Pre-WWII RARE! Army USMC ("1934, 1941") Daisy Mae Leather Sweatband NOS Mint!!

Description: Rare! Pre-WWII "HAT, CANVAS" (dated "1934" and "1941") in 'mustard' shade of khaki similar to that used during WWI ...and by the USMC at the Phila. Q.M.Depot during the early years of WWII for '782' gear. RARE! RARE! RARE!CONDITION! CONDITION! CONDITION! Mint NOS Unissued! Size 6-3/4, but fits larger! Pre-war example with the russet GLOVESKIN LEATHER SWEATBAND!! This model with the LEATHER SWEATBAND ("Tent Spec. June 1, 1934"), as evidenced by the starched linen CONTRACT TAG, was in production as late as "AUG. 18, 1941" and obviously available in both the Army supply system, accessible by the U.S. Marine Corps as well, for troops in the Philippines (Corregidor, Bataan), Wake Island, Hawaii, as well as the USMC FMF personnel dispatched to the South Pacific campaigns as well Army troops sent to North Africa, the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, and New Guinea. This soft "Quiet" hat was favored the Marine Raider Battalions and seen in photographs worn with the brim turned up, front and back, for upward visibility, by Marines on patrol on in the jungles of Guadalcanal, Tulagi, Bougainville, New Georgia, and New Britain. (See the photos from Glenn Harlan's exceptional reference work, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS Uniforms, Insignia and Personal Items of World War II, Schiffer Press,on pages 229-230, taken on on both Guadalcanal and on Peleliu as late as a October 1944.). I have only encountered 3 of these in my collecting since the 1950s, but NONE nicer than this example which I have had decades. This is an ORIGINAL, not an Asian reproduction or one of the many herringbone twill examples.. + This RARITY is a "museum-grade example"! + Never worn. Never marked. Never damaged in 83 years of Depot storage!+ ZERO frays, loose stitching, stains, or ANY signs of wear or damage to the canvas body, brim or leather sweatband. + Variously referred to as a Fatigue Hat, a "Daisy Mae" (after the Al Capp's Lil' Abner cartoon strip character who wore a similar hat), and when reintroduced during the Vietnam War as a "Boonie Hat," and today, commercially, as a "Bucket Hat." + First introduced in 1918 as 'fatigue wear' to replace the stiff felt M1912 Field "Campaign" Hat with the 'Montana' peak crown. It was originally manufactured of a darker brown denim, then went through several color and material changes in the 1930s from brown denim to a lighter shade canvas, to blue denim, to, khaki cotton, and finally to the several OD shades (#3 and #7) of herringbone twill. + The Contract Tag (1-1/2" x 2-1/2) is in PERFECT condition and still sewn into the seam of the LEATHER SWEATBAND and reads:Premium Cap Co. Cont. W-669-QM 12937- - - - -STOCK No. -73-H-35353- - - - -Tent Spec. June 1, 1934Phila. Q.M. Depot.- - - - -InspectorSize 6-3/4Description:+ Perhaps the most distinctive and distinguishing feature of this very well-made model is the 1-1/4" russet GLOVE LEATHER SWEATBAND which is in absolutely untouched condition! It even has a nicely ruled edge! + This has a canvas fabric brim 2-1/2" in width, stiffened by eleven rows of STITCHING in Light Shade OD#3 thread. The brim has a 'finished edge' of the same canvas 5/8" in width. This provided excellent protection to the back of the neck as well as the face.+ The crown is composed of six triangular panels with finished seams on the interior. + Four VENTILATORS (metal eyelets, painted Light Shade OD#3), two on each side are in PERFECT condition.+ Around the base of the crown, in imitation of the grosgain ribbon on the Campaign Hat, is a 3/4" ribbon of matching canvas. This example of a RARE hat could NOT be 'upgraded.' Another may not appear on the market for decades.

Price: 487.5 USD

Location: Little Rock, Arkansas

End Time: 2024-08-16T18:24:30.000Z

Shipping Cost: 11.85 USD