M40 Tropical 'DAK' cap for review - Mutzen-Fabrik Dressen, Rheydt (F 42)

**PaulW** · 11-08-2019, 04:06 AM

A few pictures comparing the colour with another tropical M40 cap (an F. Weissbach, Glauchau example) with a noticeably more green hue.

(More pictures of the Weissbach cap here:- M40 Tropical 'DAK' cap for review - F. Weissbach, Glauchau (E41))

Some with flash, others, seen as more dull - e.g the last picture, without a flash.)

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 11-08-2019 04:06 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**PaulW** · 11-08-2019, 04:09 AM

A couple of pictures showing an example of the exterior wear and some dirt. More obvious when held in the hand.

(Clicking on the pictures to 'zoom in' would be the best way to view these pictures.)

**PaulW** · 11-08-2019, 04:25 AM

Some interior pictures. The ventilation grommets are zinc with enamelled paint - typical for Dressen. The interior washers are 'inverted', something that is not common, but again typical for Dressen made caps. On the underside of the peak the weave can be more clearly seen.

(Again - clicking on the picture, even twice, will bring a much closer view.)

Note the cotton sweatband, a 'true tan' hue, and the contrast to the rest of the cap, which has a relatively more green hue.

The close up of the exterior of the enamelled ventilation grommets, and the underside of the peak (both taken in daylight) are perhaps the best appreciation of the true colour of the cap.)

**PaulW** · 11-08-2019, 04:49 AM

Some closer pictures of the eagle, referred to as type "EB1" (i.e Eagle type B1) in Mike T's study and seen on 2 of the 4 caps of this particular type in his study - i.e the slightly earlier type originally made with a Waffenfarbe soutache (removed according to the July 1942 regulations on this example).

(Please click on picture for a closer view!)

**PaulW** · 11-08-2019, 05:27 AM

Finally some closer pictures of the cockade.

As well as the interior sweatband stitching line (interrupted either side when the soutache was removed) going over the cockade, the peak stitching line also marginally goes over the bottom of the cockade too. This indicating of course that the cockade was applied before the sweatband/ peak etc during the construction of the cap.

The cockade and eagle are applied in the same tight zig-zag style of stitching, note also that the zig-zag stitching does not line up accurately on both the cockade and the eagle - where it is particularly 'rushed'! As is commonly seen, the insignia is applied with the same thread as that used in the rest of the cap.

Naturally with tropical caps, as with most German caps (and uniforms), there are a number of variations, however, there is often also an overall pattern associated with individual manufacturers. For example Mike T has identified 16 different tropical cap eagles in his recent tropical cap study, but only 2 types (so far!) with the earlier type of Dressen cap - i.e originally made with a soutache in the first half of 1942. Mike T viewed this cap (originally thinking as did I, that is was quite a tan colour from the sellers pictures), and very kindly sent this correspondence:-

"Thanks for posting this interesting cap. Its definitely a variant (I’ve not seen one with such tight zigzag lockstitch, nor have I seen one this colour, or with brown leatherette in the sweatband) but everything else conforms to what I’d expect of this maker and I am convinced its completely authentic.
Cheers Mike"

which will do for me!

I would also like to thank the German militaria dealer "K P Emig" ( Militärische Antiquitäten Emig ) for excellent service and communication. I've bought from Klaus-Peter before and would recommend him.

Regards, Paul