lufwaffw officer cap

[NTZ]

Ok here is my take on the cap. Although odd it is an original mid-late war Erel for the following reasons.
1. The pasteboard although pretty rare has been known to have been used in later Erel’s. It is not the same as the untreated cardboard you see in fakes. It has a protective material its is just matte.
2. The lining is 100% original mid-late Erel
3. The peak stiffener is consistent with mid to late Erel production
4. The blue stitching holding down the lining is consistent with mid to late Erel production.
5. The sweatband is pretty odd but consistent in construction with mid to late Erel’s. There are very good fakes of these out there but the Stirnschutz logo has a different font on the fakes.
6. The visor is consistent with mid to late Erel Luft visors.

As for insignia the wreath most likely is original to the visor but I highly doubt the bird. The bird is an original Erel but they are always sewn with the same thread as the wreath. My guess is it was de-natzified but maybe owner kept the bird. Also construction is pretty poor but later Erel’s tend to be pretty poorly constructed.

[poppo]

Thanks NTZ
Description very accurate and interesting!

[JasonA]

I learnt a good word this week from my eye surgeon. When he looked at the results of my previous surgery he said about the quality and skill that it was "unremarkable".

I think the piping on this cap is also unremarkable.

Without more information, your surgeon's comment could mean a couple of things.

With regards to the cap, I would argue quite the opposite; that's it's remarkable due to it's sloppy construction. Again, goes back to the history of cap making and the career and skill of a master cap maker and his craft. I'm duly surprised this sort of construction made it out the shop. But like Jos mentioned, we have period photos to prove it.

J-

[BenVK]

Nick's verdict is good enough for me. I still wouldn't choose to buy one of these caps for myself though.

I'd also still like to know what are those grey blobs on the peak?

"remarkable due to it's sloppy construction"
J, you're right, it could described as such as you say but the opposite is equaly true.

[NTZ]

Ben I will say this. The guy that built it must have been on his first day and drunk. The construction is very, very bad. We could make one better.

[poppo]

Ben I will say this. The guy that built it must have been on his first day and drunk. The construction is very, very bad. We could make one better.

...Or maybe he did not expect to be judged after 70 years by fussy collectors!

[Leroy]

...Or maybe he did not expect to be judged after 70 years by fussy collectors!

Much more likely, IMO.

[BenVK]

Visor caps were not made by one person alone though. Several different milliners would have been involved.

[JasonA]

J, you're right, it could described as such as you say but the opposite is equaly true.

I think the fact that we've devoted so much space to discussing it is the final tell!

[billbert]

FYI In chapter five of the Wilkins headgear book there is an ErEl Luftwaffe visor shown thats adler backcloth is cut in the same oversized wide sweeping style..it is not the same eagle but cut the same way..Billbert the example shown is 42 dated...

[poppo]

[stonemint]

Here is the LW from the Wilkins book. As I recall, he personally owned this visor, and I think there are better pics of it somewhere on the forum.

[stonemint]

The hat that led this thread (and is now currently on the estand) is a 100% all-original Erel. Even the insignia is original to the piece.

[LOTHRINGEN]

agree with this point of view

[realone]

Great thread, I have the same hat,,but eagle is not with the extra backing material, but I did post it up here years ago for review and it was given thumbs up. So the end result is that the hat is good and just not as good as it could have been?

Regards
Greg