Gordon Williamson Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 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 arrivedThe 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.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 25, 2007 Author Share Posted November 25, 2007 Interior, typical blue satin lining with (now) brittle artificial leather (compressed paper) sweatband and proper stiff celluloid sweat diamond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 25, 2007 Author Share Posted November 25, 2007 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), Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 25, 2007 Author Share Posted November 25, 2007 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 !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul R Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share Posted November 26, 2007 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share Posted November 26, 2007 Here is this exact insignia set up being worn, metal oakleaves/cockade with metal eagle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share Posted November 26, 2007 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share Posted November 26, 2007 Hand embroidered celleon matching set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share Posted November 26, 2007 Machine embroidered matching set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share Posted November 26, 2007 Bullion wire oakleaves/cokade mixed with embroidered eagle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share Posted November 26, 2007 Metal Oakleaves/cockade mixed with bullion eagle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share Posted November 26, 2007 The metal oakleaves/cokade were also used on officers caps, as shown here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nesredep Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Hello!GORDONI agree. All the bestNesredep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smiler Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Williamson Posted November 27, 2007 Author Share Posted November 27, 2007 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan Arne S Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 Hi Gordon !Great score You did on Ebay on that KM NCO Visor . Jan Arne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smiler Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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