Germany, Heer. A Signals Officer’s Visor Cap, by Julius Kühn
(Heer Schirmmütze für Offiziere der Nachrichtentruppe). A well-preserved Heer Signals Officer’s visor cap, constructed of field-grey whipcord wool. It features reinforced side walls, fully lined on the exterior with a smooth dark green wool cap band. Both the top and bottom edges of the cap band are trimmed with lemon-yellow wool piping, with an additional band of identical piping trimming the outer edge of the crown. Pinned to the peak of the cap is an insignia consisting of an aluminum Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, measuring 64 mm (w) x 28 mm (h) and retaining two of three reverse attachment prongs. Stitched onto the centre of the cap band directly underneath the eagle is a second insignia consisting of a padded dark green wool backer bearing a wool and non-magnetic metal tricolour cockade, set within a hand-embroidered silver aluminum wire oak leaf wreath. The cap band insignia measures 70 mm (w) x 50 mm (h) overall. It is also flanked on each side by pebbled aluminum buttons which secure in place a decorative chinstrap constructed of multiple rows of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire, adjusted with dual sliding knots. It rests upon a protruding vulcanfibre visor, finished in a glossed black on the obverse and in a matte grey on the reverse. The interior is fully lined around the cap band with a grey leather sweatband, perforated with an array of ventilation holes at the forehead. A multi-piece turquoise and light grey rayon liner fully encompasses the interior, with the crown retaining an intact transparent plastic moisture guard. The former bears an intact maker’s mark reading “JULIUS KÜHN, MÜTZENFABRIK, DRESDEN”. An additional embossed mark of “DEUTSCHES LEDER” (“GERMAN LEATHER”) is visible on the right side of the sweatband. It measures approximately 245 mm (w) x 265 mm (l) x 170 mm (h). Issues consistent with age and use are evident, and include mothing throughout the piping, some distortion of the cap band reinforcement, and deterioration of the sweatband. The cap is in an overall very fine condition.

