Waffen-SS SA Cap Eagle – RZM 17 Assmann

Product Description: An exceptionally well-preserved example of the Waffen-SS SA Cap Eagle – RZM 17 Assmann, produced by the esteemed firm of Assmann, Lüdenscheid—denoted by the clear RZM 17 maker’s mark on the reverse. The obverse retains a lustrous silver tone, sharply contrasting with the black-painted swastika, which shows only minimal wear, preserving its original finish.

The eagle features smooth surfaces and finely rendered details, underscoring the high quality of craftsmanship associated with Assmann production. The reverse is stamped with the round RZM emblem alongside the maker code “17,” affirming authenticity. Both original attachment prongs remain firmly intact, each secured with the correct original gray solder, indicative of factory condition.

This Waffen-SS SA Cap Eagle – RZM 17 Assmann is a striking and highly collectible insignia piece, offered in excellent condition, and presents beautifully in any advanced collection of Third Reich militaria.

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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