Description

This (Original) Luftwaffe NCO Visor is an outstanding example, totally complete, and with great shape and eye appeal. The piping is a bright yellow color indicating the Flight branch, which included paratrooper units. The exterior is made of a fine wool doeskin, which remains in crisp condition, with only a few very minor moth tracks. The cap band is a typical black ribbed fabric, and there is no damage to the cap band or the wool piping. The front of the cap features a complete set of insignia. These are early, aluminum pieces. The cockade retains all of the original red and black paint, and the second pattern eagle is clean and pristine. The chin strap is complete and undamaged. The visor shows only slight age to the surface. Inside, this handsome Luftwaffe NCO Visor is lined with a fine cream colored rayon lining. The celluloid sweatshield is intact, and features a “Deutsche Wertarbeit” maker logo. There is no size stamp, but this is most likely a size 55. The thin leather sweatband shows light age and wear, and remains completely intact.Overall, this extremely nice cap grades as excellent. It displays wonderfully.

History

 The visor cap (Schirmmütze) was an important part of the headgear worn by German uniformed military, civil, paramilitary and political organizations during the Third Reich. This was the standard cloth headgear worn as a part of the service uniform. Visor caps were worn outdoors, as well as indoors, and were often required to be worn by all personnel on duty. Visor caps were made in versions specific to each organization and were often further differentiated through the use of insignia, colored piping, or style of chin cord, to indicate rank, role or branch. The insignia used on these caps ranged from simple stamped metal emblems, to elaborate hand embroidery. Visor caps were issued to enlisted soldiers and NCOs in the military and in some other organizations. Officers had to purchase their own hats, and lower ranks could choose to purchase caps that were of a higher quality than the rather basic, issue examples. The private purchase caps were generally made in very high quality, with fine materials. A wide variety of fabrics were used, from Trikot and doeskin, to heavy wool, or even lightweight white fabric for summer wear. In the military, issue of these caps was generally suspended shortly after the outbreak of the war, but they continued to be worn by some troops until the end of the war.