Royal Navy cap

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I came across this cap yesterday, in a garden centre of all places. It was for sale in a very small antiques outlet - the outside building used to be the toilets for the garden centre. There is no makers name, although it appears to be good quality. The sweat-band is marked... 'Real Roan Leather.' The badge still has its manufacturers paper label on the back... 'Geo. Kenning & Son.' Eagle Wharf Road, London.

[Jerry B]

Looks fine, chief petty officer I think

[douglas2496]

It's a nice cap but I think it's early post war, having the longer visor type (2 1/4") introduced in 1946. The wartime type has a 2 " visor.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

There's a bit more to this than meets the eye Jerry. I spotted it yesterday afternoon and the seller wanted £45 for it. I had a look and offered him £35 -which he accepted, he knows bugger-all about militaria (a bit like me). I had no money on me and his card machine was out of order. Then I had another look at it and peeled back the sweatband and found a strip of newspaper padding wrapped around over two-thirds of the cap. See if you can spot something on the photo which might have deterred you if it was you who looked at the cap. I spent several hours thinking about it last night, and despite initial misgivings, I do think it to be WW2. There are a variety of reasons why the paper would have been put in there. The obvious one to make it smaller, maybe for a child to play with - or maybe even a theatrical production.!

[Gunny Hartmann]

Nice find for the price!...

[HARRY THE MOLE]

It's a nice cap but I think it's early post war, having the longer visor type (2 1/4") introduced in 1946. The wartime type has a 2 " visor.

The peak is indeed of the wartime 2" length. It could be the angle of the picture which makes it look longer. Forgot to say... When I went back today and purchased it, I knocked him down again to £30.

[douglas2496]

Well you clearly did very well, a great cap at a great price. You can obviously ignore the post war newspaper cutting (GCE,s!), this is a kings crown cap and dating before 1946.

I have one of these and I paid £50 for mine.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Well you clearly did very well, a great cap at a great price. You can obviously ignore the post war newspaper cutting (GCE,s!), this is a kings crown cap and dating before 1946.

I have one of these and I paid £50 for mine.

WD militaria have two for sale at £125 each!

[Jerry B]

I have had a few caps over the years that have had newspaper tucked behind the SB to make smaller, a nice addition then if they have a date on them.

You can't go wrong for £30

[hucks216]

The rank (or to use the correct term, Rate) is that of a Petty Officer - equivalent to a Sergeant, and one below Chief Petty Officer.