Old Naval Cap Help Please 1895?

[navyman]

I have this hat that I picked up last year and I'm not sure of the time period. I know it's navy but is it a cadet or is it a officer?

I have a few photo's of the front, inside and cap buttons. If anyone could help.

 

Jason

 

[SteveR]

It appears to be an 1895 model cap. I believe the insignia is for a Midshipman. Any Navy headgear from the Spanish/American war period is tough to find.

Steve

[Championhilz]

I found them listed in the book, Directory of American Military Goods Dealers & Makers 1785 - 1915 by Bruce Bazelon & William F. McGuinn. The firm of Bent & Bush was in business from 1849 - 1933 in boston and did an extensive business with the government supplying hats to the armed forces. If you would like the complete writeup on the firm, just let me know and I will scan it and email it to you.

[SPANISHNAVY]

hello

i would like you see pics of a us navy hat i purchased and you read the descrption of the hat,im a spanish navy caps collector,if you agree please send me your mail address,mine is:elcalifa1969@hotmail.com

fernando

[SPANISHNAVY]

hi jason

regards from spain,i send you pics of my us navy visor cap,it looks bell crown type,it looks a vintage hat,has no sweatband,bullion badge with eagle facing on left,there is a label inside on the wicker with maker,s name?"head-master"wentworth,boston,mass...nº frame.....

the liner is broken but with fading letters i can read the words headmaster and wool,the buttons look vintage and rusted,has an eagle standing an anchor but anchor is vertical just straight at eagle,around the eagle there are 13 stars,have you ever seen these buttons?in the other hand the hat has a thinner chinstrap,maybe for warrant officer or cadet?well i hope your opinion,are you a navy caps collector like me?thanks

fernando

[QED4]

The angle of the picture of the side button makes it very hard to see but the straight anchor with the eagle on top sounds like Coast Guard.

[navyman]

Hi fernando,

It does look like a bell crown, I don't have a blue one, only the white( I think it's a bell crown). So I'm not sure of the color of the hat, but the ones I do see attend to be more of a darker color almost black in color. I think there is one for sale on line at http://www.cwguns.com/. Know he only shows one picture and you really can't see the insignia, but you can see the color. The hat band is pre 1941, but not sure how old. You are wright about the chin strap, It's a warrant officer or cadet. The button's should look pretty close to the hat above. The eagle head on the button's should face the same way as the eagle on the hat band. It's hard to tell, but the button's look like marine ones. I will show a picture of a early marine coat button and you can compare it with your hat. I hope this helps.

 

Jason

 

 

When I scan the button it turn on me.

[navyman]

Hi Fernando,

I have a old navy cpo hat that I will show some pictures of. The button is close, but the eagle faces the other way which is correct. Maybe yours is a coast guard cpo, because if I remember wright the coast guard eagle head all ways face the same direction in the different time periods like your button. I 'm pretty sure the hat device that is on your hat is a officer. A warrant officer was two cross anchors anyway in ww2. I mostly have ww2 hats from coast guard, merchant marines and navy. I do have some other older hats, but don't know as much in the earlier stuff.

 

 

 

 

I think this is ww1 or just after, If I'm wrong please correct me!!!

 

Jason