What is this cap?

[BOB COLEMAN]

For many years, I have wondered what unit wore this visor cap. It was my first schirmutze bought for $5.00 in 1958 from a resale store in Chicago. The cap had a black velvet band with blue top and carmine piping like a typical fire hat. The eagle was a silver M1936 political eagle. The cocarde was black outside with a dark blue center. It was a prewar private purchase cap. All insignia were original to the cap. The image is from the Bozich book on headgear from 1968. It is out there somewhere. I have never seen another like this.

[talltom]

its got a lot of similarities to a Reichsbahn personnels cap the only difference being the eagle (could have been replaced) and the piping The Collector's Guild

[reneblacky]

Could it be a factory guard NCO? plate 204 in Brian Leigh Davis's book "German Uniforms of the Third Reich"

[talltom]

its got a lot of similarities to a Reichsbahn personnels cap the only difference being the eagle (could have been replaced) and the piping The Collector's Guild

oppsie missed out you said it was blue toped ww2 postal authorities visor cap

[BOB COLEMAN]

There is no questin that the insignia were original to the cap. Remember the colors are like a fire cap. The odd thing is the black and blue cocarde. Remember, I got this in 1958, long before stuff was screwed with asit is today. When it was, it was quite evident.

[BenVK]

I tend to disagree. Black velvet band, blue cover and carmine piping would suggest a pre war Fire Services cap.
Like this one that I have.

[BOB COLEMAN]

I tend to disagree. Black velvet band, blue cover and carmine piping would suggest a pre war Fire Services cap.
Like this one that I have.

Intereting comparison Ben. There were no additional holes from previous insignia under the eagle. This may be forever a puzzlement.

[BenVK]

I'm not sure it's so much of a puzzle to be honest Bob.
The cap above is just one of many Fire department related hats that I've bought over the years that had all manor of different insignia configurations.
Take the one in the photo you posted, I'm 99% sure even though it's B&W that it has an Imperial era Saxon kokarde.

[BOB COLEMAN]

Ben-
thanks for the information. The question is who wore this transitional cap?

[stonemint]

Bob, I was stumped when I first saw it in the book, and am still stumped to this day. Best I can figure is some sort of Werkschutzfeuerwehr visor that was used prior to the institution of the standard Werkschutz eagle (which I believe was in 1939).

I doubt the hat remains in this configuration today--someone along the line has probably placed an M-36 eagle in place of the cockade and removed the eagle.