Germany, Heer. An Infantry Officer’s Visor Cap, Early-War Example, by Clemens Wagner

(Heer Schirmmütze für einen Offizier der Infanterie). A well-preserved Heer Infantry Officer’s visor cap, constructed of field-grey wool cloth. It features reinforced side walls which are fully lined with a dark green wool cap band. Both the top and bottom edges of the band are trimmed with white wool piping, while an additional length of identical piping surrounds the outer edge of the crown. Pinned onto the peak is an insignia in the form of an aluminum 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 is pinned with a two-piece aluminum wreath and cockade, measuring 65 mm (w) x 40 mm (h). The lower edge of the cap band is flanked by pebbled aluminum buttons with magnetic cores, accommodating a chinstrap which is constructed of multiple rows of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire and adjusted with sliding knots. A protruding vulcanfibre visor completes the exterior features, and is finished in black on the obverse and in light brown on the reverse. The interior is fully encompassed by a multi-piece beige rayon liner, while a wide brown leather sweatband surrounds the walls and is perforated across the forehead with ventilation holes. Stitched onto the crown is an intact transparent plastic moisture guard, covering the monogram variant maker’s mark of Clemens Wagner, Braunschweig, above a mark of “SONDER-AUSFÜHRUNG”. The right side of the sweatband bears an additional Clemens Wagner mark which is stamped into the leather and highlighted in green. Clipped onto the sweatband is a size and distribution label featuring a mark of “57”, while the peak retains an original paper label instructing the owner to remove a stiffener prior to wear. The cap measures approximately 24.5 cm (w) x 28 cm (l) x 18 cm (h). Issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include minor material fatigue throughout the wool cloth, with some soiling of the sweatband. This early-war, upgraded example remains in a better than very fine condition.