Identify political cap eagles

[cbuehler]

I think these may be SA or political eagles, by not sure. The smaller zinc one is RZM marked, the gold is unmarked. Still confused with the eagle head direction. Thanks much!

CB

[wilhelm Saris]

The large one is anyway the style for the SA and for political leaders: stand for the head is political (I thought for that the orders were from 1936), so looking too its left wing. HJ did also use this type, most often in white metal;
the other eagle was used by Reichspost, Gemeinde-Forst und Reichsnährstand (municipal forestry) and Zoll (customs), most often in whitish metal. In gold for state forestry and Reichsbahn, except drivers and private railroad companies (the did wear white metal), as well as water-customs. These eagles are state and so the head points into the right wing.

Also the state eagles should be RZM marked.

[cbuehler]

Thanks for that, although I am still a little confused. I have another eagle the same design as the small zinc one, but it is larger and in aluminum. Is it the same type for Zoll etc.?

CB

[wilhelm Saris]

there were also various sizes: wingspan of 4.5/4.6cm; 5.5/5.6 cm and 3.5/3.6 cm.
When the form is different it could have been for another organization.

[RonR]

Some examples of Wim's marvelous explanation.

Political Leaders....


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[RonR]

Reichsbahn....


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[RonR]

Postal....



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[RonR]

Here is a Forestry, but it is bullion insignia.....


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[wilhelm Saris]

Thanks RonR. When someone would write a book about eagles (metal, woven or embroidered) for the headgear only (visored cap, field and mountain caps or whatever), worn during the TR-period only (about 1930-1945) this would become a "monster" of a book. In a new coming book, I deal with the metal eagles for the Deutsche Reichsbahn only (no embroidered or woven ones) and this chapter from the book includes 85 photographs and images and I could easily have included many more.

[Br. James]

Hi CB,

As I understand it, and further to Wim Saris' notes, there was a succession of cap eagles/swastikas worn by the Political Leadership and the SA from 1929 onward, and all but one of this succession of eagles depicts the bird as looking to its left. The left-facing birds were the designs known as the M-27, M-34 and the M-39, while the right-facing eagle represented the M-36 design. (I am not certain why there existed this three-year period of right-facing eagles!) PL cap eagles were in gilt finish, while most SA cap eagles were in silver finish.

A visit to Peter Whamond's website at 'The Collector's Guild' will provide examples of all of these designs of both PL and SA origin.

Hope this is helpful. Cheers,

Br. James

[cbuehler]

Thanks much all! I am finally starting to get a grasp on this subject.

CB

[Erich B.]

And to further confuse you, the SA wore the eagle only in silver/aluminum color with the exception of the Marine SA, which wore it in gold on the last model visor caps.
Erich