Painted WWI USMC Overseas Cap

[RobertE]

I have never seen a cap set-up like this, and was wondering if forum members might have come across something similar. I've seen painted helmets, and hand painted WWI USMC shoulder patches, but this...

[RobertE]

If it's real, I'd assume 5th Marines HQs. I can understand the backward EGA given the authorization to wear collar insignia at all. Wartime dated US contract cap.

Lots of examples of unit patched and embroidered overseas caps created as units waited to rotate home. But painted insignia on a wool cap is new to me.

regards, Robert

[Kurt A.]

Without really credible provenance (i.e., I pulled it out of the attic myself), I wouldn't touch it.

[RobertE]

Sound advice. I definitely did not pull it out of the attic myself, but did get it for less than the price of the EGA. Could very well be a fantasy piece.

s/f Robert

[Kevin Treadway]

Robert, I would not be so quick to dismiss this. It is very unorthodox and I have certainly never seen anything like it, but having said that, I do like the look of the paint and the rendition of the star/Indianhead. In fact it looks a little like the one on my attributed 1/6 helmet that came from Bob Queen, which I believe was copied off of artwork from the Indian magazine in 1919, (the feathers on your cap are different, but there are similarities. I have definitely seen righteous helmets with Indianheads that look like yours). Just my two cents on the topic. Interesting piece to be sure and from the sounds of it, I would have bought it as well for the sum you have in it. I mean you really have to ask yourself, if this was done with the intent to deceive, why in the world would you do something so unheard of....why not put the time and energy into just painting up a helmet? These guys wore their uniforms to VFW and Marine Association meetings for two and three decades after WWI. Sometimes they patched up their dress blues to show affiliation with the Second Division, certainly not regulation. I think they just wanted that star Indianhead logo emblazoned on as much as possible to show their connection with the Fighting Fourth Brigade. Once again, I am really leaning toward this being done sometime shortly after WWI personally. Thanks for sharing....here is my 1/6 helmet and he artwork found on publications in 1919 that closely I think closely resembles this Indian head. Kevin

[C. Roelens]

I've seen nothing like this painted on an overseas cover, but who knows. Looks like HQ, 5th Marine Regiment, maybe the Veteran touched it up a bit for a post war reunion. Is the collar disc original?

S/F,
Chuck

[RobertE]

Thanks Kevin and Chuck, I appreciate your comments. Kevin, that helmet is a stunner and certainly makes the design rendered on the cap look pretty shabby. Really unique with the campaigns annotated like that.

Chuck, I'll have to get the device off and examine it, and I won't get it until October so got a bit of a wait. Looks good from the front though. I'm not expecting much from the cap though, but maybe a similar example will surface at a future date and add to that discussion. Thought I'd post it for reference.

regards, Robert

[101combatvet]

Pictures aren't clear enough to authenticate; even in hand, it would still be difficult. I personally think it has a chance at being original.

[Bill D.]

I've never seen anything like it but that, of course, means nothing. I have certainly seen enough original WWI gas masks bags that were painted with unit insignia that it does not surprise me at all to find it done on an overseas cap.