Somebody can help me to guess whose name is written here?

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The black hats of the first generation are of much higher quality than later caps, as I have stated a zillion times. Even the caps made ca. 1938 or so are of lesser quality than earlier ones, ca. 1934 or 1935.
The reasons for this are all explored in the Muetzenfabrik appendix. The factors were: shortage of skilled workers; rapid expansion of the SS; price controls; beginning of raw material shortages well before the outbreak of war because of 4 year plan; and you can see all the adverts for skilled cap artisans in the UM help wanted section.
The uninformed collector, with some berzerk notion that Germans of the age were all machines, cannot imagine any errors in these objects, whereas the the contemporary sources constantly speak to the problems of vocational training.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

My pleasure FB.

We all possess different skills and knowledge. Mine seems to be along the lines of forensic study where as others excel in academic research.
We are fortunate that both worlds collide here and can work in harmony together.




For example, I think I'm correct in saying that period documents frequently discuss the skill shortages within the TR uniform manufacturing industries and do so at some lengh and detail. A topic we have discussed more than once already.

For me, it's very intersting to see the results of that skill shortage in the flesh. Granted, you can pick out a hundred M43 fieldcaps and see the evidence in all of them of the production urgency, i.e. the sloppiness of sewing. Schirmmuetzen are a different matter though, the standards of sewing are usualy very much higher. And so it's quite a surprise to see how badly made this particular black is. A very interesting surprise because not only does it ask questions of the manufacturing standards at the time it was produced, it also might answer a few questions about how late in the day black hats were still being produced at all.

For instance, the cap is devoide of any RZM markings at all. Is it of so late production that the RZM no longer functioned in respect of these black garements?

I have seen several black caps without any RZM marks. Saris mentions this. The cap from Bob C may well have had an RZM tag at one point. Not all caps are marked under the visor with the RZM/SS stamp, either. It is nicer when they are all marked up, but I would not cast out an authentic one that was devoid of these markings. There are so many examples of the rules not being applied that the theme is really secondary. The un informed collector is a fundamentalist, eager to adhere to a check list usually made by an ill informed person. This fundamentalism is the sickness of our age of rapid change.

[Wagriff]

Did anyone ever actually decipher the name inside the hat?

[Walkwolf]

That was the initial request.........!

[BenVK]

Well if the name on the tag is more important than the discussion of authenticity of the cap itself and the period it was made, I have a made a grave mistake and will no longer bother to discuss this further.

[Walkwolf]

It's not Ben - just what the owner wanted to find out.

Your knowing how they were constructed
is extremely important.........!

[Friedrich-Berthold]

That was the initial request.........!

I think the first name is Jobst, and then there follows an H of some kind.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Well if the name on the tag is more important than the discussion of authenticity of the cap itself and the period it was made, I have a made a grave mistake and will no longer bother to discuss this further.

Your analysis is always interesting and has merit. Anything that makes our readers more analytical is a positive thing.

[BenVK]

I have seen several black caps without any RZM marks. Saris mentions this. The cap from Bob C may well have had an RZM tag at one point. Not all caps are marked under the visor with the RZM/SS stamp, either. It is nicer when they are all marked up, but I would not cast out an authentic one that was devoid of these markings. There are so many examples of the rules not being applied that the theme is really secondary. The un informed collector is a fundamentalist, eager to adhere to a check list usually made by an ill informed person. This fundamentalism is the sickness of our age of rapid change.

Indeed but are we not talking about a sonderklasse hat here? Melton wool and not Trikot, gold rayon lining etc? If so, the poor workmanship makes it even more interesting by the very nature that it's not an subsidised RZM offering which, in all cases I've ever seen were much better made...

[Wagriff]

No insult At All intended, Ben!...I was simply curious if the name had ever been deciphered. Of Course the construction conversation was fascinating and something I'd like to hear more about Too, but I was just being nosy to know if the name Had been figured out afterall, is all!