Germany, Luftwaffe. An Officer’s Summer Visor Cap, by Erel

(Luftwaffe weiße Sommermütze für Offiziere). A well-preserved Luftwaffe Officer’s summer visor cap. Of multi-piece construction, the lower half consists of a sturdy reinforced side wall lined on the exterior with a ribbed black mohair cap band, trimmed along both the top and bottom edges with silver aluminum wire piping. A small length of traditional Luftwaffe dark blue-grey wool is visible along the lower edge. The crown is topped by a white cotton/rayon blended cloth liner, with a protruding and vertically-oriented stabilizer to maintain the structural integrity of the peak of an accompanying cover. Stitched onto the centre of the cap band is an insignia consisting of a black wool base bearing a silver aluminum wire wreath and cockade, measuring 135 mm (w) x 42 mm (h). Pebbled aluminum studs with magnetic metal cores flank the lower edge of the cap band to accommodate a chinstrap constructed of multiple rows of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire. The exterior features of the base complete with a protruding vulcanfibre visor which is finished in matte black on the obverse and in a dark green on the reverse. A wide off-white leather sweatband surrounds the interior of the side walls. The crown retains a transparent plastic moisture guard which bears the Sonderklasse mark of “EREL”, indicating manufacture by the former firm of Robert Lubstein, Berlin, along with a Luftwaffe distribution mark. An additional stamped Erel anti-sweat mark is visible on the right side of the sweatband. The base measures approximately 20 cm (w) x 24 cm (l) x 12 cm (h). It is accompanied by a matching cover, constructed of a white cotton/rayon blended cloth white a pronounced pebbled whipcord weave. The outer edge is trimmed with a length of integral white piping in classic Luftwaffe summer cap design. Pinned onto the peak is an aluminum insignia consisting of a white wool base with a non-magnetic metal underlay, bearing a hand-embroidered silver aluminum wire Luftwaffe eagle clutching a mobile swastika, measuring 68 mm (w) x 36 mm (h). A snap button situated on the interior fastens to the base’s stabilizer. The cover measures approximately 25 cm in diameter when fixed in position. Some issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include the loss of one of the eagle’s attachment prongs, as well as soiling throughout the interior. A field-worn example, this Officer-grade cap remains in a better than very fine condition.