Germany, SS. A Rare Waffen-SS Officer’s Visor Cap, by Albert Lammerer

(Waffen-SS Schirmmütze für Offiziere). A rare and well-preserved Waffen-SS Officer’s visor cap, constructed of field-grey whipcord wool. It features reinforced side walls, fully lined on the exterior with a high-quality black doeskin cap band. Both the top and bottom edges of the cap band are trimmed with white piping, while an additional band of identical piping trims the outer edge of the crown. The latter has had its interior reinforcement removed to give the cap a classic “saddle” shape. Pinned onto the peak is an insignia consisting of a silvered tombak SS-style German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, measuring 70 mm (w) x 32 mm (h). Directly below the eagle the centre of the cap band is pinned with an additional insignia consisting of a silvered tombak second pattern SS Totenkopf, measuring 32 mm (w) x 32 mm (h). The cap band is flanked on each side by pebbled magnetic metal buttons which secure in place a chinstrap constructed of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire, adjusted with dual functional sliding knots of identical construction. The exterior features are completed with a protruding vulcan fibre visor, finished in black on the obverse and in light brown on the reverse. A light brown leather sweatband surrounds the interior of the side walls and is perforated across the forehead with an array of ventilation holes. The interior is fully encompassed by a multi-piece slate-grey rayon liner, with the crown retaining a partially-intact teardrop-shaped transparent plastic moisture guard. Visible on the guard is the partially-legible maker’s mark of Albert Lammerer, Augsburg. The cap measures approximately 24 cm (w) x 25.5 cm (l) x 17 cm (h). Minor issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include the detachment of the peak eagle’s lower prong (which remains embedded in the structure of the cap and can be reattached), some fatigue and soiling of the sweatband (including a tear near the back), and some soiling and fatigue of the interior liner. A rare, privately-purchased example of exceptional quality, the cap is in a near extremely fine condition.