Germany, Heer. An Infantry Officer’s Visor Cap, by EREL

(Heer Schirmmütze für Offiziere der Infanterie). A Heer Infantry Officer’s visor cap, constructed of fine field-grey wool. It features reinforced side walls which are fully lined on the exterior with a smooth dark green wool cap band. Both the top and bottom edges of the band are trimmed with white wool piping, while an additional band of identical piping borders the outer edge of the crown. Pinned onto the peak is an aluminum insignia consisting of a Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, measuring 65 mm (w) x 25 mm (h) and retaining all three reverse attachment prongs. Directly below the eagle, the centre of the cap band is pinned with a multi-piece aluminum insignia in the form of an oak leaf wreath surrounding a tri-colour cockade, measuring 68 mm (w) x 45 mm (h). It is flanked on each side by pebbled aluminum buttons which accommodate a silver aluminum wire chinstrap, itself adjusted with dual sliding knots of identical construction. A protruding vulcanfibre visor completes the exterior features, and is finished in black on the obverse and in a khaki-tan on the reverse. A multi-piece beige rayon liner fully encompassed the interior, and retains a partially-intact transparent plastic moisture guard on the crown. The remains of an “EREL” maker’s mark are visible on the former, indicating manufacture by the former firm of Robert Lubstein, Berlin. The side walls are surrounded by a light brown leather sweatband, perforated across the forehead with an array of ventilation holes, which is embossed with DRGM and anti-sweat marks. The cap measures approximately 25.5 cm (w) x 27.5 cm (h) x 15.5 cm (h). Issues consistent with age and field use are evident, and include some material fatigue and soiling to the exterior wool, warping of the structure, loss of finish to the video, and significant deterioration of the interior sweatband with additional soiling throughout. This Officer’s converted cap, which demonstrates all of the hallmarks of battlefield wear, remains in a very fine condition.