(NSDAP Reichsleitung Schirmmütze). This is an extremely well-preserved example of a NSDAP Reichsleitung-level visor cap, constructed of tan-coloured, webbed fabric with a traditional high peak and three bands of golden-yellow piping. The cap features a fully intact band constructed of a light brown doeskin wool. Pinned into the peak of the cap is an insignia in the form of a NSDAP-style German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, constructed of gilded bronze and measuring 65 mm (w) x 33 mm (h). Pinned into the cap band underneath the eagle is a cockade and wreath, each constructed of gilded bronze, with the former surrounded by a red enameled ring and bearing a central black enameled mobile swastika. The cockade and wreath measure 110 mm (w) 45 mm (h). The cap is flanked by pebbled, gilded, magnetic metal buttons holding in place a two rows of twisted and rolled gold bullion cords, neatly knotted at each end, which rest upon the visor. The visor is constructed of brown lacquered vulkanfibre and is securely stitched into the body of the cap. The cap is also flanked by sets of dual ventilation holes with reinforced brown bakelite eyelets. The interior of the cap features a brown leather sweatband, 43 mm in thickness, securely set in place with a row of machine stitching. Multiple rows of stamped ventilation holes are set into the sweatband at the front of the cap. The interior also features a complete tan-coloured rayon liner, bearing a transparent plastic rhomboid moisture guard, over top of a size mark of “54” in clearly-visible black ink. Adjacent to the moisture guard is a black ink stamp clearly reading “Eigentum Ordensburg Vogelsang”, indicating that the cap was the property of the NSDAP political training school located in the Eifel Mountains. Similarly, the interior of the cap band bears black ink stamps reading “8X” and “GJ36”. The cap is otherwise unmarked and measures 230 mm (w) x 265 mm (l) x 155 mm (h). There is some minor tarnishing of the bronze wreath, as well as fatigue to the visor, but the cap is in an otherwise extremely fine condition.
Footnote: This visor cap appears as the model used as an exemplar for the NSDAP Reichsleitung-level cap in “German Headgear in World War II: SS, NSDAP, Police, Civilian, and Miscellaneous”, 1997, by Pat Moran and John Maguire, pages 72-73.