Germany, SS. A Waffen-SS Artillery/Assault Gun Officer’s Visor Cap

(Schirmmütze für Offiziere der Artillerie/Sturmgeschütze). A rare and well-preserved Waffen-SS Artillery/Assault Gun Officer’s visor cap, constructed of smooth field-grey wool. The cap features sturdy card stock-reinforced sidewalls, fully lined on the exterior with a black doeskin cap band, trimmed along both the top and bottom edges with lengths of red wool piping. An additional band of identical piping lines the outer edge of the crown, which is absent an interior reinforcement ring, giving the cap a prominent “saddle form” high peak. Pinned onto the front is a silvered zink insignia consisting of a SS-style German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, measuring 66.28 mm (w) x 31.85 mm (h). Directly underneath the eagle, the cap features a second insignia set into the band consisting of a second pattern cupal Totenkopf, measuring 30.15 mm (w) x 28.94 mm (h). The Totenkopf, which retains both of its reverse attachment prongs, bears the unmistakable characteristics of manufacture by Deschler & Sohn of Munich. The cap band is also flanked on each side by pebbled magnetic metal buttons, securing in place a stylized chinstrap constructed of multiple rows of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire, adjusted with dual sliding knots of identical construction. The chinstrap rests upon a protruding vulcanfibre visor, the obverse finished in a matte black and the reverse in a matte dark green. A dark grey leather sweatband fully lines the interior of the cap band, measuring 45 mm in width and perforated with an array of ventilation holes throughout the forehead. The interior is also fully lined with a silver-grey rayon liner, bearing the illegible remnants of a maker’s mark on the crown. The cap is otherwise unmarked and measures approximately 230 mm (w) x 265 mm (l) x 175 mm (h). Issues consistent with age and field use are evident throughout, and includes material fatigue to the exterior wool, with sporadic small holes possibly indicative of mothing, as well as extensive soiling of the interior which has resulted in the loss of a moisture guard formerly affixed to the crown. This experienced Waffen-SS Officer’s cap is in an overall better than very fine condition.