Almi tropical Herr M40 cap ?

[Tim O'Keefe]

Do not know what to make of some of these second model and later soutached tropical M40's from makers not normally encountered. There have been two or three suddenly popping up lately. Each with a maker stamp not seen before in a tropical cap or in one case no stamp at all.

The only way one can begin to verify, is to compare with known original caps by that maker. Do these newly discovered tropical M40's have that makers manufacturing footprints ???

or do they have the footprints of dealers in Germany/ Europe today, who have access to original materials, sewing machines and can have stamps made ???

Chris

Yes Chris this is the time of rarely encountered M40 makers. Another rare maker just surfaced, H.u.W Obenhack Karlsruhe. So that is at least five unusual makers within a year.
How can you verify/compare a cap when you have never seen another from the same maker ? The rbn# Almi has similar construcion details to the '41 dated version including the visor underside, but has a later style cockade

The mint unissued M40 caps maybe are the superfakes from Germany ?
But what about the honestly worn used caps like the rbn# Almi ?

[90th Light]

Yes Chris this is the time of rarely encountered M40 makers. Another rare maker just surfaced, H.u.W Obenhack Karlsruhe. So that is at least five unusual makers within a year.
How can you verify/compare a cap when you have never seen another from the same maker ? The rbn# Almi has similar construcion details to the '41 dated version including the visor underside, but has a later style cockade

The mint unissued M40 caps maybe are the superfakes from Germany ?
But what about the honestly worn used caps like the rbn# Almi ?

Simple science Tim,

look at the WH field grey caps by this maker. Look at the type of grommets used, how the eagle is applied, how they stitched the cockade or tucked in the soutache and the spacing of the stitches. That will tell you a lot when it come to tropical M40's made by them or not.

Then look at the ones made in Germany recently,

Chris

p.s. "41 dated version" is a fake, the second model without insignia could be real but who can say for sure ??? so it is basically not worth much at this stage.

[Tim O'Keefe]

Simple science Tim,

look at the WH field grey caps by this maker. Look at the type of grommets used, how the eagle is applied, how they stitched the cockade or tucked in the soutache and the spacing of the stitches. That will tell you a lot when it come to tropical M40's made by them or not.

Then look at the ones made in Germany recently,

Chris

p.s. "41 dated version" is a fake, the second model without insignia could be real but who can say for sure ??? so it is basically not worth much at this stage.

Sorry Chris now i understand your point. I misunderstood your previous post. Thanks for the clarification. Well you may well be right, but the '41 Almi visor construction does look alot like the rbn# Almi visor. Nevertheless the rbn# Almi is not "worth much" is incorrect as it is the only surviving Herr tropical M40 example known from this maker at this point...

[Tim O'Keefe]

Here is the cap without a makers mark Chris mentions in the above post #14. Tried to add more photos but the securi is preventing it

[Tim O'Keefe]

Here are some more photos of the unmarked M40 from Regimental's that Chris mentions in the above post #14 Would like to here everyone's thoughts on this cap ?

[mike donne]

This cap — with insignia removed and retaining enamel on some of the gromets — was sold by Emig a while back. Article no 29641
https://www.kpemig.de/Afrikakorps-Tr...nzergrenadiers
Not sure how you would fake the weathered leatherette
I bekieve it an authentic Greiling Felina but could be wrong
Interesting to see it resurface like this
Mike

[90th Light]

Here are some more photos of the unmarked M40 from Regimental's that Chris mentions in the above post #14 Would like to here everyone's thoughts on this cap ?

Yes that is the one Tim,

no maker stamp at all. Of course it could be washed/ faded out ?

Obviously a 1942 cap or meant to be a 1942 cap. Last of the soutach, very first of the second model sweatband.

I am intrigued by how the eagle has been machine stitched on. Is it machined all the way around the eagle or is it machined around the top and bottom of the wings with the swaz area finished off by hand ???

The way the eagle is applied narrows down the range of possible makers and thus other manufacturer footprints can then be applied. A machine stitched eagle is appropriate for 1942 production.

However on the other hand, a lot of the super fakes coming out of Germany/ Europe have machine sewn eagles.

It will be interesting to see what others think and if they recognise the maker or not

[90th Light]

This cap — with insignia removed and retaining enamel on some of the gromets — was sold by Emig a while back. Article no 29641
https://www.kpemig.de/Afrikakorps-Tr...nzergrenadiers
Not sure how you would fake the weathered leatherette
I bekieve it an authentic Greiling Felina but could be wrong
Interesting to see it resurface like this
Mike

I think you are on to something. It looks to be the same cap, look at the un-sewn bit that has come undone on the side.

The top image is the one from the German site to which you refer. The lower image to the one which Tim has posted via Regimentals.

Interesting to say the least,

Chris

[90th Light]

Now lets compare the fronts,

looks like my query about the sewing of the eagle has been answered. Given that this cap does now indeed look to be a stripped "Greiling & Co, FELINA" then the eagle is applied the wrong way along the top. "Greiling & Co", machine sewed the eagle along the top then flipped it over and finished off by machine sewing around the rest of the eagle (see the last image of an original second model FELINA without soutache)

Look also at the same dirt/ soiling/ wear marks to the edge of the bill,

Chris

[90th Light]

It is definitely the same cap,

Note the way the soutache is folded under through the lining. Look at the distinctive soil/ wear mark on the underside of the bill.

Agree, it does look to be an original "Greiling & Co, FELINA, Frankfurt a. Main" who seem to have kept applying the soutache to their tropical caps well into 1942 but would surely would have stopped by July/ August 1942

Who ever restored it, did a good job except for the eagle,

Chris

[Tim O'Keefe]

Agree no doubt it's the same cap. Except the paint on the front grommet on the left side has been altered, possibly to disguise it. Also the original cockade and soutache were a little higher up on the cap during the war. As the stitch line around the circumference now is across the lower corner of the cockade when originally the cockade was above the stitchline. The eagle looks to be in the same location as the original except with the application not matching the maker as Chris mentions.

Which brings up an interesting point. When an M40 is restored with an eagle/cockade is it not better to use a different method of application than the original maker ? This way the cap can be identified as having been restored. As opposed to re-attaching the eagle using the same application as the maker originally which may lead to confusion in the future as to whether the cap has been messed with or not ? I'm sure some would disagree ?

Getting back to the Felina cap. The restoration is quite good including the stitch lines over the cockade and soutache etc. Am to assume this cap was picked from Emig by Regimentals and then restored to an "original factory" cap. Have known some dealers have been modifying their items and this is a good example of what they are capable of

[Gene]

Of course it's the same cap, look at the stains on the bill

[OSS]

Most likely the cap was purchased to restore and offer as an original untouched cap for a tidy profit. The internet has made this more difficult to do without detection.

[90th Light]

Agree no doubt it's the same cap. Except the paint on the front grommet on the left side has been altered, possibly to disguise it.

The ring of baked enamel has simply fallen off that paticular grommet. This can often happen when the cap is handled roughly or lacking attention during sewing.

The zinc corrodes under the enamel which weakens the bond. Then the baked enamel simply falls off intact as an entire ring, when flicked or caught on the edge. Some where on the floor of wherever this cap was restored, is a ring of baked enamel. However, it will smash into pieces like beetle shell if picked up wrong or stood on,

Chris

[90th Light]

Most likely the cap was purchased to restore and offer as an original untouched cap for a tidy profit. The internet has made this more difficult to do without detection.

I am told it was sold for approx US$3500 in UK pounds.

Is $3500 a fair price for a restored 1942 tropical M40 with soutache ?

Does not seem out of this world given what an untouched original can sell for these days,

Chris