Germany, Reichsbahn. An Official’s Visor Cap, by Peter Küpper

(Reichsbahn Schirmmütze). A well-preserved Reichsbahn official’s visor cap, constructed of dark navy blue wool. The cap features reinforced side walls, fully lined on the exterior with a black rayon-blended cap band. A band of red wool twill piping trims the top edge of the cap band, while an additional length of identical piping lines the outer edge of the crown. Stitched onto the centre of the cap band is an insignia consisting of a black rayon backer bearing a machine-embroidered golden-yellow Reichsbahn insignia, pinned with a non-magnetic metal tri-colour cockade with a red wool centrepiece. The cap band is flanked by blackened magnetic metal rivets, securing in place a black leatherette chinstrap adjusted with two functional magnetic metal buckles. When not in use, the chinstrap rests upon a protruding vulcanfibre visor, finished in a glossed black on the obverse and in a dark brown on the reverse. The inner edge of the side walls is lined with a brown leather sweatband, while the crown features a brown oilcloth liner. A partially-intact maker’s mark of the firm of Peter Küpper, Wuppertal-Ronsdorf. Notably, the interior of the peak features a reinforced canvas stabilizer, securely maintaining the cap’s structural integrity. It measures approximately 245 mm (w) x 250 mm (l) x 165 mm (h). Accompanying the cap is its peak insignia, constructed of a bronze alloy, with the obverse presenting as a Reichsbahn-style German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika. The reverse is marked with a Reichszeugmeisterei (RZM) insignia and maker code “M1/106” for Funcke & Brüninghaus, Lüdenscheid. It measures 55 mm (w) x 38 mm (h) and is missing all of its reverse attachment prongs, with consequent application of putty. In addition to the detached eagle, the cap demonstrates slight material fatigue to the wool and leather features, along with some staining from the eagle’s putty, but is in an overall better than very fine condition.