Germany, Heer. A Rare Gendarmerie Officer’s Visor Cap, by Breiter

(Heer Schirmmütze für Offiziere der Gendarmerie). A well-preserved Heer Gendarmerie Officer’s visor cap, constructed of field-grey wool with a pronounced nap. It features reinforced side walls which are fully lined with a smooth dark green wool cap band. Both the top and bottom edges of the cap band are trimmed with orange piping, while an additional length of identical piping surrounds the outer edge of the crown. The latter’s internal wire reinforcement has been removed to give the cap a popular but non-regulation Sattelform appearance. Pinned onto the peak is an insignia consisting of an aluminum Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, measuring 65 mm (w) x 25 mm (h) and retaining both original attachment prongs. Directly below the eagle, the centre of the cap band features an insignia in the form of a padded dark green wool backer bearing an aluminum cockade within a silver aluminum wire oak leaf wreath, measuring 62 mm (w) x 45 mm (h). The lower edge of the band is flanked by pebbled aluminum buttons, in turn accommodating a chinstrap constructed of multiple rows of twisted and roller silver aluminum wire. A protruding vulcanfibre visor completes the exterior features, and is finished in black on the obverse and in brown on the reverse. A multi-piece silver-grey rayon linder encompasses the interior, while a wide light brown sweatband surrounds the walls, and is perforated across the forehead with ventilation holes. Notably, carefully period newspapers are secreted behind the sweatband to maintain structural integrity. The crown retains an intact transparent plastic moisture guard which bears a maker’s mark of “BREITER, MÜNCHEN”, along with the company’s addresses. The cap measures approximately 22.5 cm (w) x 27.5 cm (l) x 17 cm (h). Demonstrating only minor signs of material fatigue, this scarce Officer-grade example remains in an extremely fine condition.