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Hello all, I’m going to be visiting Italy in January, can anyone recommend good militaria stores in Rome, Venice, Bologna or Florence? I have found one in Rome on Via del Coronari that looks good (if pricy) but not much else. I trust the opinions of this forum far, far more than the generic...

Hello all, I’m in the incredibly lucky position of travelling from Australia to Germany later this week. I’m going to visit Munich, Berlin and Hamburg. I want to see as many Pickelhaube-related stops as possible - I’ve found lots of Bismarck memorial statues, local little war memorials, Moltke...

Hi guys, I found this video yesterday and found it very interesting in the context of restoring helmets. In it a guy restores an antique Czech fireman’s helmet - not a pickelhaube, but some of the techniques could be adapted. https://youtu.be/AyUzjZVJYyw Overall the restoration is done to make...

I'm considering a purchase from Weitze. But before I sign on the dotted line, do these photos ring any alarm bells for any of our resident experts? There is a repair on the right wing that I know of, but that actually makes me more confident - if it was a fake or parts helmet, they would not...

Hello all, So this is at the expensive end of our collecting obsession. http://www.ebay.fr/itm/Prussian-M1867-Officers-Garde-Du-Corps-Helmet-/291654165873?hash=item43e7f16571:g:rVcAAOSwYIhWjTQT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Now I am no expert on GdK helms, but I am curious...

Has anyone here ever visited the museum at the Fort de la Pompelle in Reims? Apparently it has a collection of over 500 Imperial German helmets and headgear. I think I'm adding that to my itinerary next time I'm in France... http://www.reims-tourism.com/Discover/Heritage/Museums/(fiche"...

Hi all, Here is my latest arrival: an officer's pickelhaube from the 2nd Guard Regiment of Foot. In good condition, except that the spike is slightly leaning to the left. Cheers, Bungo

I found this tonight in a history of the Australian War Memorial, which today is one of the world's premier WW1 museums. Back in the 1920s, they had such a surplus of stahlhelms that they sold off their excess items as household decor novelties! In case you can't read the text of this original...

Hi all, Here is my latest aquisition. It arrived in the post yesterday. Purchased from Weitz in Hamburg. It is a Wurttemberg officer's helmet, from a Train battalion. Lots of original gilding still present. There is also written in pencil an original name, but I can't make it out: "Walter"...

Hello all, I'm considering purchasing a 1910 Kürassier helmet, but I have bugger all experience with Imperial metal helmets, having only dipped my toe with leather pickelhauben before. Can you experts please run your eyes over the attached photos from the seller and see if it rings any alarm...

Apparently in the UK there are calls for the Royal family to display the German uniforms of King George V, which have been hidden away since 1914. As the article mentions, George V had uniforms as part of his honourary role as Admiral of the Imperial German Navy, Prussian Field Marshal...

Interesting photo showing the various steps in the manufacture of a stahlhelm. Who knew they started off as round baking tins? Original can be found here: http://www.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/wwi/introduction/w_09.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; If you're not already...

Hello all, Here's my latest acquisition. It completed its journey from the USA just before the Easter long weekend, so I've had a lot of time to just stare happily at it. I need to pluck up the courage to swap the cockades to the correct sides (those split pins just look so fragile, and I am...

Hi all, I've been offered the opportunity to purchase a Bavarian pickelhaube for what seems to me a reasonable price. Attached are some photos. It also comes with its original case, which is missing the buckle on the strap. Do any of you see anything which sets off alarm bells? Obviously...

Curious to open up a "big question" discussion here. Just this week I was explaining my pickelhaube collection to someone who I barely knew. I could hear the slight distaste in her voice, and I rather fear I came across as some psychologically damaged warmonger... I admit it can seem a rather...

Poking around on ebay Australia this morning, I found the following listing for "M-1895 Prussian 1. Garde Dragoner Regiment. Queen Victoria Officer's Pickelhaube" - link...

I've never seen one quite like this before. The parade eagle looks more like a pigeon. Garde du Corps meets steampunk meets medieval! And asking 1,100 Euros... :o http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/281237944087?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"...

I've been good all year, so Santa brought me this for Christmas. I've already spotted a couple of items on ebay which I could pick as dodgy due to information I've learnt. For example, I never knew that officer's pickelhaube leather shells were sewn at the back under the rear spine, while...

Just arrived in the post today. The gilding looks much better in flash photography, is much less apparent in normal light.

Is it just me, or does it seem like there are a whole lot more pickelhauben for sale on ebay lately with reservist crosses on them? A year ago, they were very few and far between. In the last 1-2 months, it seems like every 3rd or 4th genuine-looking pickelhaube has a cross badge on the wappen...