Best books on TR visors

[BrianK]

The local militaria show will be happening the end of the month & the militaria bookseller will be there. What are the best books available in print on TR cloth headgear - esp. visors & SS?

[stonemint]

Brian--sorry, I overlooked your thread. The books aren't much help with regards to identifying fake from real, and most of them have a few repro or "franky" hats.

My personal fave is Dress and Field Service Hats of the Third Reich by Tom Shutt--the pix are small, but a lot are in color, and it gives a listing of the waffenfarbes and styles, along with period pix--it covers WH, Political, SS, and my favorite, Zivil--there is usally a copy on ebay for sale at any one time, and they go for the 80 buck range.

Wilkins book, a Collectors Guide to Cloth German Military Headgear is excellent for a study of the major manufacturers, but it focuses on WH and SS.

The Moran/Maguire books, German Headgear in WWII, are in 2 volumes, but really are just large picture books w/o any text.

Lastly is the 4-volume series, the Headgear of Hitlers Germany, but it is a Bender publication, and suffers from small pictures, and no interior shots--but its a great reference for the (ever-changing) regulations. You can get these on E-bay as well, but I would personally start out with the Shutt book.

[NormandieCamo]

I agree with stonemint. DRESS AND FIELD SERVICE HATS OF THE THIRD REICH by Tom Shutt is a good book to start with. Section 42 deals with 'Headdress Care, Restoration and Preservation' and Section 43 deals with 'Reproductions'.

I recently picked up a numbered signed edition on ebay for $56.00.

[NormandieCamo]

Tom Shutt makes an important point in his book. Besides studying actual headgear, it's also important to study period photographs. Photographs show many headgear with unauthorized variations.

[BrianK]

Thanks for the info

Thanks to all who responded. I will try & check these books out. We await the Tom Wittmann of the visors to write a book (or books) that will do for cloth headgear what was done for daggers.

[stonemint]

I agree--its overdue. The question is, do you do it by makers (ie, a book devoted to Erels of all services from 33-45) or do you do it by service branch (ie, "Exploring the Visor Caps of the Luftwaffe). The only drawback is the amount of time and expense in writing these--it took Gary Wilkins 3 years to write his (and I think he's still recovering )

[BrianK]

Best Cloth Headgear books

10 years later - and it's time for an update on this question. What currently are the best books on TR cloth headgear?

[stonemint]

Brian, IMO, we are beyond the books in the age of the internet--they cannot keep up with the new information that comes out on a daily basis.


The best are still the Headgear of Hitler's Germany by Wim Saris (I just wish they were in a larger format). He will soon be coming out with Volume 6.


The SS headgear book which came out a few years ago is also very good.

[stonemint]

Robby & Paul's book is an excellent study of rare TR headgear:

[stonemint]

Tony Vickers put out an excellent chronological study of German visor caps:

[stonemint]

This is a nice paperback book which encompasses hats sold by Hermann Historica over the years:

[stonemint]

These 2 books are in French, but I like the layout and graphic design of them:

[BrianK]

Thanks so much!

[nzef1940]

Great stuff guys and a decade on.

[sturmbannfuhrer]

Tony Vickers put out an excellent chronological study of German visor caps:

Tony is a good chap too, i have chewed the fat with him many times.. That is an old English expression for talking.........