Germany, Imperial. An Naval Officer’s Visor Cap

(Kaiserliche Marine Schirmmütze). A very well-preserved Imperial German Navy Officer’s visor cap, constructed of dark blue wool. The cap features reinforced side walls, with the exterior bearing a ribbed black cotton twill cap band. Dual sets of ventilation holes, each reinforced with magnetic metal eyelets, flank each side of the cap. Stitched onto the centre of the pak and cap band is an insignia in the form of a padded dark blue wool backer bearing a hand-embroidered gold bullion wire oak leaf wreath and tri-colour cockade, topped by a German State Crown, measuring 75 mm (w) x 80 mm (h). The cap is flanked on each side by a gilded bronze button, each bearing a raised fouled anchor. The buttons secure in place a blackened leather chinstrap, adjusted with two sliding loops of identical construction, a non-magnetic blackened leather buckle, and a functional magnetic blackened metal snap button. When not in use, the chinstrap rests upon a protruding black leather visor, itself reinforced along the edge with a machine stitching and securely set within the structure of the cap. The interior features a light brown leather sweatband measuring 48 mm in width and held in place by a row of machine stitching. The interior is also fully lined with a blue cotton-blended liner, with the remnants of a transparent plastic rhomboid moisture guard stitched onto the crown, the latter with a gilt inscription of “STIRNDRUCKFREI DEUTSCHES REICHSPATENT”. It is otherwise unmarked, with the exception of an embossed inscription of “DEUTSCHES LEDER” on the sweatband. The cap measures 240 mm (w) x 245 mm (l) x 160 mm (h). Some material fatigue is evident, including partial detachment of the wreath insignia, wear of the visor, and loss of the interior moisture guard. The cap is in an overall better than very fine condition.