Waffen SS cloth bill visor with David Delich letter. Description is as follows:
“The following is a description and detailed analysis of a
W-SS old style field cap commonly referred to as a “Crush Cap”, submitted to me by “” for authentication.
It was in March of 1934 that the German Army produced the first field cap. It was intended for use of officers only and bore machine-woven badges — eagle, wreath w/rosette.
Unlike the service caps, they were made without a stiffener in the cap bands and without a wire stiffener in the top.
Materially they varied with the use of smooth wool or tricot gabardine. The crown was of medium to dark green wool, and around the top colored piping was added to distinguish the arm — white for Infantry, red for artillerie, blue for medical and so on. Initially, the visor was made of a soft black leather. The cap, being supple by manufacture, was easily folded and stored when not in use in a bread bag, tunic pocket, or under the uniform belt.
The W-SS was not far behind, when a new field cap was introduced on 25 February, 1938, for NCOs. The top was field grey with a black-colored wool band around the crown, and piped in white. Colored pipings were also allowed for a short time, but were eventually discontinued in favor of the retention of white as the standard arm color. The visor was covered with the same color of field grey material as used for the top. Since the cap was intended as a field cap, it, like the
army field caps, was constructed without stiffeners for easy storage when not in use — thereby accruing the nickname
“crusher”.
NCOs who became officers continued to wear the popular crush caps throughout the end of the war, even though the rigid service caps were issued in 1935. Some individuals had their caps customized with leather bills, velvet bands and rayon/silk liners. Although badges were originally issued as metal insignia, machine-woven eagles and skulls were issued for NCOs and for officers, woven aluminum thread. Badges of all manufactures were worn concurrently.
The 1936 model national emblem (eagle) and skull badges are silver-painted zinc and are attached with prongs – two for the eagle and two for the skull. The skull bears most of its paint, but the eagle shows very little to none of the silver-paint finish under magnification. The right prong on the eagle is compromised, hard to say when this occurred.
Cap liners existed in various colors and hues — tan, rust, grey, brown, etc. The sweatband is also found in a variety of colors and textures — this specimen’s leather sweatband is 4cm wide. The interior is void of hallmarks or name tags, but does have a cap size ink stamped on the cloth liner “55 1/2”.
The interior of the cap is exceptionally clean as is the sweat-band. There is light staining on the top and side lining, a minor factor not worth mentioning.
It is worth noting that this cap could be part of the Andrew Mollow find back in the late 60’s or early 70’s. Some had insignia and some without. All insignia was zinc as exhibited on this example.
The overall condition of the cap is excellent, without damage, mothing or tears of any kind. It is seriously doubtful if this
cap was worn much. The cap is, to the best of my knowledge a completely authentic to the WW II period, both in manufacture and materials.”
Steel COA accompanies.
