NZ lemon squeezer hat WW1 Anzac
 

WW1 Anzac headgear did not have a high survival rate and a battered and mothed example is better than none. I have had this hat in a box for many years and I don't know if it some restoration may be possible. The front shows signs of once having a badge and the chinstrap and sweat band are still there. Does the green on the puggaree indicate Infantry? I would appreciate any comments. I will probably sell it or swap it. Thanks.

Hi, This puggaree is for NZ Mounted Rifles as worn in WW1.
Cheers, John

I don't think it's possible to repair felt where it has been eaten or mothed.
This might be of interest to you.

https://www.philadelphiaphilpot.com/...in-queensland/

The only restoration required that I can see is a bit of brush down?

find a professional restorer. your local museum will know and use one.
they will ensure all bugs are dead and clean and brush the felt. it wont be perfect but will look much better
lovely hat by the way
bc

A professional restorer? Unless the hats going to be ruined by "restoring" it by replacing straps, ribbons and bows surely it just needs a spell in a freezer, brushing and treating re. moths and bugs?

A thought,
A modern forensic scientist might be able to find traces of human DNA and/or particles of dust etc. to determine who wore this hat and where. So cleaning this hat may not be a good idea.
Cheers, John

Thanks for the comments, nice to know it was Mounted Rifles. Thanks also for the restoration link. It is such a rare item that I think that I will investigate the restorer who is not very far from where I live. I am open to offers but can't really put a price on it at this stage.

a lovely item, any headgear collector would want it, just needs a gentle clean and something to keep the nasty little blighters from eating it.

Hi, are there any markings, such as size, on the inside of the puggaree?

Yes it has a number 7 (the size) in the middle of one of the marked sections of the sweatband. it dd not show up very well in the photo.

Sorry I misread the question. I will check the puggaree and let you know if there are any markings on the inside.

Here is a scan of the marking inside the puggaree.
It looks like "67C" in green but might be wrong. Comments appreciated.

Thankyou for the picture, I have added it to my collection of puggaree photos.
The numbers are most likely to be the size "6 7/8" and is a tight fit for a size 7 hat.

I would love to add your hat to my collection, but have my sights on a NZ Volunteers helmet that's coming up for auction soon.

I would suggest that the hat does need some restoration so it can be enjoyed for many years to come.
A light vacuum with a soft brush attachment works wonders for years of dust and dirt build up.

Although it is currently shaped to look like a "Mounted Rifles hat," I feel that there is a Lemon Squeezer pattern that it wants to go back to.
I would be happy to help any future owner on the best way to restore it back to a lemon squeezer and fix its brim.

Hi Kingsley

What a great item, thanks for sharing.

At the military museum where I volunteer we would put the hat in a large plastic bag then put it in a freezer for a few days to kill the nasties, then take it out and lightly brush and vacuum the hat to remove any nasties and dust etc that is left behind.

Good luck

Phil.