I started collecting Heer Waffenrocks and headgear about three years ago -- after selling my Luftwaffe collection in 2005 and buying the "Waffenrock" by my good friends Tim Curley and Neil Stewart at the SOS in 2007. What an effect these gentlemen had on my life.
Friends have often asked, why didn't I go back to Luftwaffe again - back in 2005 it looked like I may have to leave collecting altogether. All I can say is, "you can't go home again" and this is so true. I didn't have the heart to start over. That said, I have always liked the Army uniforms and headgear as they were much more striking than Luftwaffe anyway, in my view, and the parade uniforms were of special appeal.
What I like about headgear and the Waffenrocks is the tremendous variety. Though there are always common things you look for, the makers and tailors used their creativity and skills and put so many "touches" into their product that sometimes make each and every piece a little different than the rest. There are countless examples.
I was proud to add this Pekuro Infantry officer's visor to my collection over the weekend -- sold to me by a good friend here on the Forum who has a talent for collecting really nice items. It is marked to a distributor in Ettingen and what I have liked about these visors - and have an NCO like it -- is the green color used on the liner, the sweatband, and the bottom of the visor which closely matches. Really cool. Sadly, my photos don't capture the color very well but it's the best I could do with today's light.
But here was a really cool thing that I only saw when I had the hat in hand. Notice there are stitches through the sweatband. At first, I was alarmed at this but then carefully peeled back the sweatband and saw the old German newspaper carefully folded and inserted in there -- nothing unusal about that as I have had three hats with that feature over the years. Just an attempt to make it fit better. But in this case, the maker stitched the newspaper in place so it wouldn't move or fall out. I love this.
Another beautiful feature of this hat -- aside from its condition -- is how the highlights of both the eagle and the wreath are polished to a high glisten. Also a wonderful touch and not often seen in this state of preservation.
I hope you enjoy the hat. And sorry for the photos.
Mike
Friends have often asked, why didn't I go back to Luftwaffe again - back in 2005 it looked like I may have to leave collecting altogether. All I can say is, "you can't go home again" and this is so true. I didn't have the heart to start over. That said, I have always liked the Army uniforms and headgear as they were much more striking than Luftwaffe anyway, in my view, and the parade uniforms were of special appeal.
What I like about headgear and the Waffenrocks is the tremendous variety. Though there are always common things you look for, the makers and tailors used their creativity and skills and put so many "touches" into their product that sometimes make each and every piece a little different than the rest. There are countless examples.
I was proud to add this Pekuro Infantry officer's visor to my collection over the weekend -- sold to me by a good friend here on the Forum who has a talent for collecting really nice items. It is marked to a distributor in Ettingen and what I have liked about these visors - and have an NCO like it -- is the green color used on the liner, the sweatband, and the bottom of the visor which closely matches. Really cool. Sadly, my photos don't capture the color very well but it's the best I could do with today's light.
But here was a really cool thing that I only saw when I had the hat in hand. Notice there are stitches through the sweatband. At first, I was alarmed at this but then carefully peeled back the sweatband and saw the old German newspaper carefully folded and inserted in there -- nothing unusal about that as I have had three hats with that feature over the years. Just an attempt to make it fit better. But in this case, the maker stitched the newspaper in place so it wouldn't move or fall out. I love this.
Another beautiful feature of this hat -- aside from its condition -- is how the highlights of both the eagle and the wreath are polished to a high glisten. Also a wonderful touch and not often seen in this state of preservation.
I hope you enjoy the hat. And sorry for the photos.
Mike
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