Heer Schirmmütze Eagle - M 38 (Silver)

Heer Schirmmütze Eagle with “M 38” maker marking, silver finish

This Heer Schirmmütze eagle is especially notable for the marking on its reverse: “M” on the left side and “38” on the right side. In specialist collecting references, this marking is attributed to Maidicke, Berlin, 1938, identifying both the maker and the year of manufacture. This makes the marking far more than a minor detail: it connects the piece to a specific Berlin-based production from the immediate pre-war period.  

Maidicke of Berlin is known among collectors of German uniform insignia and metal fittings. The abbreviated “M” and the date “38” reflect the common practice of period manufacturers, who often used initials, short codes or year marks rather than full company names. The number 38 refers to 1938, a significant year for Heer uniform equipment, when many cap insignia patterns were already well established before the outbreak of the war.

The eagle was intended for the front of the Schirmmütze, the German Army visor cap. It was mounted above the national cockade and oak-leaf wreath, forming the upper element of the cap’s central insignia group. The silver finish corresponds to early examples made in aluminium or white metal, materials commonly seen on pre-war and early-war cap fittings.

The main collector interest of this example lies in the clear reverse marking. Unmarked Schirmmütze eagles can often be classified only by general characteristics such as material, shape and fixing system. A marked piece, however, allows a more precise attribution to a maker, production year and manufacturing type. For this reason, markings such as “M 38”are highly valued in the study of Heer cap insignia variants.

The reverse is also important from a technical point of view. Metal Schirmmütze eagles were normally attached to the cap with rear prongs, folded inside the fabric after mounting. The form and placement of these prongs, together with the maker mark, stamping quality and metal finish, can help distinguish between different manufacturers and production periods.

The “M 38” marking therefore makes this eagle more specific than a generic silver Heer cap eagle. It links the object to a 1938 Maidicke Berlin production, at a time when German Army insignia were already standardised but still often produced with the sharper detail and cleaner finish associated with pre-war manufacture. Its interest lies in the combination of silver-coloured metal construction, Schirmmütze use and identifiable maker/date marking.

Collector’s note: the maker mark was hidden once the eagle was mounted on the cap. Today, however, this concealed reverse detail is one of the most important features for identifying and classifying the insignia.