Vietnamese Made Laotian Visor Cap

[Bob Chatt]

The shoulder boards and collar device are not blue they are black. So is the visor cap.

[hochiminhtrail]

Hmmm black, what can black be?

Alex

[nguoi tien su]

Since it is about Laotian caps, maybe I can post this one here ?



I am trying to get an identification on that cap badge. I guess that it is the "Compagnie de Quartier Général" HQ Co, based on this Drago insignia :



The HQ Co was created on the 1st June 1951 and based in Vientiane. One section was detached on the PDJ (Plaine des Jarres) and was part of the units lead by Van Pao.

Any help will be much appreciated !

NTS

[zvezdah1]

Would it be possible to post the backs of these two badges?
Chris

[nguoi tien su]

Chris, here you are :



It is heavy made.



This one is Drago Paris.

NTS

[zvezdah1]

Thanks very much NTS!
Chris

[nguoi tien su]

Unfortunately the cap badge is for the Thai police... It is incredible since it is very close from the laotian insignia, but here it is...

[D. Michael Kim]

To date the Drago badge, I believe it was made from 1960 to the present.
This is based on the hatching pattern and how named, Drago Paris.

[nguoi tien su]

Actually, that is not that easy.
First Drago does not exist any more. Arthus Bertrand bought it in 1993.

Then, the model shown above is the line 6, 1st section on this summary (sorry, that in french!)



The badge shown above is from 1954 to 1962.

NTS

[nguoi tien su]

One of my customers came in my shop yesterday to show me these two caps. The first is a Vn made, in fact made by Cheap Charlie, Laotian visor cap. The bullion work is amzing on this piece. Also the leather visor has got to be the heaviest and sturdiest I have ever encountered on a VN made cap.

Bob, a similar cap here :

[historyguy]

Thanks for bringing this back up, Francois. I either missed or forgot about this thread.

That is one awesome visor, Bob. Did you ever buy it, or was your customer just showing off?