I just came across this chrusher with grey waffenfarbe for Propaganda. The cap has got a lot of nap wear, especially on the part of the cap band not covered by the overhang of the cap. The band itself has turned very dark especially where it mas most exposed and the nap has worn away. The wreath/cocade seems to have settled into the cap band. The top of the cap has got a wooly appearance (Someone described it as boiled wool/ late war appearance). The peak, leather sweatband and the cap body has never been separated. Seems to have merged together through age. The liner seems to have disintegrated, worn through and has been covered with a replacement liner, when cannot tell. The eagle might have been replaced, again cannot tell when. Jacques
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wreathComment
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inside, note replacement /additional linerComment
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eagleComment
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It looks nice, but I would want to see what is underneath that replaced lining...Comment
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It appears to be a very nice cap. Are there any traces of where chincord buttons may have been mounted? Many often associate the boiled wool with late war material, but the Kaiser's bodyguard (GdC) wore tunics (actually Kollers) of this same material at least from the 1890s and high end private purchase officers uniform items from the Imperial time thru the First World War are found made from boiled wool as well.
Again, a vey nice cap.Comment
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This cap was actually for sale on the e-stand a while back.Comment
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Phil, Sharp observation, there are marks where chincord buttons were. What is your interpretation of that on a chrusher? Kraeger, that is the one . Jacques
Originally posted by phild View PostComment
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Jacques, I saw that on the E-stand and my first impression was that it might have been a 'converted' WW1 cap based on the INTERIOR.
Your observation of the very dark band adds to the suspicion coupled with Phil's assertion regarding the wool.Regards,
DaveComment
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Looks like there are impressions on the peak left from a chincord as well.
I wasn't a 100% sure about this one when it was on the e-stand and I'm still not. That's just from looking at the photos though so if you say it's a good one Jacques, with the cap in hand, that's good enough for me.
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Dave, thank you for the comments, I am learning a lot here. When I saw it I thought it would be a very interesting item to have. In hand it had me really puzzled. The cap and everything with it seems to have been together for a long time. The original lining is also a colour that I have never seen before. Would it have been a WWI cap converted for use and use in WWII? Also what is the meaning of the grey waffenfarbe in this case. Jacques Ps, The post sale story is that is was found in France in an abandoned staff car.
Ben, I am still not sure what to make of it. I am sure that it has been like this for a very long time and that it has been worn heavily..
Originally posted by Dave Kane View PostComment
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There was no Imperial cap with these colours, nor did Imperial caps use twisted chincords as per the impression on the peak. The sure-fire way to test if a cap is Imperial or later is to measure the length of the seams running up the sides and front and back of the crown- they will always be equal in length on Imperial caps, regardless of how the cap has been formed to the head by the wearer...Comment
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Originally posted by jacquesf View Post
I do not believe that this is an Imperial era (or Weimar) cap, although can understand Dave's concern as these old style field caps were modeled very closely after the formless versions of field caps that WWI German officers wore in the field. The boiled wool is absoultly known in 3rd Reich era headwear, just not real common compared to tricot,doeskin or the basic "tuch". I have seen it used in crushers (SS and Heer) peak caps, field caps (officer) and officer M-43s (one) and a couple of officer mountian caps. This is since the early to mid 1970s and the above were all 100% original examples (maybe some insignia changed out here and there but real period caps), look up boiled wool on google and you will be interested in how ancient it is and in how suited for light in weight but warm it is and generally perfect for such uses.
Getting back to Dave's concern, I will say that I would like to know for sure if that band is real dark green or black? If it is black then this would seem to be an SS crusher converted to Heer or there is a slight chance that this could be WWI era...I will have to check my books on Imperial cap band/piping possible combinations...there were many!
As for the chincord (this alone would indicate WWII use) for whatever reason many, many W-SS and some Heer officers wore these on old style field caps. These were retro fitted and MAY have had something to do with making these pseudo regulation (post 42 wear out?) caps conform more in looks with the peak cap. I would venture a guess that some units (read commanders) were more tolerant than others of things like this....but this is only an educated guess.Comment
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