Kriegsmarine KM NCO Visor === EBay Bargain

[Gordon Williamson]

Recently grabbed from German E-Bay. The photos on the auction were fairly low resolution and indistinct, but enough to be worth a gamble. This is what arrived

The peak, like the chinstrap is, as on many late war military caps, actually imitation leather made from compressed paper. Note the myriad of small age cracks on peak, strap and edge binding - no plastics or postwar man made products here..

[Gordon Williamson]

Interior, typical blue satin lining with (now) brittle artificial leather (compressed paper) sweatband and proper stiff celluloid sweat diamond.

[Gordon Williamson]

The band stiffener is the correct wartime fabric, white in this case, but black was also used ( as was opaque cellulouid on many NCO caps),

[Gordon Williamson]

Proof (if any was needed) that despite those who say that EBay is only good for fakes, that there ARE many good original pieces to be had. This piece, even without insignia, sold for less that 25% of the current market value !!!

[Paul R]

Congratulations on your score. You are right about Ebay!! I just picked up a nice Luftwaffe Admin tunic for an even 400 dollars last month! There are lots of great things on there from time to time!

Are there any insignia on your cap?

[Gordon Williamson]

No, no insignia on it, but at ?200 ( with good originals easily topping ?800) I could live with that !

I had a set of KM metal insignia lying around so have added them for now.

[Gordon Williamson]

Here is this exact insignia set up being worn, metal oakleaves/cockade with metal eagle.

[Gordon Williamson]

On the subject of which, - most collectors seem to like to get matching sets of insignia on their KM caps. Reasonable enough, but in reality mixed non matching insignia was very common and in no way suggests that there is anything wrong with a cap. Here are some examples of NCO insignia.

First - Bullion matching set.

[Gordon Williamson]

Hand embroidered celleon matching set

[Gordon Williamson]

Machine embroidered matching set

[Gordon Williamson]

Bullion wire oakleaves/cokade mixed with embroidered eagle

[Gordon Williamson]

Metal Oakleaves/cockade mixed with bullion eagle

[Gordon Williamson]

The metal oakleaves/cokade were also used on officers caps, as shown here.

[nesredep]

Hello!

GORDON

I agree.

All the best

Nesredep

[smiler]

Hi Gordon,

Please could you give me an opinion on this one,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=015

Cheers stephen.

[Gordon Williamson]

Hi Stephen,

Don't like the look of it. The chinstrap is definitely not one of the normal KM types and the edge binding to the peak looks suspiciously like plastic. Note also the bead of black plastic/pvc type material between the sweatband and cap body, typical of postwar caps.

Most likely an early Bundesmarine piece.

The "story" that goes with it might even be true. TThe maker is in Cuxhaven which was a main base port for Minesweepers including in the postwar years ( but no longer). If the guy had been in minesweepers when the war ended he may have continued to serve, as many did, for several years after the war on mine clearing operations under British supervision ( in the GMSA - German Minesweeping Administration) and then on into the Bundesmarine, but the cap itself is, I'm fairly sure, not wartime.

[Jan Arne S]

Hi Gordon !

Great score You did on Ebay on that KM NCO Visor .

Jan Arne

[smiler]

Hi Stephen,

Don't like the look of it. The chinstrap is definitely not one of the normal KM types and the edge binding to the peak looks suspiciously like plastic. Note also the bead of black plastic/pvc type material between the sweatband and cap body, typical of postwar caps.

Most likely an early Bundesmarine piece.

The "story" that goes with it might even be true. TThe maker is in Cuxhaven which was a main base port for Minesweepers including in the postwar years ( but no longer). If the guy had been in minesweepers when the war ended he may have continued to serve, as many did, for several years after the war on mine clearing operations under British supervision ( in the GMSA - German Minesweeping Administration) and then on into the Bundesmarine, but the cap itself is, I'm fairly sure, not wartime.

Gordon, thanks for your opinion.

Cheers Stephen.