Feldjaegerkorp Kepi Star

[Bob Coleman]

The Feldjaegerkorp Kepi Star Attached To An Original Kepi

[Bob Coleman]

Variant Period Manufactured Star. Note The Lack Of Sharp Detail When Compared To The Kepi Mounted Star. This Star Came From The Late Ed Stadnicki Collection. Ed Had A Number Of This Pattern Star, Likely All Sourced From The Same Vet. Years Ago, I Watched A French Dealer Known To Market Fake Kepis Buy All Of The Remaining Stars. Within 18 Months, Examples Of This Rare Kepi Began To Appear In The Collector Market With This Identical Star. I Will Leave The Conclusion Up To The Individual Collector.

[Bob Coleman]

Reverse Of Stadnicki Star

[Bob Coleman]

Original Feldjaegerkorp Kepi

[Bob Coleman]

Side View

[Bob Coleman]

R Z M Tag. The Feldjaegerkorp Existed From Late 1933 Until Early 1936. This Early Form Of Tag Is Appropriate To This Kepi

[JoeW]

Bob, I think you meant early 1935 when the FJK was incorporated into the Prussian Schutzpolizei as the mot. Strassenpolizei? That is a handsome cap. Was that Ed's? It looks like the his as pictured in Angolia's SA/NSDAP book.

Did all of their kepis have air vent holes? I noticed the other pictured in that book had none. I had looked into buying that particular cap back in 1994 and had it for examination for a few days, but I passed.

I cannot make out on that star whether there is an RZM mark? Is the reproduction that appeared as you described better than the repros cranked out by Globe many years ago. They seem to be all over the place.

Of course the Prussian police adopted this same design (the Goring eagle) as their new insignia and started producing police accessories with it such as cartouche box plates and insignia for the clamshell bayonets.

[Bob Coleman]

Bob, I think you meant early 1935 when the FJK was incorporated into the Prussian Schutzpolizei as the mot. Strassenpolizei? That is a handsome cap. Was that Ed's? It looks like the his as pictured in Angolia's SA/NSDAP book.

Did all of their kepis have air vent holes? I noticed the other pictured in that book had none. I had looked into buying that particular cap back in 1994 and had it for examination for a few days, but I passed.

I cannot make out on that star whether there is an RZM mark? Is the reproduction that appeared as you described better than the repros cranked out by Globe many years ago. They seem to be all over the place.

Of course the Prussian police adopted this same design (the Goring eagle) as their new insignia and started producing police accessories with it such as cartouche box plates and insignia for the clamshell bayonets.

JOE-
I AM NOT SURE IF THIS WAS ED'S KEPI OR NOT. I ONLY KNOW THAT IT WENT THROUGH TWO COLLECTIONS AND A DEALER IN ENGLAND BEFORE I GOT IT. BOTH COLLECTORS PASSED AWAY. IF IT WAS ED'S, THAT WOULD MAKE THREE
DECEASED OWNERS MOST LIKELY IT WAS ED'S AS THIS IS THE ONLY ORIGINAL EXAMPLE I HAVE EVER SEEN. THE CONDITION OF MINE MATCHES ED'S EXAMPLE. I BELIEVE THEY WERE IN JILL HALCOMB'S BOOK ON THE S A. I WONDER WHERE THE GENERAL OFFICER RANK FELDJAEGER KEPI IS TODAY. I TAKE IT THAT WAS THE ONE YOU EXAMINED YEARS AGO. IF THE FELDJAEGERKORP KEPIS CAME WITHOUT GROMMETS, I CANNOT COMMENT. I HAVE SEEN EARLY S A AND S S KEPIS WITHOUT THE VENT HOLES. THE ONES I SAW ALL HAD TIES TO AUSTRIA. HOWEVER, I CANNOT SEE ANY REASON THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THEM. THE GENERAL OFFICER ONE YOU REFERRED TO WAS LIKELY PRIVATE PURCHASE AND EXCEPTIONS COULD BE EXPECTED IN EARLY MADE PIECES.
THANKS FOR CORRECTING MY MISTYPE ON THE 1935 DATE.

[JoeW]

Bob, you are right about the book. It was Halcomb's. Angolia didn' t go into headgear. I took some photos of the general officer kepi and should have them somewhere if you are interested. As I remember, it was a Perkuro manufacture mark. It came from Caifornia. I seem to remember another one floating around at that time...10 or so years ago.

Here are two photos of the ubiquitous SA kepi star from Globe. And they still turn up. What are your thoughts on the RZM markng? Should it be on the early FJK stern?

[JoeW]

And the reverse.

[Bob Coleman]

Joe-
It Appears That These Kepi Stars Are Gilt, Which We Can See From The Previous Images Is An Incorrect Finish. The Stars That Came From Ed's Collection Did Not Have Any R Z M Markings. Possibly, The Insignia Were Made Under The Control Of The Police, That Would Explain The Lack Of R Z M Markings.
I Would Like To See Pictures Of The General Officer Kepi. As We All Know, The Reference Books Are Full Of Fakes-some Accidently And Some On Purpose.

[JoeW]

Here is the officer kepi I examined some years ago. It did not conform to the three ranks standards for the FJK, so it was deemed a "special order".

[JoeW]

Another shot.

[JoeW]

And finally........

[Bob Coleman]

Joe-
Here Is An Example Of The Same Non Regulation Tresse On An Early Nordsee Gruppenfuhrer Or Obergruppenfuhrer Kepi. The Kepi Appears To Be Lined, Which Is Not Uncommon On Early Private Purchase Models. It Looks Good!