Germany, Waffen-SS. An Enlisted Man’s M-43 Mountain Troop Field Cap

(Waffen-SS M-43 Gebirgsjäger Dienstmütze). Of multi-piece construction, fabricated from early-mid war quality field gray wool, with fold-down panels with downward sloping scallops to the front, covering the entire neck on the sides and rear when in use. When not in use, the panels are raised with their ends resting upon the visor, being joined together via two grey-finished pebbled metal (magnetic) buttons that are met on the opposing side by reinforced button holes. On the left side of the cap, attached to the panel, are two insignia, consisting of a standard Waffen-SS eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, constructed of off-white machine embroidery onto a black embroidered background, measuring 67 mm (w) x 30 mm (h). The second insignia is an alpine Edelweiss flower, with off-white machine embroidery making up the pedals, leaves, and stem of the flower, with yellow machine embroidery making up the seven buds in the center of the flower, all embroidered onto a black wool backer. On the front of the cap is a traditional second pattern Waffen-SS skull, constructed of silvery BeVo style machine embroidery on a black rayon backer, measuring 36 mm (w) x x 33 mm (h). The visor at the front is covered in matching field-gray wool, with a cardstock core that has been folded in half. The interior of the cap is fully lined in dark green satin-rayon blended fabric, and is marked “0/0230/2297”, “191”, and “57” in faded white ink. It measures approximately 280 mm (w) x 200 mm (h), with an interior diameter of 200 mm. This cap is a gently worn example, depicting some sigsn of wear and soiling, but is in overall near extremely fine condition.