An unusual Heer Artillery officers Schirmmütze

[spandau]

Hi

Thought I would post this cap for general interest and to open a discussion on non-regulation or unusual pieces that other people may have tucked away.

The first glance shows an artillery officers service cap. However, the unusual piping material is in fact the same as is used for the soutache on field caps.

This leads me to the conclusion it has been "tampered" with. But why ?

When inspected more closely the material is in fact sown over the original piping on both the cap band and the crown. The piping on the crown has been cut away to allow a flush fit for the new colour.

The workmanship indicates a professional has done this....maybe a tailor (or a tinker or a soldier or a spy...joke for those who remember the book).

My guess is two of these. A soldier who is a tailor.

So whats underneath ?

Well I can a hear a collective cry of "that's a shame" because the colour underneath is in fact carmine and the cap is a double Erel !

This leads me to supose that the changes are more likely war-time because I'm not sure a collector would go to all of this trouble to convert a general staff cap to an Arty.

So after reading a bit about regulations (credit to German traditions vol 1,) I learn that all staff officers were required to serve in a unit of thieir branch of service and during that time they wore the branch service waffenfabre and not that of a staff officer.

I come to the conclusion that maybe the owner has had the company tailor run up an arty cap for him. No providence for selling it on I know but it makes a good rationale for how the cap came to be.

It could also be just a fake !

Any views comment and theories welcomed along with posts of any other wierd and wonderful pieces.

cheers

tony

[ErichK]

Hi Tony, It is obviously a good EREL and I tend to agree with your theory of it's being re piped. A good friend of mine has several hundred visors in his collection and I've been fortunate enough to have seen and handled some very unusual and unique visors. Textbook is always nice but there are valid exceptions.
Thank you for showing this wonderful example!

[Adrian Stevenson]

Interesting and unusual, thanks for showing it.

Cheers, Ade.

[ErichK]

I'm a bit surprised there hasn't been more discussion regarding this visor...

[Richard P]

A lot of schiffchens gave up their soutache so that cap could be re-piped. I like it!

Richard

[ehawk]

Very interesting and thanks for sharing. I have a lot to learn in these areas of collecting and this is very informative. The list of things to learn seems endless and Im thankful to pick up on any information I can!
Cheers, Edwin

[stonemint]

I do not have any problem with it, and have seen similar examples before. The officer was either transferred from (or washed out of) Generalstab and placed into an Artillerie unit. A lot cheaper than buying a new Erel.

[SteveR]

This is one of the reasons I love this forum. Great thread. End of war thrift.
SteveR

[Dimas]

I did not see any problems if that is a period tampered item. Even that is not a repainted piping as usual, and in any case the soutache is a valuable item too, and many peoples look for it just for upgrading their caps.

[Glenn66]

I recognise this cap from page 72 of 'German Army Visor Caps 1871-1945'! Correct Tony?