Germany, Heer. A Cavalry/Reconnaissance Officer’s Visor Cap, by Erel

(Heer Kavallerie/Aufklärer Schirmmütze). An extremely well-preserved Heer Cavalry/Reconnaissance Officer’s visor cap, constructed of field-grey wool. The cap features reinforced side walls, with the exterior bearing a dark green wool cap band. Golden-yellow Waffenfarbe piping adorns the crown, as well as the top and bottom of the cap band. Stitched onto the peak is an insignia in the form of a green wool backer bearing a hand-embroidered Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, measuring 70 mm (w) x 35 mm (h). Underneath the eagle, the cap band is stitched with a tricolour wreath and cockade, constructed of hand-embroidered silver aluminum wire and measuring 65 mm (w) x 40 mm (h). The cap is flanked on each side by buttons constructed of pebbled and silvered zink, which secure in place a decorative chinstrap constructed of multiple rows of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire. The chinstrap wrests upon a protruding vulcanfibre visor, which presents in a glossed black finish on the obverse and in a light brown on the reverse. The interior features a light brown leather sweatband, measuring 50 mm in diameter and securely held in place by a row of machine stitching. A turquoise rayon liner fully encompasses the interior, with a teardrop-shaped transparent moisture guard stitched onto the crown. Visible underneath the moisture guard are the remnants of a silvered mark of “EREL SONDERKLASSE” and “PRIVAT”, indicating that this is a privately-purchased example. The cap measures 240 mm (w) x 255 mm (l) x 165 mm (h). Sporadic patches of material fatigue and mothing holes are evident to both the exterior wool and the cap band, and there is some soiling visible to the interior features. The cap is in an overall better than very fine condition.