SS Panzer Crusher Opinions Please

[sturmbannfuhrer]

Hello all, it has been a while since I asked for an opinion, but that time has come. I have been offered an SS Panzer Officer's crusher cap on consignment and with all the repros about I don't want to put anything other than original on the open market.

From the handling of the cap, I like it, but as it is mint, some may or may not. Please help me out here as if okay this piece may be a find for someone out there looking for this type of cap, if not then at least we had a chance to discuss it first.

The consignor has provided the info that he bought the cap in the mid 1980's from a MAX Show and it is an ex Ron Kwan (before my time) cap. Ron's cap's have been in books I was told.

[sturmbannfuhrer]

left side view

[sturmbannfuhrer]

right side view

[sturmbannfuhrer]

Rear seem view

[sturmbannfuhrer]

Piping butting view 1

[sturmbannfuhrer]

Piping Butting 2

[sturmbannfuhrer]

Rear piping butting

[sturmbannfuhrer]

inside 1

[sturmbannfuhrer]

inside view 2

[sturmbannfuhrer]

inside view 3

[sturmbannfuhrer]

inside view 4 (the cork piece is loose, now shown back in situ)

[sturmbannfuhrer]

inside view 5

[Dave Kane]

It sure doesn't give me a good feel....

The lining likely has been ADDED

[sturmbannfuhrer]

Thanks Dave, we are not off to a good start.

[stonemint]

I admit my weaknesses, and that is that I don't, and never have, collected crushers of any type, although I have looked at a lot of them.
A lot of Ron Kwan's visors were pictured in Headgear of Hitler's Germany Vol 1-4, but I didn't see this one in the books. (He supposedly sold his collection and retired to Hawaii in the 90s).

All I can go with is my gut--this looks like a "ground-up" repro, based on the texture of the wool and the overly-rich looking piping.
Run the insignia by the SS skull guys on the SS forum--they may be original, but they have aged, where the cap hasn't.

Also, I have seen leather bills in this condition, but VERY rarely--what ever the Germans used to finish them with ages poorly, and I have aging even on the leather fittings of my unissued visors (and my Shako), which I don't see here ( I think Wilkins described it as an almost asphalt-like coating).

Just my 2 cents--lets see what the others think.