"French made" Panzer M34 cap?

[Mike Bollow]

Here are some pictures of my panzer M34 cap. I don't know where, but I once heard somebody say that M34's witht he extra seam in front were French made. This one is not - the maker stamp says "O. Bander - Stockach" and that is in SW Germany. This cap is 100% real... a nice size 60 too. The moths have dined on it, but not eaten any complete holes... just tracking. The insignia is the nice early type, and the soutache is a beautiful ROSE pink (though it looks orange in the photos). This is the first M34 I have handled where the soutache is factory sewn THROUGH the lining. The insignia is not... just the soutache. The stitching is 100% period done. I am eager to hear what you folks have to say about the front seam and the sew-through soutache. Again... this is an unmessed with 100% real piece!

http://members.aol.com/soldaten/panzer1.jpg
http://members.aol.com/soldaten/panzer2.jpg
http://members.aol.com/soldaten/panzer3.jpg

Mike

[billbert]

It might be a good cap with the soutache changed reapplied after the caps manufacture...Billbert

[Mike Bollow]

re: "French made" Panzer M34 cap?

Billbert - the thread is identical in every aspect to the thread used in the construction of the cap, so it was factory done in my opinion. Why they didn't fold the flap down and sew it only through that layer is odd though! Maybe this maker built the caps 1st, then as orders came in for specific branches they applied the soutache? Just guessing here...

Mike

[Mike Bollow]

re: "French made" Panzer M34 cap?

Here's a period photo of a front seam M34 cap....

http://members.aol.com/soldaten/french_cap.jpg

[JPhilip]

Hello,
IMO it could be an unfinished Feldmütze 1934 modified to the new standards of 1935...
ciao!

[Fred Green]

Panzer cap

Greetings All,

Could you post some closer shots of the insignia? From the shot that is posted it looks like it is hand sewn and not machine sewn. Thanks.

Fred Green

[Mike Bollow]

re: "French made" Panzer M34 cap

Fred -

The insignia IS hand sewn, the soutache is machine sewn. **I should add that this cap did not come from a dealer who was selling it as a panzer M34. The seller didn't know WHAT he had, so it wasn't a savvy pro dealer who sought out the proper insigina that is aged PERFECTLY to the cap and then re-applied it using period thread (that matches all the rest to boot).

Cheers - Mike

[billbert]

I think JPhilip has hit it on the head..I liked all I saw except the flap on the front off center..He is correct ..also the inside lining shows remnants of the hole at eagle heighth for the metal cockade..Neat transition piece..Billbert

[Mike Bollow]

re: "French made" Panzer M34 cap?

"He is correct ..also the inside lining shows remnants of the hole at eagle heighth for the metal cockade..Neat transition piece."

OH MY GOD!! Why didn't I think of that? You two are BRILLIANT! I just ran downstairs and opened my Bender book and right there is the photo of the 3 guys wearing 1st pattern M34 caps. The front seam is in the correct spot (the useless buttons would have been to the right and dead center) and the "mystery" hole on the inside is now explained as well!

THIS is why I started coming to this forum. I am REALLY happy to have this mystery explained to me... thank you! Danke! Merci!

Final question on the subject... what do you guys think a size 60 Panzer M34 transitional cap is worth?

Cheers - Mike

[sonderverband]

re: "French made" Panzer M34 cap

The Collector's Guild has a feldgrau panzer M34 in kinda rough shape for $936.00 right now. I'd think the large size of yours and the transitional factor would make yours more valuable. Great cap!

[CWP]

Bill Shea has had this one on his site for a LONG time at $850 with no takers:

http://www.therupturedduck.com/WebPa...rhdgr/hg22.htm

That hat is a similarly non-textbook feldgrau Panzer Schiffchen. I would place the value of the hat in this thread somewhere at or below that price.

[sonderverband]

Bill's cap isn't like this one at all... it's a "Frankencap" made of all kinds of parts and pieces and isn't even in the M34 style. reenactorfest's cap is a rare, authentic M34. $900+ easy IMO.