Fake Infantry visor maket August Fitthau

[AGFA40]

Hi all,

Is this a fake or genuine visor cap.
Chinstrap is imo a fake but could be applied later.
Maker is one i never encounter.

Thank you

[AGFA40]

Inside.

[Kurt]

Dear AGFA40,

I believe you have a nice original hat here by a small Eastern Prussian cottage maker. Chin strap and eagle are probably both reproductions - hat is real in my opinion.

I have never encountered this particular maker either but Fittkau is a typical Eastern Prussian name and a genealogy search gives you several gentlemen with this name from the EXACT same village: https://www.myheritage.de/names/august_fittkau

Granted the lining looks similar to an Alteste but I wouldn't be worried here. Not many caps from this province survived the war. Great score!

Kurt

[AGFA40]

Thank you Kurt and great to hear from you again.

There is a good time frame match with some of the residents indeed.
About the eagle.Did those small manufactures made these metal insignia locally or did they order these parts.I mean how many hats/caps did a small company produced? Despite the mothing the cap is never used i think.

[enorepap]

This visor comes from a big auction which ended yesterday.
I agree with Kurt.
In my opinion, a common infantry visor (with some damages and repairs) from an uncommon maker.
I have a Fittkau Walter, master tailor, in Baderstraße 11 of Heilsberg in the year 1938:
http://www.adressbuecher.genealogy.n...=25&order=desc

and at the same address a Fittkau A. also :

http://www.adressbuecher.genealogy.n...=25&order=desc

Here some shots and information of the kaufhaus Fittkau and on their destiny in the great escape from Bolshevism:

https://www.bildarchiv-ostpreussen.d...=1&bildinfos=1

Best regards

[AGFA40]

Thank you Enorepap,

That is the tailer for sure so nice to see that in 2018 a visor made by this little company pops up.
This is the metal eagle and what do you guys think.Good or bad.

[jacquesf]

It is a Bald eagle. J

[solo]

It is a Bald eagle. J

+1

Carlo

[AGFA40]

-

[Kurt]

I am always amazed at what enorepap finds

Down to the Kaufhaus where this visor was probably bought. It's safe to assume that they only produced caps for a local demand so this will probably be the last surviving Fittkau visor (I'm guessing of course). Many private purchase visor caps survived in closets at home in the Western provinces but the circumstances where a bit different in this part of Germany.

Regarding your eagle AGFA40 - I would exchange it with an example that matches the wreath. I personally think it looks weird - as others have stated. These new photos make it appear like a late war example but there are others who know way more about these that you may want to ask. They can probably also answer your question regarding the production of these.

Kurt

[AGFA40]

Thank you Kurt,

Maybe i change the eagle for a matching one.

[stonemint]

I agree that the hat is real, however, sweatband is a replacement, and the vulkanfiber visor is postwar.