Imperial german straw sun hat?

[mjw]

Can the Forum help identify this tropical headgear? I have not seen anything similar. It appears to all be contemporary and the badge on the front would seem to be Imperial German. It is outside of my collecting area, so any ideas welcome. Kind regards, Malcolm.

[Jerry B]

Certainly not beyond the bounds of possibility, and a very rare beast if it is a period example. Sadly I cannot confirm or deny it, though I do like it and I think it has a real chance of being a good one.

[Adrian Stevenson]

The cockade is black/gold/red and so is Weimar era.

According to our forum friend Wim's Headgear of Hitler's Germany Vol 1, page 222, a straw tropical hat (not helmet) was authorised in Feb 1926. By October of the same year it was abolished.

Now I have never even seen one of these before. Maybe Wim has? Drop him a line.

Cheers, Ade.

[HPL2008]

The cockade is black/gold/red and so is Weimar era.

Beg to differ, Ade:

The (then and now) German colors are black/red/gold; so the sequence is wrong. (On present-day Bundeswehr cockades black is in the center, surrounded by red, then gold.) Also, the armed forces of the Weimar republic used an eagle device for the oval-shaped national cockade. (Circular cockades of the type seen above were used as state cockades.)

I think the middle ring is discolored white.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Ah.... scrap that theory then

[mjw]

Thank you everyone for the replies.

The cockade I also believe is white that has aged. My scanner is not too hot on colours! The leather sweat band is brittle but I am reluctant to fold it down as it is split in two places already. There appears to be a small section of paper label present, but it is only a fragment. Overall the hat is in very good condition. A colleague has suggested that it might have been worn by a nurse? It is outside of my collecting area, but I would be very interested in learning what exactly it is. Kind regards, Malcolm.