Germany, Heer. A Cavalry/Armoured Reconnaissance Officer’s Visor Cap, by Clemens Wagner

(Heer Schirmmütze für einen Offizier der Kavallerie/Aufklärung). A very well-preserved Heer Cavalry/Armoured Reconnaissance Officer’s visor cap, constructed of field-grey wool. The cap features reinforced side walls which are fully lined on the exterior with a  dark green wool cap band. Both the top and bottom edges of the band are trimmed with golden-yellow piping, while an additional length of identical piping surrounds the outer edge of the crown. A wire reinforcement formerly situated within the former has been removed to give the cap a popular but non-regulation “Sattelform” appearance. Pinned onto the peak is an aluminum insignia consisting of a Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, measuring 65 mm (w) x 25 mm (h). Directly below the eagle, the centre of the cap band bears an additional insignia in the form of a dark green wool backer bearing a silver aluminum wire oak leaf wreath surrounding an aluminum cockade, measuring 65 mm (w) x 45 mm (h). The lower edge of the cap band is flanked by pebbled aluminum studs which accommodate a chinstrap constructed of multiple rows of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire. A protruding vulcanfibre visor completes the exterior features, and is finished in black on the obverse and in light brown on the reverse. A multi-piece beige cotton liner fully encompasses the interior, while a wide brown leather sweatband surrounds the walls. A mostly-intact transparent plastic moisture guard remains in place on the crown, and covers the classic “ERSTKLASSIG” logo of Clemens Wagner, Braunschweig. Notably, the sweatband forehead is perforated with ventilation holes in classic Wagner style. The cap measures approximately 24 cm (w) x 27 cm (l) x 16.5 cm (h). Some bending is visible to the side walls which has distorted the cap’s structure, while the exterior and interior material demonstrate minor to moderate material fatigue, respectively, with the latter resulting in deterioration of the sweatband. This Officer-grade cap remains in a very fine condition.