"Alteste Berliner"--A Primer

[MattS]

Thanks guys! Now, any ideas on a decent way to replace the peak stiffener? I'd like to reshape it, and the lining has already been cut when the stiffener was removed. What could I use?

[stonemint]

Bringing this to the top for Mr. Tom "I don't give a whit"-man!

[NTZ]

I have two more Alteste's on the way we can play with. A very, very kind member has sent them to me for helping him out with another cap.

[jarkis88]

great thread guys

[stonemint]

Putting these hats where they belong....

[stonemint]

"Textbook" Alteste:

[stonemint]

I gotta say this is the first LW Alteste I can recall seeing--there must have been a shortage of bullion LW insignia in the 60's....

[Koguryo9]

I wonder if these Alteste caps were made with an intention to pass as originals? Was there a big market for Third Reich militaria in the 50's and 60's? Also, do all Alteste caps that come with a sweatshield are marked "Alteste…" etc.?

[Bill B.]

Hi guys,

This is really interesting reading, even for someone like me who doesn't collect these sorts of visor caps! Did anyone happen to notice that some of these caps show the Fabrik address as Wilhelmstrasse 66, while others show the address as Wilhelmstrasse 110? Just an observation! In addition, a little historical factoid: these Wilhelmstrasse addresses were right in the middle of the government quarter - for example, the Reichs Justice Ministry address was Wilhelmstrasse 65 -which, as we all know, had the crap bombed out of it during the latter stages of the War!!!! Doubt very much that they were making hats there after the bombing started!

Bill B.

[NTZ]

Hi guys,

This is really interesting reading, even for someone like me who doesn't collect these sorts of visor caps! Did anyone happen to notice that some of these caps show the Fabrik address as Wilhelmstrasse 66, while others show the address as Wilhelmstrasse 110? Just an observation! In addition, a little historical factoid: these Wilhelmstrasse addresses were right in the middle of the government quarter - for example, the Reichs Justice Ministry address was Wilhelmstrasse 65 -which, as we all know, had the crap bombed out of it during the latter stages of the War!!!! Doubt very much that they were making hats there after the bombing started!

Bill B.

You are correct. In an older thread I think I verified that one of those addresses belonged to something else.

[Vaughn O.]

This is another great thread that should be pinned so it's at the top.
Excellent information.

Vaughn

[stonemint]

Just got alerted to this one on ebay currently--a rarely seen all-bullion Alteste with an ersatz s/b (do we call this "late cold-war quality?!):

[stonemint]

"snake eating its tail":

[stonemint]

Bullion--could be a replacement for metal insignia:

[stonemint]

Guess the supply of the triple serial # s/b's dried up!