Bavarian Plumes

Thought I would share the different Bavarian plumes that they used!

So left to right:
1) Bavarian Generals plume, White and blue feather plume
2) Bavarian Train battalion NCO helmet with Black Horse hair plume
3) Bavarian Officer for artillery with Red plume Buffalo or Yak hair
4) Bavarian Officer for Chevauleger with White plume Buffalo or Yak hair.

James

last photo

Nice

Great overview, thank you for sharing James

Cool! Great display!

Nice grouping

Beautiful, I love plumes. Very Nice Grouping.

Great Spike Helmets! - here is one of mine

-Bavarian Officer for Artillery with Red plume Buffalo hair

I am confused about horse, Yak, and buffalo hair. Were these various types of hairs used in the bushes at the discretion of the maker? Or were certain types of hair supposed to be used with certain Regiments. I am anxious to find some bushes (with Trichters) for my Bavarian helmets as well but want to be sure I am getting the right thing -- in addition to the proper colors, which I do understand. Any help would be appreciated as well as leads as to where to get them.

Incidentally, I was told by a collector/dealer (50 year in the business so he has seen a lot of these) that the screws at the bottom of the Trichter came in 4 different sizes, depending on the manufacturer. I just bought a Gold fluted Trichter for one of my Bavarians and the screw is too small. So I continue to look.

Any help appreciated.

Mike

Mike H said:

I am confused about horse, Yak, and buffalo hair. Were these various types of hairs used in the bushes at the discretion of the maker? Or were certain types of hair supposed to be used with certain Regiments. I am anxious to find some bushes (with Trichters) for my Bavarian helmets as well but want to be sure I am getting the right thing -- in addition to the proper colors, which I do understand. Any help would be appreciated as well as leads as to where to get them.

Incidentally, I was told by a collector/dealer (50 year in the business so he has seen a lot of these) that the screws at the bottom of the Trichter came in 4 different sizes, depending on the manufacturer. I just bought a Gold fluted Trichter for one of my Bavarians and the screw is too small. So I continue to look.

Any help appreciated.

Mike

Click to expand...

Mike
The enlisted men wore the lesser grade of hair bush , which the hair is very straight
The officers wore the better grade of hair which is curly.
Once you see the two together you will know the difference
next time you come over for a visit , I will show you .
I think that all the ones that James posted were officers
except the feather bush for General .
Steve

Very Cool!

Hi Mike,
The type of hair for the Pickelhaube bush was specified in the Bekleidungsordnung. In the 1903 version for the enlisted men and NCO's, horse hair was specified, and in the 1895 version for officers, buffel hair was specified. In my quick review of these documents I didn't find any exceptions, but they might be hidden somewhere else in the documents .For some other types of headdress other types of bushes were specified, like ostrich feathers or vulture feathers, etc.
Regards,
Lars

Thanks for taking the time to photo these James, and for posting them here. It is an excellent study of these different types of Bavarian Plumes.

Best Wishes,

Alan

Lars13 said:

Hi Mike,
The type of hair for the Pickelhaube bush was specified in the Bekleidungsordnung. In the 1903 version for the enlisted men and NCO's, horse hair was specified, and in the 1895 version for officers, buffel hair was specified. In my quick review of these documents I didn't find any exceptions, but they might be hidden somewhere else in the documents .For some other types of headdress other types of bushes were specified, like ostrich feathers or vulture feathers, etc.
Regards,
Lars

Click to expand...

Thanks Lars, for taking the time to look this up in the Bekleidungsordnung and share the info here with us, we appreciate it.

Best Wishes,

Alan

Much appreciated. It does raise the question … where did the Germans get the buffalo hair? Imported from the USA?

James, great examples, beautiful helmets.
Cheers
Dennis

Mike H said:

Much appreciated. It does raise the question … where did the Germans get the buffalo hair? Imported from the USA?

Click to expand...

Not bison. Yack.

Mike H said:

Much appreciated. It does raise the question … where did the Germans get the buffalo hair? Imported from the USA?

Click to expand...

Unlike what is perhaps assumed today because of the crimes in World War II, the German Empire was a society that was open to foreigners. Global trade had always been strong in Germany and, as the link of an advertisement from 1886 shows, buffalo hair was also imported from the USA.

Yes prior to WW1 Germany was becoming a world wide economic powerhouse and a real threat to British trade dominance. Unfortunately, the Kaiser’s ambitions destroyed German prosperity.