Germany, Feuerschutzpolizei. An EM/NCO’s Visor Cap, by Georg Riede

(Feuerschutzpolizei Schirmmütze). A very well-preserved Feuerschutzpolizei EM/NCO’s visor cap, constructed of dark navy blue doeskin wool. It features reinforced side walls, fully lined on the exterior with a black doeskin wool cap band. A length of carmine wool piping fully circumscribes the crown. Pinned onto the peak of the cap is a non-ferrous metallic metal cockade with a red wool centrepiece, measuring 24 mm in diameter. Underneath the cockade, the cap band features a first-pattern Ordnungspolizei insignia consisting of an aluminum oval laurel leaf wreath overlaid by a German national eagle clutching a mobile swastika. The eagle insignia measures 44 mm (w) x 50 mm (h) and retains all of its reverse attachment prongs. A blackened magnetic metal rivet flanks each side of the cap band and secured in place a black leather chinstrap, adjusted with two functional magnetic metal buckles. When not in use, the chinstrap rests upon a protruding vulcanfibre visor, which presents with a lacquered black finish on the obverse, and in a matte brown on the reverse. The interior features a 45 mm-wide brown leather sweatband, securely held in place by a row of machine stitching along the rim. It features a two-piece liner, with the side walls covered by a tan-colour cotton-blended material, while the crown is lined with a light brown oilcloth. Stitched onto the crown is a transparent plastic rhomboid moisture guard with a dark blue leather underlay. The latter bears a silvered maker’s mark of “GG. RIEDE, FEUERWEHRBEDAR, MÜNCHEN”. It also retains a white paper tag with a size mark of “56”. Additionally, illegible handwritten inscriptions are found on both the crown and the sweatband, and are possibly the owner’s name. The cap measures approximately 240 mm (w) x 260 mm (l) x 150 mm (h). Some issues consistent with age and use are evident, and include sporadic mothing of the piping and exterior wool, as well as minor material fatigue to the leather features, including a slight tear to the sweatband. The cap is in an overall better than very fine condition.