Hitler's Hat Up For Auction

[Arran]

Hello Fellow Collectors,
One of Hitler's per-war brown visor caps will be auctioned off at the end of this month at the Auctionhouse Andreas Thies Orden, Ehrenzeichen und militarhistorische Antiquitaten - Auktionshaus Andreas Thies
This cap has been documented since the war's end, and pictured and discussed extensively both in online fora and in print; I believe it came into the collectors' sphere in the 1960's.

This upcoming auction is currently being discussed on the maroon site (WAF), and I was surprised to see that some are doubting the authenticity of this hat. While no concrete supporting evidence has been offered on their part, the naysayers feel that the provenance and previous ownership casts a doubt on authenticity. If these naysayers were to focus instead on the details of the cap itself, they would see that possibility of it being a fake is virtually nil. I don't want to engage in the discussion on the other forum, but I'd love to get into a discussion of the cap on here. I'll add what I can to this thread as it progresses, but for now, have at it with your observations, doubts, questions etc, and let's see what we can learn...

A.

[chen]

I stated my pro view about this cap in WAF so won't repeat here.

[Rakkasan187]

Incredible history..

If I only had the funds....

Smitty

[Arran]

To me, there are a few compelling facts speaking for originality. It was not until a few years ago, when Dima published good photos on this very forum of the Hitler garments still in the Russian state collection that historians and collectors really got a look at what to expect from an authentic Hitler hat. Original period pics, even of very high resolution, can only offer up so much. Hitler's hats were made by Holters- that we can see in pics. But those same pics also lead to one of the most widely believed fallacies, and that was that the insignia on Hitler's hats was directly embroidered, in the same manner as the insignia on some of Goring's hats. There are many period pics in which this appears to be the case, and it was a point that was still being debated not too long ago in online forums. The eagle on the Thies cap is not directly embroidered, but a separate piece without a cloth edging that has been carefully applied to appear directly embroidered. There is also a very fine metallic thread which borders the entire piece, and was clearly applied last. And guess what! The cap eagles photographed by Dima in Moscow are constructed and applied in exactly the same way. It is my belief that no faker in the 60's or 70's, when this hat was first properly photographed, could have known details such as this (or even the correct size, for that matter!). There are a few more tells, but this, to me, is the most obvious one...

[Rakkasan187]

Arran,

Thank you very much for this detailed assessment and observation.. Very interesting..

Smitty

[TWS]

Incredible history..

If I only had the funds....

Smitty

His revolver is also listed. The one Geli Raubal used to kill herself. She was Hitler's niece and he had a weird thing for her...
Anyway, some extremely wealthy fetishist is going to be thrilled to buy these and Andreas and team will probably go on holiday to Ibiza with the commission $.

[reneblacky]

I'm in, now which of you will I be bidding against?

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I'm in, now which of you will I be bidding against?

I will have to pull out if the bidding goes over £150...

[reneblacky]

I will have to pull out if the bidding goes over £150...

Hmmm.. clues have been given!! Crap I'll have to up this one!!

[Anderson]

Are more photos of the available Arran? Rather essential for any evaluation I would have thought. It appears to be of the type Hitler was wearing pre- 1939. But....

Is it this cap? as seen at the 1936 Olympics. Lighter chin strap cord, larger eagle.



And cap in #1 post doesn't seem to be the same cap Hitler wore when meeting Mussolini either.



Perhaps the believers in the cap can find a photo of Hitler wearing a cap that looks like the one on sale?