Hi Tom,
As requested, below are the guidelines I suggest for collecting Imperial German Mützen, which applies to Tunics and Pickelhauben as well:
Please use Kaiser's Bunker as a tool, and in your case, especially
Kaiser's Bunker Guide to Imperial German Cloth Headgear 1842 - 1918. The site was put on the net specifically to help collectors by exposing the characteristics and detailed photos of original examples. It is there for you, so please use it.
There are three things you need to look for when buying Imperial German Mützen:
1. Condition
2. Condition
3. Condition
Worn condition for Feldgrau hats and tunics is much more acceptable than for Dunkelblau. Feldgrau caps or tunics with wear, repairs, damage etc. are still desirable and have good vlaue. But on Dunkelblau caps and uniforms, mothing, damage, wear, etc. has a severe impact on value and re-sale. All items have wear and age, and some moth tracking, that's normal. However, for pre-war headgear and tunics, get the absolutely best condition items you can. You will never regret it.
You buy a moth-eaten or poor condition Mütze, you own a moth-eaten or poor condition Mütze. To collectors like myself, they have limited value. It does not matter how "rare" it is. If it is trashed, it is trashed. You have to decide if you want:
a) a cheaper cap that will many flaws that will always be a mediocre example and have less value; or
b) spend a bit more for a top example that will escalate in value.
In Imperial Germany,
everyone wore a visor cap. Rat inspector, ladder-maker, lamp-lighter, you name it. These show up on the market all the time being sold as German Army when they are not. There is one important rule to remember about Imperial military caps: The color of all three levels of piping is always the same. Usually, the piping and band are the same color, but even for the few arms that utilized a different color of band from the piping like Jäger zu Pferde, Husaren, Beamte, and those that wore black bands w/ red piping (Verkehrstruppen, Pionier, Artillerie etc.) the three layers of piping always matches. There is only one regiment in the German army that did not have piping along the lower band: Ulanen Regt Nr. 16. However, even with this unit the top piping and the piping on the top of the band match. There is
NO military unit of any size where the piping is two different colors. This is always a sign that the cap is civilian. However, several of the Husaren Regt had an extra row of piping in a different colour above the band. But the rule still applies, the other three rows of piping match.
Finally, I have three "rules" for buying Imperial German headgear and uniforms:
1. The seller's description means nothing. Repeat: The seller's description means
NOTHING. Do not believe a seller's description of anything you are looking at. Use your eyes to look at the item, use references, use my web site, compare to originals, and decide for yourself WHAT it is and IF it is correct and original.
2. If it is not correct, do not rationalize "well they could have...." etc. Just do not buy it.
3. If you buy junk, you will own junk. If you spend a bit more and get top condition and all original parts, the value will escalate, and you will enjoy it more.
ccasion5:
