Very unusual modified side cap

[spandau]

Hi

This is odd. Fantasy piece or unique militaria ?

It is in fact a 1917 pattern feldmütze that has been made into a side cap. It has been tailored and the shape is as close to the side cap as you can get a tellermütze I guess.

The cloth cockade is similar to the style used on Reichswehr field caps in the 1920's but has a swaztika in the middle !

My thoughts are :

a) Faker got it very wrong
b) made for a child out of dad's old cap......with the NS symbol to show the signs of times.
c) Paramilitary organisation reduced by thrift to utilising old WW1 stock
d) Any other theories accepted ?
e) Written inside in pen are the initials "AH" so it may well be his old Army hat that he had made into a side cap during the early days of the NDSAP............oh hang on was'nt he in the Bavarian Army ............

Opinions are welcomed.

regards

Tony

[stonemint]

Tony--
I would lean #3. The cockade is usually associated with early NPEA cadet overseas caps.
However, the coloring is more for a military orphanage, or waisenhaus (I lean the latter):

[spandau]

Chris, thanks for the input. Npea cockade makes sense, never seen one before. It looks like its been on the cap a while and your suggestion makes sense as its a really small size, child size in fact.

These caps keep turning up making the hobby interesting.

Cheers

Tony

[spandau]

Sadly was hoping wiemar cap but the swaz/political angle puts it outside my collecting sphere. If this best fits anyone's collection PM me as happy to trade.

cheers

Tony

[Adrian Stevenson]

Very interesting item. Thanks for showing it.

Cheers, Ade.