Cap Badge and Chin Strap Buttons, Engineer

Title

Cap Badge and Chin Strap Buttons, Engineer

Description

Ca. 1930s-pre-1942. Cap badge worn by an A.B. or Engineer officer pre-war. It comprised of a wool badge sewn directly onto a mohair band. The band was removed from a cap which was unable to be conserved due to mold damage.

The cap badge stitching is coming apart; the cheesecloth backing is evident and does not fluoresce when a black light is applied - its construction is consistent from pre-war cap badges. Unlike British badges of the period which coil bullion wire around a copper thread, this badge is bullion over yellow floss. The plating has flaked off revealing tarnished silver.

The metal grommets for the chin strap buttons (cap screws) was a design feature found on higher-end cap bands.  During the war, most cap bands used a thread-reinforced slit for the cap screws.

Of note are the buttons - there are cuff-button style and secured the chin strap by means of wire. The chin strap - since discarded - was made of leather.  The buttons do not have a manufacturer hallmark, and the eagle is facing to its left.  This design was used prior to May 1942. One of the buttons has a high degree of corrosion as would be expected for a base-metal construction as found on pre-war uniforms.

Files

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Collection

Citation

“Cap Badge and Chin Strap Buttons, Engineer,” dittybag, accessed December 22, 2024, http://dittybag.ianewatts.org/collection/items/show/134.

Item Relations

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