Germany, Heer. An Infantry Officer’s Crusher Cap, by J. Spere

(Heer Schirmmütze). A very well-preserved Heer Infantry Officer’s crusher cap, constructed of field-grey wool. The cap features a dark green wool cap band surrounding the side walls. Bands of white Waffenfarbe piping adorn both the crown and the top and bottom of the cap bands. Stitched onto the peak of the cap is an insignia in the form of a dark green cotton backer bearing a machine-embroidered silver aluminum wire Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika. The peak insignia measures 70 mm (w) x 28 mm (h). Stitched into the centre of the cap band underneath the eagle is an additional insignia consisting of a dark green cotton backer bearing a multi-colouored machine-embroidered cockade within a silver aluminum wire wreath, measuring 75 mm (w) x 45 mm (h). The exterior features are completed by a protruding boiled and blackened leather visor, securely set into the structure of the cap. The interior features a 40 mm-wide light brown leather sweatband, with the forehead perforated by an array of ventilation holes. A beige rayon liner fully encompasses the interior, with a teardrop-shaped transparent plastic moisture guard stitched onto the crown. Underneath the moisture is a maker’s mark of “J. SPERE, HÜTE MÜTZEN, REGENSBURG”. The cap measures 215 mm (w) x 260 mm (l) x 165 mm (h). Minor material fatigue and soiling is evident to the exterior wool and leather visor, while the interior displays moderate material fatigue and soiling to both the sweatband and liner. The cap is in an overall better than very fine condition.