Infantry Officer Schirmmütze

[Jaws]

I want to know if this visor cap I bought is authentic. Thank you

[stonemint]

Yes, one-looker original contract cap (in my kind condition).
However, the cords were probably added postwar to upgrade the cap to Officer (it would have originally had a leather chinstrap)

[Jaws]

Thanks for your reply I’m new to the hobby. If you don’t mind could you tell me how you came to your conclusion?

[Adrian]

As a learner of visor caps myself I would say the chinstrap looks too short to have been original to the cap and the tellerform crown is smaller and less flamboyant than that of an officer's cap.

[ErWeSa]

Thanks for your reply I’m new to the hobby. If you don’t mind could you tell me how you came to your conclusion?

Teller (saucer) shape and the lining indicate an EM/NCO cap - is there a piece of cork behind the sweatband where the bill is? Would be another indication. Officer's/private purchase caps had more sophisticated features (forehead-pressure-free sweatbands, ventilation etc. etc.).

Interesting are the two stamps: H. W. Bachmanns Witwe + 1939 and - rather faded - G. Teufel Sohn (="Getes") + 1937. Both were manufacturers. Must be one of these cases, where one company used the sweatband of another company (see the Wagner/ErEl case here: ErEl/Wagner), see also here: Infantry NCO Visor Cap by Clemens Wagner

[stonemint]

The one with the skull is a private-purchase visor, as compared to your contract (issue) cap.
The private purchase examples had higher peaks; better wool; rayon/silk lining; higher quality insignia; more padding; calfskin sweatbands, etc.

The private purchase example is "Sattelform" or saddle form b/c it is shaped like a horse saddle.

The contract examples are called Tellerform, or plate form, because the crown is round like a plate.