SS Officers Cap that has been doing the rounds..... Ben Please HELP!

[macca007]

Ben,

hoping to get some definate answeres on this one please. Has been up a few tims on WAF but no one came up with a definate answer on it. Original BUT with replaced sweatband? Replaced SW war time or post war? Frankenstein? I believe the chin chord buttons were added later due to their collar. The eagle was added later. The orange sponge material is on pretty good and didn't want to pull it back to look behind it as it is stuck fairly firm.

My thoughts are period made SS officers cap with SW replaced post war.

Apologies for the photos as they loaded out of sequence. If any more specific photos are needed of specific areas please let me know.

Thanks for "constructive" comments.

Mark

[BenVK]

I think we went over this one pretty thoroughly on the other forum. IMO, SB definitely replaced and not original to this cap. Unfortunately I can't offer much more help without seeing behind that orange sponge and inspecting the "guts" of the cap.

[macca007]

As I thought too. Any where else I can take photos of for you? I was considering posting it to you but have read some horror stories on the Uk post though. I'm hoping it's not a frankenstein..... anyway to determine from these pics?

[macca007]

Ben do you see any problems with how the rayon piping is joined at the rear of the cap? They are twisted together instead of the normal "join" you generally see.

[BenVK]

I don't have a problem with this method of joining the piping, it certainly is an authentic way of doing it although not as common as the usual method. Here's a couple of things that you should look very carefully at.

1. Run your fingertips over the velvet band to the left and right of the TK and try and feel for any holes in the card pasteboard underneath. You're looking for evidence of an Army wreath having been there and seeing as though you can't lift the orange sponge, this is the only way to check at the moment.

2. Check every inch of the seam between the black velvet and the 2 rows of white piping and the grey wool. Pull the seams apart with your fingers. The sewing should be tight, neat and tidy with no empty holes in the piping and no evidence of any green wool band.

3. Check the seam at the back of the velvet band. Again, the sewing should be tight and uniform as done by a machine and not by hand.

4. Get a lolipop stick or blunt round knife and lift up the black lining around the sides of the interior. Look at the card pasteboard material and let us know what it is. If possible, take a photo of it.

[macca007]

Ben,

did some quick checking and here you go;

1. No holes in back card pasterboard or in the velvet. No outline or any imperfection to the velvet. The skull has left a nice deep imprint. Don't know if the skull was original to the Cap. The Eagle is not but is original.
2. No evidence of any green wool band there. I found some black thread there on top of the rayon piping and also at the rear where it is stitched together you can see 3 stitches of black thread. All stitching is tight and not sloppy. Photo shown
3. Rear stitching is tight and uniform in application. Photo shown.
4. The card plasterboard is Black hard card. There is also 3 staples joining the back card.... did they do this back then? Photo shown

Thanks heaps Ben

[BenVK]

Staples are fine mate, no problem there.

It would seem then that everything except the SB checks out as being period constructed. Prehaps the cap had a paper SB which have the tendency to tear and fall out and it was replaced with this leather one. (when that was done is impossible to say).

[macca007]

Ben...... thanks mate! My heart was pounding a bit there with the thought of emailing who I got it off to let them know it was coming back. I can live with the the sweat band being replaced. Your an asset to the cloth and collector community. Again I say thanks.

Mark

[BenVK]

No worries. Please understand though that I can only base my opinions on the photos. Nothing can ever replace a hands on inspection.

[macca007]

Thanks again Ben. All the stitching is universal and machine done. None of it appears to be hand done or sloppy. The rayon piping is nicely done. I'm happy with it and it was a good trade I got for it.

All the best
Mark