German SA-Marine 3rd Pattern Visor Cap Wreath CLO

Die stamped fire gilt zinc wreath with all prongs intact. Marked CLO on the reverse. Complete with a zinc SA cockade. Overall an excellent example of a hard to find item.

The first Marine-SA unit was founded in 1930. Members wore a navy blue visor cap with a silver national eagle emblem within an oakleaf wreath. Initially, the wreath was either in silver or gold, depending on the group or district colour. However, the silver wreath was discontinued in late 1933.
For a brief time in late 1934 and early 1935, the eagle’s position changed: its head and wings extended above the wreath. This was rectified shortly after. The oakleaf wreath was either embroidered or made of metal, while the eagle emblem was usually made of metal. Fully embroidered eagle and wreath combinations exist, but are very rare. Beginning in 1937, the new larger national eagle emblem M36 was used in combination with the wreath. On May 23, 1938, a gold-coloured eagle emblem was introduced. At this time, enlisted Marine-SA members began to wear a wreath with an SA cockade in the centre, with the eagle above on the cap top as a second insignia.