Hi guys, does my pickelhaube have any problems?
- Thread starter Jy88
- Start date
I would say that your kugel top is not original to this helmet. From the photos you can see that the base sits on the rear spine. A private purchase officer style helmet like this would have a cut out in the base which fits over the spine. I would also look inside the helmet and examine the helmet plate. If it is secured by soldered brass wire loops and leather wedges then it also does not belong. If the plate is secured with screw posts and square brass nuts then it probably is original to the helmet. This is an enlisted mans helmet plate on an officer style helmet, so again check this out. The rear spine is correct for an officer helmet as are the kokarden, and chin scales.
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CLOVIS 57
Well-known member
Hello, as mentioned above. Your helmet has been cobbled together, with a mix of officer and enlisted parts. You need to choose between:
---an officer's helmet.
---an Eigentum helmet for a one-year enlisted soldier or a Portepee.
The first solution seems the simplest to me: The point must be exchanged for an officer's point or ball, and the same for the facial eagle.
The "Officer" point or ball shows a more elaborate Perling ring and the "Officer" eagle shows an openwork crown.
Officier eagle :
Perlring Office:
And the 4-star officer rank
---an officer's helmet.
---an Eigentum helmet for a one-year enlisted soldier or a Portepee.
The first solution seems the simplest to me: The point must be exchanged for an officer's point or ball, and the same for the facial eagle.
The "Officer" point or ball shows a more elaborate Perling ring and the "Officer" eagle shows an openwork crown.
Officier eagle :
Perlring Office:
And the 4-star officer rank
thanks for your reply! I understand now,But what is the difference between an enlisted man and a NCO pickelhaube? Only the ring around kugel is different?
CLOVIS 57
Well-known member
The spiked helmet is very complex, with numerous variations in detail (thousands!), depending on the year (1842 to 1915), rank, state, specialty (Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, etc.), and whether the service was military or paramilitary (Gendarmerie, Police, Customs, Firefighters, Magistrate, etc.). Don't hesitate to ask questions if anything is unclear. Forums are there for that purpose, and you won't find this level of detail in any book, given the sheer number of variations.
Understood, I bought three now, and found two of them are fixed together and one fake after done a lot research lol
John Josef
Well-known member
It can be very beneficial for new collectors to post here first before making a purchase. There are several members here who would be happy to help which could save you a lot of money and heartache.
Jy: One of the prime missions of this collector forum is to prevent new collectors from getting burned/ fooled. All of us older/experienced collectors made these mistakes and paid the price. We don’t want you to have to go through this. So, if you are looking to buy a helmet, post it here on the forum and we will help you out.
My wife is a Doctor of Clinical Psychology, and she could probably get your helmet in for an assessment.