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#109297 04/20/2007 11:10 AM
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Lewis Offline OP
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Can anyone give me their opinion on this sidecap?

Its an officer sidecap, with pink soutache, and silver braid.

Its field grey/green, and has a silk green/khaki lining, and is stamped 60.

Do you think this cap is real, and what would its approximate value be?

Thanks

Lewis




















Joined: Sep 2004
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My vibe on your cap is that it is a 'repro'. I do not like the style of the cap--it should be an M.38, nor do I like its components--em insignia, incorrect soutache and silver piping--front scallop should be 3mm, crown piping 2mm. The cap poses more questions than it answers.

Robert


We are the hollow men, we are the stuffed men...leaning together, headpiece filled with straw. Alas!--T.S. Eliot 1925
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Lewis Offline OP
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Thank you for your quick response Robert!

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I agree with Robert on the overall vibe. Because officers purchased their uniform components, rather than have them issued, the difference in quality is quite marked.

This was particularly true of caps. Whilst an officer might choose to 'upgrade' an issue OR's jacket for field use, because the rough wool was warmer than fine weave, and less susceptible to damage, this is not as easy to justify for caps.

Even if they did choose to upgrade an OR's item (a rarer event, but it did happen), they would definitely use officer grade insignia, in some form.

This cap is stuck half way between officer grade and OR grade. Poor quality grommet, cheap manufacture but good quality wool. Soutache piped caps were early war, before the privations of a long struggle denuded tailors stocks.

Officers at this stage ALL came from time in the ranks, and when they were given their allotment to purchase uniforms, they would not save pfennigs purchasing OR rather than Officer grade insignia. If they wanted to save money, generally the first thing to be degraded was cloth quality.

Plus they could purchase cheaper quality officer insignia, and some tailors had different grades of silver officer's piping.

I summary, whilst anything was possible, this paints an unlikely scenario, and that coupled with the fact that it is a desirable piping, but but the cap is grey and not black material makes the whole combination unpalatable.

The comment about the material does not suggest grey was not used, because of course it was, but younger officers especially tended toward the black, as they were more often in operational roles. Thus, most likely persons to wear OR insignia were the newly promoted, and they were, in turn, the most likely to be in black.

Hope this helps.

David!

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Lewis Offline OP
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Thanks for all the information David, that was very interesting and i learnt alot from it.

Thanks all, the keep is going back.

Lewis


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