Panzer crusher? Or have I been fooled again?

[Sykes27f]

Picked this up from a guy who claimed that his friend found it in an attic in Estonia. I am new to the hobby, and so far I've made more than one online purchase blunder. I wish I had joined this site before making my purchases. Can anyone confidently identify this cap? I had that 'sinking feeling' the minute I opened the parcel.
Lining looks burnt / ripped out. Moth eaten in places. Odd bits of repair stitching in evidence. Brown staining on what's left of lining. No leather sweatband remaining, but some sort of canvas cloth material. No makers marks or names.

[harryamb2]

oh dear,the peak is wrong for a start,dont need to go on sorry mate.

[Sykes27f]

Thanks Harryamb, but is there nothing hopeful about this cap? At least tell me the bevo insignia looks real!? Would my posting more photos help? Thanks again for your time, I'm having a real bummer of a run at this collecting at the moment. I'm heading to Brimfield antique fair later this week though, so hopefully I'll pick up the real thing from one of the dealers, albeit for top dollar. Sigh.

[SteveR]

The cap is a fake. The sweat band is fake, the liner is fake, the bill is fake. I don't know if the cap body is fake or not but I wouldn't hold out any hope.
I am sorry to tell you that your friend from Estonia has stuck you with a piece of $hit.

[stuka f]

No good indeed!
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[Wagriff]

Wow...total ground up fake. Always post an item here first before buying it if you are unsure of it. It looks like you've literally been robbed.

[DrPMC]

I'm heading to Brimfield antique fair later this week though, so hopefully I'll pick up the real thing from one of the dealers, albeit for top dollar. Sigh.

Sorry for your disappointment - I hope you can get your money back. With authentic bargains so rare in this field its perhaps preferable to pay market price for a good item from a reputable dealer and thereby have both the pleasure of having an honest item and the reassurance that you haven't thrown your money away. There are a lot of reputable dealers on the net - why don't you try some of them? I'm quite new to this field myself but have so far been pleasantly surprised by my experiences as a purchaser.

Regards, Philip

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The search for bargains, short cuts, and hock shop miracles almost always ends in tragedy.

If you have endless time as well as the psychological fortitude to endure such disappointment, then the low road is the place for the adventuresome.

I think the advice in post # 7 from my UK colleague is exactly correct.

There are reliable places to buy, but they tend to be expensive.

If you build up a network with other collectors, you are also investing in a future free of humiliation.

And, with this website, you can enlighten yourself in a way that I could not when I started out in the 1960s.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Mr Mint has made a large pile of real caps to examine. If you fortify yourself with this knowledge, as well as seek our aid, you will eventually gain some sanity.

No one wants to be disappointed, and then be dragged to the digital public square for corporal punishment.

Field caps are like cat nip. I have never owned many, but also never made it my thing.

I prefer the garrison headwear.

Panzer peaked caps are nice, to be sure.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I suggest this item, which is hardly a bargain, but for the refined taste.

HG-4a Scarce, Late-Weimar Period Army Infantry Officer