading that they used white bands for pre-war training maneuvers but that does not fit with the wartime date in the lining. The Bavarian cockade is sewn to the band with no horizontal buttonhole like others I have seen. There are no felt squares behind either of the cockades. There is no evidence that the red band ever had a cockade attached. The cap's main body is a greenish-brownish-gray with a herringbone-type weave (private purchase?). Inside, the cotton lining is marked faintly with the size (55) and more boldly "I.L.R." (I think the first is an "I") and then "1915". I don't know what ILR means but it does not follow the format of any depot mark that I have ever seen. It shows wear with the sweat stain predominatly toward the front as you would expect. Anyway, the pictures do a better job describing than I can. (I just realized you can only attach 2 files per post so I'll have to add the others in separate posts). Thanks in advance!
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