This very hat is pictured in "The Collector's Guide to Cloth Third Reich Military Headgear" by Gary Wilkins (Schiffer Publishing, 2002). Constructed from brown twill cloth, this cap features a set of black "eagle/totenkopf" SS patches on the front, non-functional ear flaps (stitched together at the front, cosmetic buttons), and the signature edelweiss flower of the gebirgsjaeger (mountain hunter) on the left side. The Waffen-SS fielded a limited number of mountain units during World War II, which were primarily concerned with anti-partisan work in occupied Eastern Europe, often recruiting heavily from "Volksdeutsche" (local residents of German ancestry). A number of units deployed to Italy are known to have been issued tropical-style equipment, making them a candidate for the original users of this cap. The interior is lined in yellow cloth, with a black crown and no visible maker/size markings.

Good overall, with stains and wear appropriate to age and use. The patches have taken on a brown tone from exposure to dirt and dust, and the interior shows evidence of heavy sweat.