Bavarian Infantry Enlisted Schirmutze Visor Cap Pre-WWI Original w/Liner

This is an original enlisted man's or non-commissioned officer's Schirmütze (visor cap) of the Royal Bavarian Army, dating to the pre-World War I period, circa 1900 to 1914. The cap is constructed in the standard Bavarian infantry color scheme: a body of dark blue (dunkelblau) wool with a scarlet red (scharlachrot) center band and a matching red crown piping (Vorstoß). This dark-blue-over-red combination is the classic identifier of Royal Bavarian line infantry, distinct from the cavalry and other branches of the Bavarian contingent.

The cap is fitted with two cockades (Kokarden) mounted vertically on the front, in the manner regulated for the German states after 1897. The upper cockade is the national Reich cockade in black, white, and red, signifying the unified German Empire; the lower cockade carries the white-and-light-blue colors of the Kingdom of Bavaria (Königreich Bayern). The visor is black lacquered leather of the standard enlisted pattern, and the band and crown are finished without the silver piping or officer's bullion that would denote commissioned rank. The form, materials, and fittings are consistent with an issued or regimentally purchased enlisted cap rather than a privately tailored officer's piece.

The Kingdom of Bavaria maintained its own army within the Imperial German structure, retaining distinct uniforms, insignia, and traditions under the command of the Bavarian crown until the end of the monarchy in 1918. Headgear such as this visor cap was worn for walking-out and off-duty wear, and it remains one of the most recognizable and collectible forms of Bavarian other-ranks equipment from the Kaiserreich.

The interior retains a well-preserved brown leather sweatband and its original silk lining. The lining is stamped "2.K.", most likely a unit marking for the second company (2. Kompanie) of the wearer's regiment, an internal issue or ownership notation of the type frequently found in enlisted headgear. Such markings add a genuine layer of regimental history, though they do not by themselves identify the specific regiment.

Condition is very good for the age. The crown is free of moth tracking across the top, with two minor moth nips noted on the red band and a further small nip near the visor attachment. The silk lining shows a single small moth nip but is otherwise intact and free of the shredding commonly seen in liners of this period. The leather visor and sweatband are sound. Overall the cap presents as an honest, untouched example with light, even wear consistent with period use.

For the collector, this is an attractive and displayable example of Royal Bavarian infantry other-ranks headgear from the final years of the Kaiserreich. Enlisted Bavarian visor caps in this state of preservation, retaining both cockades, an original liner, and a unit stamp, are increasingly difficult to find as surviving examples are absorbed into permanent collections. It fits naturally into any collection organized by Imperial German state, by branch of service, or by the Kingdom of Bavaria specifically.