Germany, Ordnungspolizei. A Gendarmerie Visor Cap for Officer Ranks

(Gendarmerie Schirmmütze für Offiziere). A well-preserved Gendarmerie visor cap for Officer ranks, constructed of police-green wool. It features reinforced side walls which are fully lined on the exterior with a brown wool cap band. Both the top and bottom edges of the bands are trimmed with lengths of orange wool piping, while an additional length of identical piping surrounds the outer edge of the crown. The latter is flanked on each side by dual ventilation holes which are reinforced with mesh-style magnetic metal grommets. Pinned onto the peak is a tri-colour cockade, constructed of magnetic metal with a wool centrepiece, measuring 23 mm in diameter. Pinned onto the centre of the cap band directly below the cockade is an aluminum Ordnungspolizei insignia in the form of an oval oak leaf wreath overlaid by a German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, measuring 55 mm (w) x 50 mm (h). The lower edge of the cap band is flanked by pebbled aluminum studs which retain a chinstrap constructed of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire, adjusted with dual sliding knots. A protruding vulcanfibre visor completes the exterior features, and is finished in black on the obverse and brown on the reverse. The interior is fully encompassed by a multi-piece brown oilcloth and rayon liner, while a wide brown leather sweatband. Unmarked, the cap measures approximately 25 cm (w) x 29 cm (l) x 16 cm (h). Minor issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include some bending to the crown’s internal wire reinforcement which has slightly distorted the structure, sporadic fatigue of the base cloth throughout the cap, and the loss of the interior crown moisture guard. This Officer-grade visor cap remains in a better than very fine condition.