Assmann SS Cap Eagle – 135/36

Product Description: This Assmann SS Cap Eagle is a very nice, high quality example. It’s made of CupAl, a mechanically bonded alloy of copper and aluminum, which is a material associated with early production for this eagle type. The obverse retains nice silver electroplating, with wear to the high points that exposes the base metal. The bare metal has toned dark with age. This eagle boasts smooth surfaces and crisp details. On the reverse, this cap eagle is well marked, with the round RZM emblem as well as the maker code “155/36” indicating manufacture by the firm of Assmann in Lüdenscheid, in 1936. The silver finish on the reverse of this eagle shows dark, uncleaned toning. Both of the original attachment prongs remain intact. They are made of Tombak, as is correct, and both remain held in place with the correct original gray solder. This is a beautiful piece that displays handsomely. The condition of this Assmann SS Cap Eagle rates as excellent.

Historical Description: The SS was founded as a paramilitary branch of the Nazi Party in 1925. Beginning in 1927, the SS began to wear a German national eagle and swastika emblem on their headgear. The SS were the first to adopt this practice, but the SA and other Nazi organizations soon began to use the same pinned-on metal cap eagle, which became known as a “political” type cap eagle as it was different from those used by the various military branches. Beneath this eagle, instead of a wreathed national colors cockade, the early SS wore a jawless skull emblem, sometimes called a “Danziger” skull, which was based on a traditional “Totenkopf” death’s-head emblem that had been used in the Prussian military since the time of Frederick the Great. This jawless skull is referred to by collectors as the first pattern SS skull. On October 6, 1934, the SS introduced a new pattern of cap skull that was unlike the traditional design that had previously been adopted. This second pattern SS skull was used until the end of WWII and is the iconic Totenkopf widely associated with the SS today. It was initially worn in conjunction with the political style cap eagle, but in February 1936 the SS introduced a new type of cap eagle to differentiate from other political organizations. This eagle had longer wings than the early political type, and was the pattern worn by the SS together with the second pattern Totenkopf, until 1945. Early SS cap insignia was made from a variety of materials including aluminum, which was left bare, and Tombak, a brass alloy, which was treated with a silver finish. Some examples were made of a composite material called CupAl, which is made by coating aluminum with copper sheet using a special mechanical process. Later, during the later years of WWII, SS cap insignia was generally made of zinc that was treated with a silver wash. As with all SS regalia, SS cap insignia is very collectible today.

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