Germany, Ordnungspolizei. A Gendarmerie EM/NCO’s M43 Field Cap, with Owner Photo

(Ordnungspolizei Einheitsfeldmütze M43 mit Foto). An extremely well-preserved Gendarmerie EM/NCO’s M43 field cap, constructed of Police-green wool. The cap is fully surrounded by fold-down side panels, scalloped at the front, providing optional ear and neck protection to the wearer. When not in use, the panels are rolled up and secured in place at the front with a single pebbled zink button emanating from the right flap and meeting an analogous reinforced buttonhole on the left flap. The outer edge of the crown is trimmed with a length of orange wool piping. Pinned to the peak is an insignia consisting of a tricolour cockade with a non-magnetic metal frame set around a red wool centrepiece, measuring 25 mm in diameter. Directly beneath the cockade, the cap is stitched with an additional insignia consisting of a silvered zink Ordnungspolizei emblem in the form of an oval oak leaf wreath, joined together at the bottom by ribbon, and overlaid by a German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika. It measures 55 mm (w) x 45 mm (h) overall. Completing the exterior features is a protruding cardboard-reinforced visor, lined in identical wool. The interior features a partial black leather sweatband set across the forehead, and retains its factory-original zig-zag stitching. It is also fully encompassed by a multi-piece grey cotton/rayon-blended liner, unmarked with the exception of a black ink size mark of “59” on the crown. The cap measures approximately 200 mm (w) x 245 mm (l) x 130 mm (h). Minor issues consistent with age and light wear are evident, loss of finish to the insignia, and include slight exterior fatigue and soiling bending of the cardboard visor core (with no evidence of cracks), as well as minor interior soiling. The cap is in an overall extremely fine condition. It is notably accompanied by a studio photo of the owner with the cap in wear. It is printed on wartime Mimosa postcard paper, and bears Klagenfurt studio stamp with a date of “1942”, in addition to a handwritten inscription identifying the owner as “WALTER” and dedicated on “5. I. 1943”. The photo measures 90 mm (w) x 138 mm (h) and is in an extremely fine condition.