Opinions please on erel visor

[clayman]

Hi guys, just brought a new visor, would really appreciate some expert advise as I am new to the game, original? type of visor? early or late war etc thanks Clay

[BenVK]

The hat itself looks fine but for some reason, it has a non standard erel sweatband, probably a replacement. Why that is, I'm not sure because the condition is very good.

[clayman]

Thanks BenVK for your opinion, have posted photos, to try and get some info on this visor, as I havent seen a sweatband like this before, but sweatband seems original to visor, I brought visor as gebirgsjager visor is this piping correct, thanks for your time Clay

[spandau]

Hi Clay

I agree with Ben on the visor looking good overall. However......

It's always tricky when the sweatband isn't a standard piece. IMO particularly when it comes to Erel's. So I would always urge caution.

I have a jager erel cap that has the same logo inside as yours and a non-standard sweat band to boot. So it's not a show stopper in making a purchase.

I assume from the photos that the inside lining is pale blue? If so that's quite a rare colour to have as I believe they are usually found in the Privat marked examples.

The colour of the piping looks possibly jager or gebirgsjager but hard to tell. IMo more likely to be these than admin as its doesn't look a dark enough green.

Green piping always causes issues unless you can see it in daylight against other caps. Then the grass green,medium green and dark green dyes applied to the waffenfabre used for these branches becomes somewhat clearer.

two other questions worth asking with EREL made caps....

Are there any other markings on the makers logo under the celluloid to indicate grade of cap model ? ie standard,extra or something of the like.
Any markings on the sweatband?

Hope this helps........If you haven't got a copy of The collectors guide to cloth third reich military headgear by Gary Wilkins then it's recommended reading if you intend to buy more caps.

cheers

tony

[stonemint]

Its a later-war cap. I have never seen this style sweatband on an Erel either, but never say never. If there are empty holes in the vulcanfiber of the visor, then it is definately a replacement sweatband.

[clayman]

Hey guys, colouring of lining is pale green, no other markings on celluloid, also what is the vulcanfiber? visor seems to be in unworn condition, acouple of small moth nips on piping thats about it, on the celluloid erel markings seems to be printed on liner and not the plastic, thanks Clay

[militarymania]

clay,,the vulcan fibre is the material that the visor is made of...

[clayman]

Thanks, have had a good look at visor, there are no empty holes in vulcan fibre, the thread on inside of sweatband seems to be same sort of thread used to thread lining to visor, will upload photo soon of underside of sweatband, thanks guys appreciate your opinions, been very informative, cheers Clay

[clayman]

Hi guys heres photo under sweatband, been looking around at other forums and found some other late war erel visors with non standard sweatbands, seems to be a bit unknown subject, will definetly track down a copy of collectors guide of third reich military headgear so I can get a bit educated on headgear collecting subject thanks Clay

[BenVK]

I've seen s-bands with strips of wool like this before and some caps with just a wool band and nothing else. What has me stumped though is the line of stitching at the bottom edge of this band. Never seen that before.

I guess what I'd be looking at closely is the stitching that holds the band onto the cap. If it's neat machine sewing with no evidence of any previous sewing and no empty holes in the peak as Stoney said, the cap probably was made this way from day one.