German kriegsmarine naval school matrosenmütze

[command450]

well I hope I am wrong on this one. I was going to list this for sale but,not sure if its construction is correct. I think the cap is legit,but what about the eagle. it is gold in the cracks, but most of it is worn off. she is dated 1941. any oppinions would be appreciated.

[Redcap]

Early examples of the Matrosenmütze had two piece insignia, but the eagle on this looks like an Army cap eagle. Certainly a visor cap sized eagle. The eagle for the sailors cap was smaller. By 1941 the single piece eagle/cockade was in use. Also the cap ribbon is not Kriegsmarine, but an earlier pre-3rd Reich Reichsmarine ribbon.

What material is the internal stiffener for the band of the cap. Issue Kriegsmarine caps used celluloid (similar to the celluloid used for the sweat diamonds - but thicker of course , and opaque and like many period sweat diamonds, by now often brittle).

It would be very unusual to see a sweat diamond on a Kriegsmarine issue Matrosenmütze. At least none of the originals I have ever seen or owned have had one. KM issue caps also had a removeable top. This one looks to have a permanently affixed top.

[command450]

the top is not removeable.

the sweatband stiffner is made of a thick white material with kinda a diamond stitching or imprint.

I was wondering if it was WWI and someone might have added the cap eagle, which is gold but worn off.


Thanks for the help !

[Redcap]

The stiffener material might be OK. Officer and NCO caps often have a stiffener made from a woven material similar to buckram in white or black which was treated to make it water resistant.

Your cap certainly isnt a regulation issue cap, but there was no shortage of manufacturers of private purchase caps, which could explain minor differences in construction technique, the use of a sweat diamond etc. I've never seen a sailors cap with a sweatband attached by a double row of stitching like this though.

Definitely not a WW1 cap.

Can you make out what the letterings says. It looks like "xxxx UND ERGAZUNG" which doesn't really make sense.

[command450]

thanks for your time redcap !

heres all I can make out

(?)rpass(?)(?)c
UND
ERGAZUNG

next to it is 1941

on the back is a diamond with a capital A in it and 05

a name handwritten H.Lochmein

[Redcap]

The stamp bothers me. If it is indeed ERGAZUNG, I don't think that is an actual word in German and I'm pretty sure its not a name. Nearest I can think of is ERGÄNZUNG, and such mis-spellings are a common feature on many reproductions.

All I can really say is that the cap doesn't match any style of construction I have ever seen on an authentic Kriegsmarine era Matrosenmütze.

[command450]

I appreciate your input Redcap.