Baden GR.109

[USN]

Good Evening Gentlemen,

One of my latest acquisitions is a tarnished but still very nice and well marked EMs pickelhaube to 1st Battalion 1. GR109 and dated 1890 and subsequently 1891. It features all original components including its chinstrap and I am very happy to add this one to my collection! As always thoughts and opinions are welcome.

Many Thanks,
USN

 

[USN]

You can also see the original untarnished silver finish under the screw on spike.

 

[gino1]

you are making good progress in your collection

 

[Amybellars]

Missing front visor trim.

Chinstrap lugs is the thicker version

Nice

 

[Verdun]

Missing front visor trim.


Nice

Hello,
despite this defect, it is a very beautiful helmet with a very nice patina.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[J.LeBrasseur]

Again, a great helmet congrats!

IMO I like the tarnished look.

James

 

[argonne]

As one should expect on this early M91 pattern, rear trim without ventilation and unique to the LGR109, a six holes ventilated spike neck.
Wappen should have screws and nuts instead of loops...

Philippe

 

[USN]

As one should expect on this early M91 pattern, rear trim without ventilation and unique to the LGR109, a six holes ventilated spike neck.
Wappen should have screws and nuts instead of loops...

Philippe

My best guess would be that the helmet stayed in service long enough for a transition to the looped wappen, maybe his old one got damaged and needed to be replaced? It's hard to say but the wappen has definitely been on this helmet for decades.

 

[USN]

Missing front visor trim.

Chinstrap lugs is the thicker version

Nice

Unfortunately yes, but the price on this one was acceptable for me and I don't think I'll be finding any silver fittings with this exact patina on it, I'm still a huge fan of this one either way.

 

[b.loree]

Great helmet! I love issued helmets with correct markings! We all have our preferences but I would be looking for trim, it can be done with help from fellow collectors. I have been lucky in this respect. . Obviously it is up to you,

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Hello,
Superb helmet. The visor trim ring and the 2 nickel silver side rivets are found. Deserves to be completed.
As Philippe said, this is a good M87/91 model.
From 1887 onwards, the point was without Perlring, but it still had the ferrule to close off the aeration. The M87 tip of the 109LGR was unique in that it had 6 aeration holes. In 1895, the M95 tip was changed to the Prussian standard of 5 holes. The rear spine did not have a ventilation flap, the return fastener under the neck guard was a button-rivet fastener rather than a screw-nut fastener, and the upper fastener was a screw-nut fastener rather than a folding tab fastener as on the M95. There are no eyelets for the griffin fixing holes.
This helmet has undergone 2 vintage modifications:
---M91 by adopting the post-side with the chinstrap with fixing key and metal loops. The post-sides are really M91s, as they have a large central button and a single anti-rotation latch at the rear. (The M95 will have a small central button and 2 anti-rotation catches at the rear.
---M95 concerning the griffon, which is no longer screw-nut, but trigger guard.
On mobilisation, this helmet was taken out of reserve stock to be worn on an active Landser or 1GBRIR109. At the time of mobilisation, the helmets of the 1Grenadier-Battalion of the Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 109 were made up of odds and ends.
Infra, these 2 former helmets of the 109 GR, were reactivated at the I GBRIR109 in 1914, with all that was lying around in the drawers of the B.A.
---On the left is an M95... but with an M87 chinstrap with hooks. (decommissioned and reformed, but finally reused on mobilisation). Griffon with bridges.
---Right a M87/91... but with a M91 chinstrap with scales, Griffon with screw-nuts.


The 2 helmets are marked peacetime on the left, and the Reserve regiment, raised in 1914.

 

[b.loree]

Great information Clovis and another reminder to all collectors that just as with the Allies, the Germans faced equipment and clothing shortages when their armies were expanded with huge number of new recruits.

 

[USN]

Great helmet! I love issued helmets with correct markings! We all have our preferences but I would be looking for trim, it can be done with help from fellow collectors. I have been lucky in this respect. . Obviously it is up to you,

I would definitely be open to adding the correct visor trim, I just know how hard the silver fittings are to find so I wasn't going to get my hopes up haha

 

[USN]

Hello,
Superb helmet. The visor trim ring and the 2 nickel silver side rivets are found. Deserves to be completed.
As Philippe said, this is a good M87/91 model.
From 1887 onwards, the point was without Perlring, but it still had the ferrule to close off the aeration. The M87 tip of the 109LGR was unique in that it had 6 aeration holes. In 1895, the M95 tip was changed to the Prussian standard of 5 holes. The rear spine did not have a ventilation flap, the return fastener under the neck guard was a button-rivet fastener rather than a screw-nut fastener, and the upper fastener was a screw-nut fastener rather than a folding tab fastener as on the M95. There are no eyelets for the griffin fixing holes.
This helmet has undergone 2 vintage modifications:
---M91 by adopting the post-side with the chinstrap with fixing key and metal loops. The post-sides are really M91s, as they have a large central button and a single anti-rotation latch at the rear. (The M95 will have a small central button and 2 anti-rotation catches at the rear.
---M95 concerning the griffon, which is no longer screw-nut, but trigger guard.
On mobilisation, this helmet was taken out of reserve stock to be worn on an active Landser or 1GBRIR109. At the time of mobilisation, the helmets of the 1Grenadier-Battalion of the Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 109 were made up of odds and ends.
Infra, these 2 former helmets of the 109 GR, were reactivated at the I GBRIR109 in 1914, with all that was lying around in the drawers of the B.A.
---On the left is an M95... but with an M87 chinstrap with hooks. (decommissioned and reformed, but finally reused on mobilisation). Griffon with bridges.
---Right a M87/91... but with a M91 chinstrap with scales, Griffon with screw-nuts. View attachment 55447


View attachment 55443 The 2 helmets are marked peacetime on the left, and the Reserve regiment, raised in 1914.View attachment 55449
View attachment 55448

Outstanding analysis and great helmets! If only my markings were a little easier to read.

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Under the helmet cover, the misery was hidden. That's why we don't have many photos showing these period handicrafts. Nevertheless, every time I see one, I select and archive it. For example here, an R.R.109 with an old 1867 point, oversize and with perlring.

Infra, here we have the chance to see a ‘trophy’ helmet picked up the same day by this Englishman (Battle of the Somme) without its faceplate. Look at the ‘wild’ double drilling above the ‘regulation’ eyelets, to fit another plate.
And here, during a review at the end of ‘14, at JB14 in Colmar. These Mecklenburg fighters should be wearing the Schwerin sun. However, as this battalion was far from its ‘Land’, garrisoned in Alsace (Reichsland), most of the felt Shakos had the Prussian eagle. Only the Feldzeichen was in the Mecklenburg colours!

Each time, photos without helmet covers.
This is my LIR118 Ersatz-Bataillon helmet. In fact, a fireman's helmet, which has kept its chinstrap !!!



The old Feuerwehr banana crest is clearly visible.
Undetectable under its helmet cover.

 

[b.loree]

That is an amazing helmet Clovis! It shows how much the Germans struggled to equip their expanding army after the first attacks of 1914.

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Exactly!
In fact, in 1913, there were around 200 active regiments equipped and a relatively small stock of equipment in the B.A. for the Reserve and Landwehr.
When mobilisation came in 1914, almost 500 more regiments had to be equipped. These regiments had been provided for in the mobilisation plan, but the equipment was not up to scratch. As a result, firemen went to the front with their helmets modified by the addition of a simple spike, and customs officers and police officers were mobilised with their ‘Eigentum’ helmets.
The Feuerwehr infra helmet has kept its crest banana, but a wooden spike has been glued to the top, to fill the shape of the spike helmet cover.

The photos below show customs officers or police officers mobilised with their ‘administrative’ helmets undetectable under a helmet cover.

 

[USN]

I have been donated some visor trim for this piece but I have a dilemma of either matching patina or matching shape of the visor better?

 

[CLOVIS 57]

I have been donated some visor trim for this piece but I have a dilemma of either matching patina or matching shape of the visor better?

Fitting the trim into the visor is a priority. Adjusting the length and matching the 2 side rivets is essential.
The patina comes back with time. If the trim is badly oxidised, it can be corrected and adjusted using steel wool 000 or white clay.

 

[b.loree]

A tight fit to the visor should be the priority in my opinion, plus matching holes for the visor brads.