SS M43 Panzer Cap

[90th Light]

Here's some Czechoslovakian HBT

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...=811795&page=4

I thought the consensus is that the HBT materials in the SS Bekleidungswerke made items is of Italian origin.

Is that not correct then?

The SS took over ownership and control of a lot of industry/ business in Czechoslovakia in 1938. Off the top of my head, I do not have an HBT cloth factory as an example but just look at something like "Victoria" porcelain to see what I mean. The same take-overs happened in other parts of the Third Reich too. There are some good threads here on WAF about actual items or a wider search of the internet can producing listings of companies by name confiscated by the SS.

If they did not own cloth factories making HBT then they would certainly have been able to get material from such factories. The question is more one of HBT being seen as a first choice for the production of caps and uniforms or an ersatz, second choice due to shortages of other materials ?

Then there is the quantities of Italian materials confiscated in 1943 such as HBT. Plus Italian factories coming under German/SS control or then supplying
German/ SS requirements. A convenient, ready supply of cloth that could not be ignored for production during later 1943 to 1945. May be this is the basis of the assumption today by collectors that all HBT used in German caps & uniforms is Italian made ?

Chris

[BenVK]

I think I might have found a good source for some answers to these questions.

Problem is, I don't speak German!

Stoff für Tausend und Ein Jahr: Die Textilsammlung des Generalbauinspektors für die Reichshauptstadt (GBI) - Albert Speer

https://play.google.com/store/books/...earch_viewport

[BenVK]

Or maybe not, seems to be about interior design fabrics..

[Gene]

Did the OP ever get a refund?

[BenVK]

Does anyone know if any beret insignia was found at Dachau?

Proof that the SS Panzer Beret was made in the camp system.

This is from the SS Bekleidungswerke price list, 1942.

See Panzerschutzmuetze.
The Überzug or cover could be bought separately.

[Persson83]

Did the OP ever get a refund?

No why would i?

[Persson83]

No why would i?

ops writed in wrong post Sorry

[BenVK]

So it's quite funny how fate intervenes in these things.

My research into these caps and Italian HBT in particular lead to the maker, Berven - Padova which then lead me to this cap posted back in 2013.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=691757

Well it just so happens that I spotted this exact same cap 2 days ago for sale in the UK so I bought it! It was priced so cheaply that it really was a no brainer.

I've got it in my hands right now and in my initial impression is that it's original but someone at some stage and for some idiotic reason, added the brown staining which I suspect is coffee. I think I'm going to wash it to get rid of that crap and then take some photos for you guys.

[pauke]

Post 395 the cost for the cover of a Pz. beret is rock bottom at the bottom of the list. I'll take 100.

[BenVK]

It was still nearly double the price of the black and grey visor caps (Dienstmuetze)

[BenVK]

So it's quite funny how fate intervenes in these things.

My research into these caps and Italian HBT in particular lead to the maker, Berven - Padova which then lead me to this cap posted back in 2013.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=691757

Well it just so happens that I spotted this exact same cap 2 days ago for sale in the UK so I bought it! It was priced so cheaply that it really was a no brainer.

I've got it in my hands right now and in my initial impression is that it's original but someone at some stage and for some idiotic reason, added the brown staining which I suspect is coffee. I think I'm going to wash it to get rid of that crap and then take some photos for you guys.

So I soaked the cap for awhile and most of the brown staining came right out which confirmed my suspicion about it being artificial.
Authentic dirt and grime is difficult to remove.
I suspect the name tag is bogus as well.

Interesting cap IMO. I've no doubt the fabrics are authentic but I'm not 100% sure when it was made.

[90th Light]

So I soaked the cap for awhile and most of the brown staining came right out which confirmed my suspicion about it being artificial.
Authentic dirt and grime is difficult to remove.
I suspect the name tag is bogus as well.

Interesting cap IMO. I've no doubt the fabrics are authentic but I'm not 100% sure when it was made.

The more I see of it Ben,

the more I like it

Hasse was on to it and correct with what he stated. This example being a true 1944 type by that maker, in the thread you provided a link to

Very good score and based on what you have said, sounds like at a very good price too

Chris

[BenVK]

Thanks Chris.

I've not handled this type of HBT before so it's useful to have as a reference.

[BenVK]

What I'm just starting to realise is just how many variations of HBT exist.
When you look back and read some of the old threads that show HBT lined M43 caps, it seems to me that this fact gets overlooked or at least ignored.

Chris has already shown some examples of the differences in weaves. Here are some more.

At first glance, these are all lined in the same grey HBT but actually, they are completely different.

[MM1985]

some different HBT lining: