SOS -- A Great Show for Visor Collectors

[Mike H]

This year's show was really good -- lots of visor caps to choose from including the vast collection that Chris Jones and Don Wood had for sale toward the back of the hall. I spent a lot of time at those tables when I could manage to get through the feeding frenzy.

Altogether I bought three visors at SOS. The first one up is a Holzinger which I briefly showed on another thread. This one is as close to mint as they come. It still has the tissue paper inside along with some pieces of German newspaper.

From what "stonemint" has told me and I have been able to find out from the Forum, these hats surfaced in a hoard discovered in Berchtesgaden back in the early 1970's. One of these hats is featured in the Pat Moran book and I believe another in the Wilkins book. They are of superb quality.

Of course, one of the things I like the most about this hat is the "Frischluft" ventilation system. Not that it could have been all that effective, but interesting nonethless. You will note in the photos that there is a flap that folks from right to left to cover the ventilation holes under the sweatband. A nice touch.

Enjoy the photos.

Mike

[Mike H]

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[Mike H]

NCO Visor

Here is one I bought just prior to leaving the show -- I caught it out of the corner of my eye and could not be more pleased. I have had a hard time finding private purchase enlisted visors and this one was made by Ludwig Voegele.

There is some interesting text in the Gary Wilkins book about this firm. Apparently, they were the last of the cap manufacturers still in business in the early 2000's.

It has a beautiful doeskin material to the top and a nicely padded peak. Chin straps are hard to find in this condition as well as so many have suffered from heat damage over the years (attics are hell on these hats).

Mike

[Mike H]

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[Mike H]

A General Staff

And finally, the third visor I bought at SOS. This one is General Staff and is not marked except for with an oak leaf and "Deutsche Facharbeit" imprinted into the sweatshield. Not very visible in these photos.

This one is featured in the old Tom Shutt text called "Dress and Field Service Hats of the Third Reich" published back in 1981. It was one of the first books I bought on headgear -- there were few available back when I started.

This very hat appears on page 75 of the book.

My photos do not capture the color very well. What I really like about this hat -- aside from the piping -- is the brilliant condition of the visor. It looks like black chrome.

Mike

[turbopanzer]

Hi

Hi Mike
Very very nice indeed great catch and very nice caps
Sorry if i invade the thread before is finnisch

[Mike H]

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[pvluger]

Wow! Super visors.

[Mike H]

That's all folks ...

That's all for now ....

Mike

[kuroda]

VERY NICE HAUL MIKE!
MY HEART GOES TO THE PANZER