Erel Crusher for Kavallerie Regt No. 5 with Danziger Skull

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My cross-town friend just picked this up. It is a pre-war crusher by Erel for an officer of Kavallerie Regt 5.

The Danziger Totenkopf is a traditions badge for the unit which is based upon the ones worn on the visors and busbys of the Imperial Leib Husaren Regiments No 1 & 2.

During the TR, not all members of Kav Rgt 5 could wear the badge--it could only be worn by members of the following units: Stab KavRgt. 5, 4./KavRgt. 5, 5./KavRgt. 5 and 11./KavRgt. 5.

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Wool is premium doeskin. As it is a crusher, the visor is 1-piece leather:

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Both the eagle and the wreath are officer quality silver flatwire.

Althought both are machine-stitched, there is no stitching thru the lining (indicating the insignia was sewn on before the hat was assembled).

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Note that the piping covers part of the oakleaf wreath. This indicates that it was stitched to the band before the piping was applied:

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This is the Danziger traditions badge. It is about the size of a Panzer collar tab skull. However, it is of a type I had not seen before, in that it is in the shape of the Husaren busby skulls

Note the black cloth behind the skull. (the prongs do not go through the lining).

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Profile views. Like all crushers, there is minimal padding to the hat:

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This is one of the more minty crushers I have seen, but it has been worn. Note the wear to the sweatband, an the melt marks to the asphaltum coated visor:

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Interior. Like most crushers, there is no sweatdiamond.

This hat pre-dates the patented Erel Stirndruckfrei system.

For some reason, many crushers have the sweatband connected at the side, and not the rear (this is particularly true with Erel):

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The owner's initials.
Note the ribbed side panel lining, in contrast to the smooth top panel. This is characteristic of almost all Erels:

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This is a busby for Leib Husaren Regt No. 2: