Lost Skeleton
Well-known member
Well, not really…
For collectors, the Kaiserliche Marine is an extremely tough nut to crack with respect to officer Kopfbedeckung (just ask Tony how long it took him to track down a representative example of a Seeoffizier Schirmmütze). Furthermore, the prices are astronomical –– far in excess of many top drawer Pickelhauben. I suppose the rarity is due largely to the comparatively small number of Marine officers (in contrast with the army) and the fact that most Kaiserliche Marine uniforms were systematically converted to postwar Reichsmarine by the expedient of swapping out nothing more than insignia and buttons.
It is difficult for me to walk away from anything Navy when it is sensibly priced, or represents an upgrade to something already in my collection. Investment potential is another motivational factor, but I rationalize and digress.
I purchased the following at the SOS. It is my third Seeoffizier blue top, and is, far and away, the best of the lot. Additionally, I now have a cap to display with the Fregattenkapitän and Kapitänleutnant deck coats and Leutnant zur Zee frock coat in my collection.
The cap was sold with goggles, and was represented "as worn by a Zeppelin commander." I have no idea whether the goggles are actually German. The frames are unmarked aluminum. Nevertheless, they display well and add a certain rakish quality to the cap.
When I find the time to customize a mannequin utilizing my Fregattenkapitän Rock, the impression will resemble Führer der Luftschiffe Peter Strasser.
Chas
For collectors, the Kaiserliche Marine is an extremely tough nut to crack with respect to officer Kopfbedeckung (just ask Tony how long it took him to track down a representative example of a Seeoffizier Schirmmütze). Furthermore, the prices are astronomical –– far in excess of many top drawer Pickelhauben. I suppose the rarity is due largely to the comparatively small number of Marine officers (in contrast with the army) and the fact that most Kaiserliche Marine uniforms were systematically converted to postwar Reichsmarine by the expedient of swapping out nothing more than insignia and buttons.
It is difficult for me to walk away from anything Navy when it is sensibly priced, or represents an upgrade to something already in my collection. Investment potential is another motivational factor, but I rationalize and digress.
I purchased the following at the SOS. It is my third Seeoffizier blue top, and is, far and away, the best of the lot. Additionally, I now have a cap to display with the Fregattenkapitän and Kapitänleutnant deck coats and Leutnant zur Zee frock coat in my collection.
The cap was sold with goggles, and was represented "as worn by a Zeppelin commander." I have no idea whether the goggles are actually German. The frames are unmarked aluminum. Nevertheless, they display well and add a certain rakish quality to the cap.
When I find the time to customize a mannequin utilizing my Fregattenkapitän Rock, the impression will resemble Führer der Luftschiffe Peter Strasser.
Chas
