Germany, Luftwaffe. A Flak/Artillerie EM/NCO’s Visor Cap, by CRIHA

(Luftwaffe Schirmmütze für Mannschaften der Flak/Artillerie). A Luftwaffe Flak/Artillerie EM/NCO’s visor cap, constructed of dark grey wool. The cap features reinforced side walls which are fully lined on the exterior with a ribbed black mohair cap band. Both the top and bottom edges of the band are trimmed with red 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 aluminum Luftwaffe eagle clutching a mobile swastika, measuring 54 mm (w) x 40 mm (h) and retaining both attachment prongs. Directly below the eagle, the centre of the cap band is pinned with a one-piece aluminum wreath and cockade, measuring 130 mm (w) x 40 mm (h) and retaining one of two attachment prongs. The lower edge of the cap band is flanked on each side by blackened magnetic metal studs which accommodate a two-piece black leatherette chinstrap which fastens with a functional magnetic metal buckle. A protruding vulcanfibre visor completes the exterior features, and is finished in black on the obverse and reverse. A multi-piece golden-yellow liner encompasses the interior, while a brown leather sweatband surrounds the walls. The crown retains an intact transparent plastic rhomboid moisture guard, covering a maker’s mark of “CRIHA” (likely reflecting a seldom-encountered and unidentified manufacturer who used the same trade name as the more common firm of Christian Haug). The cap measures approximately 24.5 cm (w) x 27 cm (l) x 15 cm (h). Minor material fatigue is visible to the cloth base, in addition to the damaged wreath, and the cap remains in a better than very fine condition.