An Early SA Kepi Attributed to a SA Group Doctor

This kepi has a reinforced sidewall and visor and is covered with two colours of twill wool. The kepi is covered in brown twill wool, including the sidewalls and the circular "coffee can" style top, the independent wrap around band fabricated from hunter green wool and overlies the sidewall along the top edge. The front is decorated with a well-detailed silvered aluminum eagle insignia on the peak. There are ventilation holes with brown reinforcing eyelets underlying the hunter green wool on either side near the top. The chocolate brown finished leather chinstrap rests upon the protruding brown twill wool visor. The chinstrap is composed of two pieces: the two ends held together via a rectangular metal loop in the centre, with each strap having its own adjustable buckle and held in place on the sides by chocolate brown posts. The underside of the visor is also in brown twill wool, while the sweatband is in a reddish-orange synthetic leather, the ends pinned together at the right rear. The interior sidewall of the kepi is lined in a champagne-coloured linen, with an "R" in white appearing under the sweatband at the rear, the dome lined in reddish-orange linen, with the maker's mark in silver ink but it has fragmented, marked "GES-GESCH" (Gesetzlich Geschützt) below the maker's mark, with four faded stamps inside an elongated ellipse-shaped frame in black ink surrounding the maker's mark, two identical stamps located above and below the maker's mark, inscribed "Dr. med. Rich. G.H. Hene / prakt. Arzt / Rodenkirchen i. Oldbg." (Medical Doctor Richard G.H. Hene / Practising Doctor / Rodenkirchen in Oldenburg), the kepi measuring 190 mm x 255 mm x 115 mm. It exhibits scattered silvering wear on the aluminum eagle, the sweatband having separated in two locations, one on either side, along with exhibiting tiny holes at the front and light soiling and wear overall, the exterior free of mothing, the stitching intact. Near extremely fine.