Germany, Feuerschutzpolizei. A Feuerschutzpolizei EM/NCO’s Visor Cap, Rare Variation by Clemens Wagner

(Schirmmütze für Männer der Feuerschutzpolizei). A very well-preserved Feuerschutzpolizei EM/NCO’s visor cap, constructed of dark navy blue wool. The cap features a reinforced side wall, fully lined on the exterior with a smooth black doeskin cap band. Both the top and bottom edges of the cap band are trimmed with lengths of carmine wool piping, with an additional band of identical piping lining the outer edge of the crown. Pinned onto the peak is a tri-colour non-magnetic alloy cockade with a red wool centrepiece, measuring 25 mm in diameter. Directly beneath the cockade, the centre of the cap band is pinned with an additional silvered aluminum alloy Ordnungspolizei insignia, measuring 55 mm (w) x 45 mm (h). The cap band is flanked on each side by blackened magnetic metal rivets which secure in place a multi-piece black leatherette chinstrap, itself adjusted with functional blackened magnetic metal buckles. When not in use, the chinstrap rests upon a protruding vulcanfibre visor, finished in black on the obverse and in brown on the reverse. The interior of the side wall is lined with a fully intact brown leather sweatband, measuring 40 mm in width, which is perforated throughout the forehead with an array of ventilation holes. The crown features a multi-piece liner consisting of a brown cotton blend which transitions into oilcloth on the top. It bears the remnants of a transparent plastic rhomboid moisture guard which was formerly stitched into place. Notably, this part of the crown also bears a fully-intact maker’s mark consisting of the rare “LEU-KLASSE” (“LION CLASS”) logo of the firm of Clemens Wagner, Braunschweig. The cap measures approximately 248 mm (w) x 250 mm (l) x 165 mm (h). In addition to the absent moisture guard, the cap demonstrates minor issues consistent with moderate wear, including soiling to the sweatband and interior liner, minor loss of finish to the metallic insignia, and a small spot of finish loss to the obverse of the visor. This scarce cap is in an overall near extremely fine condition.