Early DLV Visor Cap by Alfred Valet

An early visor cap of the Third Reich Deutscher Luftsportverband, (German Air Sport League), an organization that was created in 1933 when the Nazi Party came to power, and which was used to secretly train pilots for the Luftwaffe while Germany was concealing its rearmament program. The DLV was ultimately incorporated into the NSFK ( the Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps, or National Socialist Flying Corps) in 1937. The cap is blue-gray cotton with black piping. The front cap band displays the nickel plated and enamel winged swastika emblem that was unique to the DLV. The peak of the cap carries the M29 style political eagle. The interior is lined in blue-gray cotton which bears the “Adler Marke” (Eagle Mark) and logo of an eagle in flight. The eagle has in its talons a circle within which are the initials of “AV”, reflecting manufacture of the cap by Alfred Valet of Bad Canstaat. The cap also carries the designation of “Wehrsport Mutze”, or “military sports cap”. The cap has no stiffening wire in the crown and it was very possibly made in that way to enable the cap to be worn in the cockpit of a glider or aircraft. The cap shows some degree of wear and use, particularly on the interior leather sweatband, but it remains in very good used condition and exhibits tremendous character.