Description
Textbook example cut of an extremely rare Olive-Green Heer (Army) Tropical M41 Field Cap, as made by the very rare firm of (Erich Bergman, Ebersdorf.) Clear signs of field wear from sun fading to the Olive Green fabric exterior, to the heavily used lining with sweat stains, overall a fantastic looking hat! Inside the lining is the company factory stamp for the Bergman firm with the date of 1941 and the size marking of “56.” The exterior shows the hand sewn insignia which matches the cap perfectly, though this was restored post war. If this caps insignia was original to the cap, the price would be double, still a beautiful cap overall. This firm made some of the very first M41 caps to be produced during the war, this example is not a shelf queen, if it could talk it could tell one hell of a story.
The M41 tropical field cap was introduced in early 1941 and the design of the cap was loosely based on the Mountain Troopers “Bergmütze” with minor variations. The different branches of service within the army were allocated a particular identifying “waffenfarbe” (Branch of Service Colour). Originally the M41 tropical field caps had a branch of service soutache applied to the front, regulations of July 10, 1942 abolished the use of the soutache and instructed it to be removed from the caps. This cap has had the soutouche removed, the original soutache on this cap left the olive drab shadow wear the cap material had not faded from washing. Below the edge of the brim there are small remnants of a green colored soutache.
