Original Austrian WWI Mountain Infantry Officer Kepi with Edelweiss Pin – Landesschützen Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The mountain infantry of Austria have their roots in the three Landesschützen regiments of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The mountain infantry of modern Germany carry on certain traditions of the German Alpenkorps (Alpine corps) of World War I. Both countries’ mountain infantry share the Edelweiß insignia, established in 1907 as a symbol of the Austro-Hungarian Landesschützen regiments by Emperor Franz Joseph I. These troops wore the edelweiss on the uniform collar. When the Alpenkorps served alongside the Landesschützen on Austria’s southern frontier against Italian forces from May 1915, the Landesschützen honored the men of the Alpenkorps by awarding them their own insignia: the edelweiss.

This is a fantastic and rare Word War One Austrian Landesschützen Officer’s Kepi, often called a “Coffee Can Hat”. It is basically a rigid version of the M1915 Field Cap with a rigid fiber or leather visor. Constructed of feldgrau wool cloth over what is most likely cardboard, it has large yellow cockade  on the frontsurrounding the Austrian red and white “bullseye” emblem. The left side of the kepi has a WW1 Austro-Hungarian Edelweiss pin attached with stitching. Two brass front buttons attach the faux scalloped fold down surround, and the interior has a brown leather sweatband and a black cotton lining.

Condition is quite good, especially considering the age, with just a few tears and moth nips in the outer covering. The shape is well retained, and the interior shows only light use. There was a one time a maker logo on the inside crown, but it has worn away.

An exceptionally rare Austro-Hungarian Mountain troops Officer kepi offered in very good condition. Size is marked 58 on the sweatband, so it is around a 58cm / 7 1/4″ size. Ready to display!