Germany, Kriegsmarine. A White Service Cap, With Owner’s Photo

(Kriegsmarine Tellermütze mit Foto). A well-preserved Kriegsmarine white service cap, constructed of multi-piece white cotton twill. Pinned onto the peak of the cap is an insignia consisting of a bronze Kriegsmarine-style German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika. Attached to the bottom of the eagle is a non-magnetic metal tricolour cockade, with the overall insignia measuring 50 mm (w) x 42 mm (h). The cap features a cellophane-reinforced sidewall, lined on the exterior with black felt and wrapped with a general-issue tally ribbon. The former is constructed of black rayon and bears a machine embroidered gold bullion wire inscription of “KRIEGSMARINE” in Fraktur script. A brown leather sweatband fully circumscribes the interior of the sidewall, measuring 40 mm in width. Stitched onto the front of the cap band is a white cotton twill reinforcement bearing a black ink size stamp of “57”. The cap measures approximately 230 mm in overall diameter at the crown. Minor soiling is evident to the white cotton twill, and there is some distortion of the cap band. It is in an overall near extremely fine condition.

The cap is accompanied by a photograph of the owner, depicted in a Kriegsmarine white uniform and with a coastal artillery personnel sleeve insignia clearly visible. The reverse of the photo bears a typewritten inscription of “JUNI 41, ZUM ANDENKEN AN EUERN SOHN, LUDWIG!” (“JUNE 41, IN MEMORY OF YOUR SON, LUDWIG!”). It measures 87 mm (w) x 130 mm (h). Minor material fatigue is evident, but the photo remains in a very fine condition.