Help M43 Cap

[djpool]

hello,

yes, Mr Singer,
and among disturbing points,
button holes should be located on the LEFT front flap...

derka

As Ben mentioned, not common but definately manufactured in that way.WR jim

[BenVK]

Thanks Jim, great photo BTW. yes, they made them this way as well for sure. In fact, we've seen a few on this forum in the past, but I can't find them now!

[NickG]

I agree that there is a lot of photographic proof (period pictures) of reversed flap buttons (single and double buttons, pebbled, horn and dish types), not the norm but not unusual...
This cap is definately old and worn, not a repro piece, those would be recreated using common patterns. Its obviously a private purchase piece provided that the tag is original to it, so definately German and definately interesting.
Its either war time or early post war (bundesgrezschutz? forrunner of Bundeswehr? or eastGerman?, but I doubt that they had private purchase enlisted pattern uniform garments like this hat early post war, that's a war time commercial activity I would think!....
If you look carefully it appears to have a ghost of a trap on it...could that be the case? so insignia replaced? I would not immediately write it off... but if you want a text book one taht has no issues, than I would say don't bother with this one, but if its priced reasonably, its worth taking a chance I think! You really can't proove the age, no plastic sweat shield etc... but the components on it are good and worth something at least. Nick

[derka]

re,

cool Jim.
BenVK, you were right to correct my opinion,
no need to waist time for searching more ex, one is enought.

thanks for sharing your knowledge.

regards
derka

[BenVK]

I agree that there is a lot of photographic proof (period pictures) of reversed flap buttons (single and double buttons, pebbled, horn and dish types), not the norm but not unusual...
This cap is definately old and worn, not a repro piece, those would be recreated using common patterns. Its obviously a private purchase piece provided that the tag is original to it, so definately German and definately interesting.
Its either war time or early post war (bundesgrezschutz? forrunner of Bundeswehr? or eastGerman?, but I doubt that they had private purchase enlisted pattern uniform garments like this hat early post war, that's a war time commercial activity I would think!....
If you look carefully it appears to have a ghost of a trap on it...could that be the case? so insignia replaced? I would not immediately write it off... but if you want a text book one taht has no issues, than I would say don't bother with this one, but if its priced reasonably, its worth taking a chance I think! You really can't proove the age, no plastic sweat shield etc... but the components on it are good and worth something at least. Nick

Nick, absolutely spot on. I couldn't agree more. A factory applied trap would mean everything to this cap and it's collectability, As it is, the fact that it hasn't still got one, the reverse flap and the abnormal buttons means that at best, it's worth taking a chance on for little money but nothing more.

[djpool]

The firm of wiegert was not involved in the manufacture of headgear.They were a theater costume house. Heres their info from the 1941 Berlin phone book. I checked the 1946 Berlin phone book and they no longer were in business. A goggle search yielded nothing.WR Jim

[BenVK]

Found this one saved on my pc.

[Paul McKee]

The firm of wiegert was not involved in the manufacture of headgear.They were a theater costume house. Heres their info from the 1941 Berlin phone book. I checked the 1946 Berlin phone book and they no longer were in business. A goggle search yielded nothing.WR Jim

If that is indeed the same firm, as a wartime costume house it raises some interesting possibilities and may explain the inconsistancies with a "textbook" Einheitsfeldmuetze.

Although why a costume house might feel the need to make an item that the country was awash with at the time is a little beyond me.

Paul