Cossack papakha - kubanka

[Explorer]

A friend of mine has found this cap on the attic. Since a lot of cossacks moved through his town we're guessing this is it? Can anyone say more?

[NickG]

Here's the money shot blown up...or is it???

[Explorer]

You're probably right, I have no idea, I've never seen something like this hat before nor do I know anything about cossack hats. Who else wore hats like this? What does the label tag indiciate in your opinion?

[NickG]

Such tags remind me of Luftwaffe clothing/gear contract tags which show besides the info as it appears in the hat, also Bauart, (style) Lieferdatum,
(delivery date) FL contract number... etc...
Could it be real or a cut down LW equipment tag, later added to the hat, which is obviously old and used looking...
Would be hard to add though... machine stitched like this... you would have to take it apart...mixed feelings but could be an exciting piece (or fabricated?)...
I'm stumped...

So it was found in Slovenia?

[Explorer]

Hey Nick. Well that's what it reminds me of too but I don't have the smallest clue about the cooperation between cossacks and germans. Did Germans made clothing for them by contract? Are rbnr numbers only on army items or can they be found on civil ones as well?

The piece is original, found on the attic of an old 100 years old house. A lot of ww2 items were already found in this house. In the local area cossack id tags were ground dug etc. It's the place where everything from Slovenian/Croatian/Serbian collaborators to Germans, Cossacks etc. were moving to Austria to surrender.

It's also interesting that a 15x8x8 cm sized upside down triangle (shorter hair) is visible on the front (not seen on the pictures).

I'm not concerned about authenticity, I'm just wondering about who might have wore it - Don Cossacks come first to mind and what info can we get from the tag.

Is there any expert on cossacks here?

[pauke]

hat

Though the pic is not the best to determine this, the stitching around the RB label appears to be irregular and thus perhaps hand-applied to look like it was machine stitched. Rather suspect to me needing further judging.

[NickG]

Did Germans made clothing for them by contract? Are rbnr numbers only on army items or can they be found on civil ones as well?

Yes Wehrmacht Kubankas were made in the Czech region for Osttruppen cossack use.
The maker info or RBNr, date, size etc...was usually stamped in ink, just like you would see on WH contract WH Pelzmutzen
(rabbit fur caps)...not labels...but who knows?

Like this one (text book), made in various colors (for the different units which had their own tribal colors!)

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...hlight=kubanka

[Explorer]

http://www.hermann-historica.de/aukt...db=kat66_r.txt

[RobertE]

I know you are not concerned about authenticity, but I would be in this case. The link Nick posted is for the only German (Prague) contracted Kubanka's I've ever seen, but the tag in this cap indicates it was also part of the German production system, using a LW style tag.

Those Kubankas are everywhere in the east, and I believe someone has added the label with the intent to fool buyers. The font and style of the tag is definitely Luftwaffe, like you'd see in flight headgear and uniforms, of German contracted gear.

Is the second "2" in the posted example cut off? If you open the link to the dealer sight, you see the identical tag but with the full RBN number /00022. It looks like when the tag was salvaged, the second "2" was cut but the label was sewn on anyway.

I look like someone found some trashed LW field gear from the same manufacturer and decided to re-use the tags to dress of (several) eastern volunteer headgear pieces, IMO.

s/f Robert

[RobertE]

The dealer has mis-posted the item, and it has the same number as the one on the other tag. I believe these are both still salvaged tags, however.

s/f Robert

[Byakkotai]

Explorer: In my opinion your friend has a good original papachka (not kubanka). I've no reasons to doupt about its authenticity. Label (mainly mid-1942) seems OK. RBN number (last section) whit nine numbers. Not maker's mark in the label. I dont see signs of reattachment or cut off label. Typical LW label for crew caps as can you see in HH link, probably producet with its specifications (LW). Linning and internal padding OK (just MHO). Correct manufacturing material as well.
Correct placement space-time for the XV Cossacks Cavalry Corps.
I like it. Better with provenance but....
If your friend wants I can make a reasonable offer for it.
Congrats....

[whell]

cleaned up and now with other cossack founds ..