Soviet Uniform Visor Cap Markings

Although relatively unknown in the West, the panoply of Soviet civilian and military uniforms that existed during the Cold War (1945-1991) was unsurpassed by that of any other country since the fall of Nazi Germany. Following the collapse of the USSR and subsequent increased travel and correspondence opportunities, worldwide interest in these uniforms€"and their collection€"expanded significantly. Perhaps the most important of the €œsubspecialties€ associated with this field is that of visor caps ("furazhka" in Russian). While a number of militaria books show external pictures of these caps, information on interior markings has been virtually non-existent. Such markings can be extensive; ranging from manufacturers€ stamps and labels, to unit identifications, to personal owner€s information and various inspection and inventory markings. Sourcing original Soviet documentation and reflecting personal observation of hundreds of caps, this book provides the first comprehensive illustration of such markings in any language. All Russian/Ukrainian text and abbreviations are explained and a full English translation of each provided. Histories of the primary headdress manufacturers, along with known dates of use of each manufacturer€s label/stamp variant are also recorded. Since interior markings are often heavily worn and largely illegible, this book will help collectors date and fully identify the origin of their caps. Because interior markings also serve as a primary means of determining cap authenticity, the reader can more readily detect fakes and reproductions. While serving as a valuable aid to aficionados of Soviet caps€"both beginners and experienced€"all uniform collectors and students of Soviet military history will find something of interest within this book's pages.