Hermann Meyer Hat

[realone]

I think the Roman numeral V11 is the maker mark for the size of the hat or 57.I could be wrong,,,lets see what the others have to say.
Greg

[clestuff]

Greg, It shows a lot better in person and looks like it may be in green pencil [not sure]. Its a detail that I was surprised to find. Eaither somebody made a really eloborate fake with all period materials or its real, I just dont know. If it is repro, they went through an awful lot of trouble to get the $65 I paid for it!

[voltageman7]

Meyer Hat

I think the Roman numeral V11 is the maker mark for the size of the hat or 57.I could be wrong,,,lets see what the others have to say.
Greg

Why did you sell it for $400 if you think it's real???? All the opinions on the closed post say it's no good, outside experts with the hat in hand compaired to a real H M say the same. They also made it clear this maker does not exist and have never heard of this type of hat being made in that region. What proof do you have to counter any of those valid claims? I was very careful in the return of your hat. I will now move on as long as you end your attacks.

[clestuff]

voltagman7, please do not comment on my items. This hat is no longer yours and you have done enough to try to damage my ruputation.

This thread is for discussing this hat and the details I have pointed out that make me believe it is an original made by an small hat maker that is currently unknown.

[voltageman7]

Your hat

voltagman7, please do not comment on my items. This hat is no longer yours and you have done enough to try to damage my ruputation.

This thread is for discussing this hat and the details I have pointed out that make me believe it is an original made by an small hat maker that is currently unknown.

That is fine! I want to make it clear your reputation was damaged long before I had any dealings with you on this site. I have read your prior post several which were closed by WAF. No more need be said. I am trying to learn here so I don't make the same mistake again. I offer no further comments.

[clestuff]

Thank god!

[John Hodgin]

they went through an awful lot of trouble to get the $65 I paid for it!

Re-enactors do this regarding every piece of their "impression" as they call it. And they take great pride in accuracy, including aging the pieces to appear battle worn and faded, and also including fake markings.

When they are done with an "impression" and want to sell any of it, it has very little value unless someone believes it to be genuine.

[clestuff]

Its still a nicely made hat and I think it has value. The VI is so light I dont see why anybody would have put it their as part of an "impression". I didnt even see it myself until I took the flap off and held it up to the light. It do think it may have had to do with size as somebody had pointed out. It is a size 57 as marked inside. I think whoever made the hat did a great job [period or not]. As they say "it is what it is". If a renactor wanted to make an accurate "impression", why would he be wearing a cap with thease buttons??I wont be convinced its modern until I see another one exactly like it that was proven to be produced in post war years. Its easy to spot one of the mass produced examples by makers often seen. Those are "no-brianers". I want to see exaples of privatly purchaced hats made by small hat makers. I havnt seen one pop up.

Thanks for comments.

[John Hodgin]

I want to see exaples of privatly purchaced hats made by small hat makers. I havnt seen one pop up.

Regarding Meyers, there is no such thing as privately purchased examples. M41 billed caps, yes.

Re-enactors launder and fade what they wear for a "period" look. And, in the early days of re-enacting odd buttons and insignia were used since the more accurate components available today did not exist then.

Believe what you will, that stamp with the eagle does not exist in any authentic TR field cap or hat.

It's value is exactly what someone is willing to pay for it.

[clestuff]

Regarding Meyers, there is no such thing as privately purchased examples. M41 billed caps, yes.

Re-enactors launder and fade what they wear for a "period" look. And, in the early days of re-enacting odd buttons and insignia were used since the more accurate components available today did not exist then.

Believe what you will, that stamp with the eagle does not exist in any authentic TR field cap or hat.

It's value is exactly what someone is willing to pay for it.

To say it doesnt exist is strong statement. "Unknown" would be more accurate. I think any TR cap could have been privatly purchaced. Meyers are rare, I know. I had an example I got directly from a vet of Pattons army over 10 years ago. He told me he had never even seen one on a German and this was a guy who was there! If [and I'm not trying to say this is one of them] a privatly purchaced Meyer did exist, it would be "unknown" by most [if not all] American collectors.

[SgtB]

I won't comment on the originality of the cap as I don't know enough about them, although they do fascinate me. But to hold any faith in the buttons is pure folly IMO. They could have been added at any time, especially if they replaced obvious reproductions. It's one of the oldest tricks in the book. I was in the house of a scam artist decades ago, and he had a very old jar of buttons which he regularly used on a steady stream of SS panzer M-43's, etc. that he then resold.

[voltageman7]

I won't comment on the originality of the cap as I don't know enough about them, although they do fascinate me. But to hold any faith in the buttons is pure folly IMO. They could have been added at any time, especially if they replaced obvious reproductions. It's one of the oldest tricks in the book. I was in the house of a scam artist decades ago, and he had a very old jar of buttons which he regularly used on a steady stream of SS panzer M-43's, etc. that he then resold.

You would think after nearly 70yrs if an original private purchase H.M. hat existed it would have shown up long before now!

[SgtB]

You would think after nearly 70yrs if an original private purchase H.M. hat existed it would have shown up long before now!

I do tend to agree with you, but this hobby never ceases to surprise me with new and exciting information. Plus I lean more to the mindset that if only one known example of a piece exists it is more likely a good one than a fake, as long as it conforms to known standards.

But HM caps are one of those areas of TR mutzen that I have just not had enough exposure to over the years to make a valid comment on. I wish I could say different!

I bow to the opinions of those like John H. who have had the opportunity to study them closely.

[clestuff]

I won't comment on the originality of the cap as I don't know enough about them, although they do fascinate me. But to hold any faith in the buttons is pure folly IMO. They could have been added at any time, especially if they replaced obvious reproductions. It's one of the oldest tricks in the book. I was in the house of a scam artist decades ago, and he had a very old jar of buttons which he regularly used on a steady stream of SS panzer M-43's, etc. that he then resold.

Yes, I agree, but, thease buttons were not added later. They were sewn on during the hats construction. They were sewn on before the paistboard even went in....a very close inspection by me leaves no doubt in my mind thease buttons were not added after the hat was made...

[ferdinandmax]

This is a photo of the hat factory of Rossbach, Fritz Mueller now called Hranice u Ase, Czech Republic, was in the region of Sudetenland under the Nazis