Yesterday evening, I finally got to see the discussed (below) single-grommet tropical field cap. I decided to pass on it. It did have the single grommets which looked like original zinc grommets with some corrosion on them. The cap had a black soutache and was marked inside with "KA/42" over "57". It was a brown color with a slightly yellow tint--well worn. The insignia looked right, based upon what I have learned here from past discussions. Another problem it seemed to have was that it did not have the double row of stitching under the brim, in fact, no stitching there at all. I did not take any pictures as I decided I was not going to buy it.
He also had another M40 cap that looked right. It was very faded and well used, maybe bleached. It seemed to have all the features that an original should have. It had its yellow soutache removed and you could see the remnants where it was sewn into the edge of the brim. You could also clearly see where it was removed--being less faded and stitching marks, etc. It all looked right. All features checked out with the ones shown in the Figueroa book that I took with me. It clearly looked like it had seen a lot of use. I don't see how it could have been faked--though I suppose there are some fakers that could do it. I could not read the maker's stamp as it was so badly worn or faded. He had acquired this cap in the 1960's too. He did not want to sell this one. He also has a cap with a pink Panzer soutache, but this one was in a safety deposit box and I did not see it. He also had a really nice Herman Meyer cap and a beautiful DAK tunic. I don't know how to evaluate an original on these, but they surely looked "right" to me. Again, not for sale--at least not at this time.
So being disappointed in trying to acquire an original M40 cap, I am thinking I would like to get a repro cap for display in the interim. Any recommendations as to who makes the best repro M40 cap? I am not out to deceive anyone, but I would like to find a cap that is reasonably close to an original. I have been looking at 1944 Militaria and Lost Battalions--any recommendations between these two or any others? Thanks.
He also had another M40 cap that looked right. It was very faded and well used, maybe bleached. It seemed to have all the features that an original should have. It had its yellow soutache removed and you could see the remnants where it was sewn into the edge of the brim. You could also clearly see where it was removed--being less faded and stitching marks, etc. It all looked right. All features checked out with the ones shown in the Figueroa book that I took with me. It clearly looked like it had seen a lot of use. I don't see how it could have been faked--though I suppose there are some fakers that could do it. I could not read the maker's stamp as it was so badly worn or faded. He had acquired this cap in the 1960's too. He did not want to sell this one. He also has a cap with a pink Panzer soutache, but this one was in a safety deposit box and I did not see it. He also had a really nice Herman Meyer cap and a beautiful DAK tunic. I don't know how to evaluate an original on these, but they surely looked "right" to me. Again, not for sale--at least not at this time.
So being disappointed in trying to acquire an original M40 cap, I am thinking I would like to get a repro cap for display in the interim. Any recommendations as to who makes the best repro M40 cap? I am not out to deceive anyone, but I would like to find a cap that is reasonably close to an original. I have been looking at 1944 Militaria and Lost Battalions--any recommendations between these two or any others? Thanks.
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