SS Early Skull (Antique effect)

SS Early Pattern Totenkopf "Danziger"

Here we have a reproduction first pattern Schirmutze Totenkopf, more commonly known as the Danziger Skull.

The Totenkopf is a very old military badge and can be seen on the Busby caps of the Prussian Hussars of the 1800's. In 1925 the SS, in order to distance themselves from the SA and the Brownshirt's, adopted new black kepi and the Danziger skull was chosen as the badge to be worn on the head wear , then in 1927 it was worn alongside the smaller Political style eagle.

Later, in 1932 the SS adopted the new style visor caps and moved further away from the look of the SA and the kepi hats. These visor caps originally still used the Danziger skulls until 1934 when they upgraded to the more recognizable and memorable SS Totenkopf (second pattern totenkopf). The insignia was modified once more in 1936 with the newly styled SS pattern national eagle which was then worn throughout the duration of the war on visor caps of the Allgemeine and Waffen SS.

The badge is made from a stamped metal and has two pins on the rear for attaching to the cap