The "Rosetta Stone" for Visors and more to come...

[stonemint]

(Yes, I am engaging in hyperbole)

This is a catalog of sorts for the Clemens Wagner firm dating to the Imperial era.
(If I had to guess, I would say sometime between 1910-1914).

What is interesting is the array of choices available to the prospective buyer.

First off, the hats are available in 2 basic forms--the first being Weiche (soft) and the second being Steif (stiff, ie, rigid).

The rigid type uses 4 internal supports (which follow each seam in the body panels).
Note the differing sizes exist on the various models for the size of the crown, peak and band (the Model 63 has a 58mm peak compared to the 43mm peak of the Model 58).
Note that the patented Stirndruckfrei system was also available.

The Model 61 features the "Klappmutze" feature, which allows the peak to be folded for transport.

[stonemint]

I also have a price-list which came with the catalog which I can post if anyone is interested.

[d'alquen]

Thanks for a very useful post. The small details are a very interesting addition to the catalogue sheet.
d'Alquen

[stonemint]

OK--the price list is 2-sided, and the second side has faded.
Note that a silk-top was available for the soft form visor models, at a price of 11 RM.
The silk-top cost more for the rigid form, being RM 12.

Note that a "Friedensuniform" visor was available--this would have been a pre-war peacetime dunkelblau model. It was less costly, being 8.50 a piece.

In any event, my German is only rudimentary. Perhaps Wim, HPL, and F-B can add their analysis and insight.

[Wilhelm Saris]

Stonemint: practically the same drawing you will find also in later catalogues.
I have a copy of an Erich Beinhorn-catalogue from Braunschweig from 1938
which shows the drawing (as your leaflet shows in upper right). Various of the
caps on this page are also shown in the 1938 cataloque, as you still could
buy them. I doubt your page is from the period you say or think!


The same caps and drawing you will find in a Clemens Wagner-catalogue (Nr.46),
which is dated Juli 1935. The caps 61 and 63 you find in this cataloque, along
with the numbers 03, 101, 110, 400, 34 and 73 and many more.

This is what is shown also in such catalogue:



Pay attention for the brush and how one should brush the cap: the top from
cap band up through the top piping; the cap band in the length.

About the meaning of the word Klappmütze I will return the subject later.
Stonemint said the "Klappmutze" feature, which allows the peak to be folded for transport,
but the expression has not to do with folding the peak. It is just the style of cap.
I am consulting one of my mentors about this and how I best can explain if for you all, so
one can understand.

[Scout]

PAGE ONE of document in post #7:

Because of the lack of some material for caps and the ongoing price hikes of the same, it has unfortunately become impossible to publish a new printed catalogue, hence I must limit myself to the below offerings:
Section 1 – Soft officers cap made from field grey basic cloth.
Grade 1 – per item – M 11,00
Grade 2 – per item – M 7,50
Section 2 – Soft officers field cap made of field grey silk feather light and comfortable.
Grade 1 – per item – M 11,00
Grade 2 – per item – M 7,50
Section 3 – Stiff cap from field grey basic cloth.
Grade 1 – per item – M 10,00
Grade 2 – per item – M 7,50
Section 4 – Rigid cap from field grey silk
Grade 1 – per item – M 12,00
Grade 2 – per item – M 8,50
Section 5 – Peace uniform cap in soft or rigid shape.
Per item M 8,50
Prices - The same for all services, only for rare uniforms like quartermaster, chief medic, military court personnel etc, do I reserve the right to add M 1,00.
NB – In regards to Grade 1, a nice heavy duty field grey cloth or light weight ‘slick’ cloth is used respectively silk, nice silk lining, fine genuine sweat-(continued on next page. I only had time for the first page)

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Wonderful material and, if you got this for your collection, a real coup. Well done.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Wonderful material. I think the Wagner price list is from '14-'18, because of the reference to the peacetime, i.e. blue uniform, as well as the comment that the firm cannot find trained artisans to make caps, which, I deem to be an oblique reference to the war. There is also the statement about army field post, too, so it is indeed wartime. Also, the mention of constant price increases (the German inflation did not start in 1918, but in 1914). There is also mention of silk caps for their light weight and appealing traits.
Thanks to Mr. Mint and Mr. Saris for these wonderful sources, a real poem.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Klappmuetze in the generic name for this kind of peaked cap. You see the term used also in Uniformkunde things well back into the 19th century.
There is also the term Klapphut, of course, too. However, it has a different meaning.
The term is used in the cap making book and in the RZM regulations.

A Klappmuetze is also a sea lion with a big snout, but that's not what we have in mind here.

[dan d]

Concur with F-B - huge thanks to Stoney and Wim for bringing this very informative information forward and agree that having the original reference material is priceless.