HJ Leader's Visor #2

[stonemint]

Gents--
Got myself a Turkey-day gift--this is an early HJ leaders visor for a specific rank and assignment. I usually don't collect the early stuff, but this one spoke to me. It was mis-described as an NPEA Visor. I had an idea what it was, but Bob C. confirmed it for me. This visor could be described as the "2nd Form" HJ visor--these were authorized on on September 8th, 1933:

[stonemint]

Yes, that is an M-37 eagle on it. Remember that the final form visors did not come out until 1939--I believe that this was an unauthorized transitional replacement of the M-29 eagle by the original HJ leader until the form 3 came out. (I presume that there are 2 extra holes for the smaller eagle, but this is a 3-prong, and I don't want to risk breaking the prongs):

[stonemint]

I don't believe the cap ever had a cap-spring--there are no signs of one. These really are low-profile caps:

[stonemint]

The HJ diamond appears to have more nickel in it than the later ones:

[stonemint]

The wool is carmine. The peak is black vulkanfiber, and the chinstrap SS-style black leather:

[stonemint]

There is no piping on the band on these--just on the top. The piping is white (although it has aged and is slightly dirty):

[stonemint]

The bands on these are very narrow compared to later caps. The lining is simple cotton. The s/b is oilcloth, with a leather strip behind it for reinforcement:

[stonemint]

Under the trunk--no RZM tag--I doubt it ever had one:

[stonemint]

The hat was worn very little, imho. The only damage is to the oilcloth from (collectors?) pulling the sb back over time:

[stonemint]

The hat obviously never had a sweatdiamond. There is a very faint circular stamp here, but I cannot make out what it says:

[stonemint]

OK, time to end the suspense. The hat is for the rank of Bannfuhrer--if you know your HJ ranks, this is for the equivalent of Colonel. What makes it more special is that it is for a Bannfuhrer on the staff of the RJF--The Reichsjugendfuhrung. Only they got to wear bands with the crimson red.

(After this rank was Oberbannfuhrer and then Gebietsfuhrer--they both wore this hat, but with twisted silver bullion piping. Obergbietsfuhrer-RJF wore Gold bullion piping. Senior Fuhrer of the RJF-Stab wore a gold-piped hat, but with a light red band.)

A regular Bannfuhrer wore this same style hat, but with a white band and Oberbann-color piping.

[stonemint]

Here's what a difference 6 years makes--a Form 2 (1933) with a Form 3 (1939)--they are light years apart in size, style, form and construction:

[solo]

Very nice hat
Both are very nice
Give me one you have two
Carlo

[stonemint]

Carlo, next time you are in AZ, I will let you hold them both at once!

[stonemint]

I did some more research on these things--they are rare and hard to come by...most that you see of the 1933 style are the lesser-ranking ones that have the cloth bill with matching band and the Bann piping--the literature out there is also confused about these early hats, and contradict one another. As best as I can tell, Hochrot bands were for RJF stab, and Karminsrot for Gebietstab. (If anyone has anymore info, I would love to hear it.)

I tried to find more pix of originals with the colored band, and found only two.

The first is in the Ulric of England collection, and appears to be a period re-banded standard Bannfuhrer (thats why the white is visible under/over the edges of the new red band.) It looks like he was promoted by adding the silver piping to the top crown, which would make him an Oberbannfuhrer attached to the RJF-Stab:

(However, this one has a cloth bill--as I understand it, per the 1933 regs, it should have been fiber).