Germany, Ordnungspolizei. A Gendarmerie EM/NCO’s Single-Button M43 Field Cap

(Ordnungspolizei Einheitsfeldmütze M43 für Männer der Gendarmerie). A well-preserved Gendarmerie EM/NCO’s M43 field cap, constructed of police-green wool. The cap is fully surrounded by fold-down side panels, scalloped toward the front, providing optional ear and neck protection to the wearer When not in use, the panels rolled up and secured in place at the front with a single pebbled magnetic metal button which emanates from the right and meets an analogous reinforced buttonhole on the left. A length of orange wool piping trims the outer edge of the crown. Stitched onto the peak is an insignia consisting of a field-grey rayon hexagon bearing a machine-embroidered silver-grey Ordnungspolizei insignia in the form of an oval oak leaf wreath overlaid by a German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, topped by a tri-colour cockade. The peak insignia measures 42 mm (w) x 50 mm (h) overall. The exterior features are completed with a protruding visor featuring a card stock core fully lined in identical wool. A multi-piece grey rayon liner fully encompasses the interior, with a dark grey leather sweatband stitched in place across the forehead. It is unmarked with the exception of a partially-legible size mark of “56” stamped onto the crown in black ink. The cap measures approximately 20 cm (w) x 25 cm (l) x 13 cm (h). Minor material fatigue and soiling consistent with light field use is visible to the wool and interior liner, respectively, but the cap remains in a near extremely fine condition.