Silk Peaked Hat

[Tim Curley]

The first image is taken from RIDING INTO THE TWILIGHT and shows an example of a silk peaked hat (crusher) worn by Georg Freiherr von Boeselager (1938/1939).

This period photo shows an Infantry Oberleutnant wearing what appears to be a silk peaked hat, also a crusher. The back of the photo has a date of 1942.

I seldom come across these uncommon hats.

[nonameno]

Hi Tim,
I absolutely LOVE these silk old style visor caps!
A friend of mine once had a WW1 field gray officers visor with soft gray leather visor in field gray silk! It was magnificent! We were both too caught up in WW2 items to want to keep it, and I have been kicking myself ever since..
Thank you for sharing,
Curtiss

[Mike Swan]

Tim,

A superb cap. The uppermost piping has been taken to the extreme !

Mike

[BenVK]

Sadly, I only saw this one after the auction ended. I would have glady payed much more than the winning bid.

[BenVK]

Another that I missed out on.

[nonameno]

Hi Gentlemen,
Silk is sexy!
Thanks,
Curtiss

[BenVK]

I think Doug owns this one?

[BenVK]

These aren't pure silk of course, they are rayon.

[Historyisme]

It would be a dream to own a silk top. Like Ben, I always seem too late to snatch one up!

They are far more common in imperial visors than TR. Isn't there a price list from a cap firm that stated the cost of having a silken top?

Regards,

[RGD51]

These may not be 'rayon' necessarily as there are various thickness' of silk that are used as twill for garments. In some of the shots the crowns look a tad puckered and that is what silk would do. From a price point silk would be more expensive than rayon. Rayon being kind of an ersatz silk. Only my opinion though. Very cool hats!

Robt.

[BrianK]

If you think silk hats are sexy you should try the stockings.

[stonemint]

I agree, silk-tops are the crème de la crème--that is a killer piece, and thanks for posting it...

[stonemint]

During the Imperial era, silk-tops were called "reitmützen" (riding caps). This one is owned by a friend of mine, and is for the Garde du Corps (top is genuine silk):

[BenVK]

These may not be 'rayon' necessarily as there are various thickness' of silk that are used as twill for garments. In some of the shots the crowns look a tad puckered and that is what silk would do. From a price point silk would be more expensive than rayon. Rayon being kind of an ersatz silk. Only my opinion though. Very cool hats!

Robt.

Rather than saying "various thickness' of silk", I think i's more accurate to say that period "silk" hat fabrics would have had different amounts of silk and/or rayon threads in the weave. A pure silk weave fabric would be totaly impracticable for something like a military cap.

[BenVK]

This one is owned by a friend of mine, and is for the Garde du Corps (top is genuine silk):

As usual , I open my mouth and have to eat my words!

Stunning cap, a joy to see.