1916 Schultz & Holdefleiss Kurassier helm

[Pontrest]

I recently acquired this 1916 Schultz & Holdefleiss Kurassier Pickelhaube. It was painted silver, and the spike, base, and wappen are painted a dark subdued gold color. I am in the process of removing the silver paint from the helmet, and will have to remove the gold paint from the spike, base, and wappen. I also want to try to straighten out the spike without damaging it.

 

[Pontrest]

I looked up Schultz & Holdefleiss, and it was an art firm in Berlin in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

 

[Sandmann]

Welcome to the Forum Pontrest and good luck to your restoration project

 

[Pontrest]

Did some work today. Got some paint off the exterior of the shell. One of the thing that strikes me about this shell is the lack of dents and dings. Despite someone painting this helmet silver, and the fittings a dull golden color, and chopping out the liner, there really aren't any dents or dings to speak of. As you can see, the spike needs some work, and any recommendations for correcting this are appreciated.

 

[Pontrest]

I'm at 95% with this restoration. I got the silver paint off the shell and the gold paint off the spike, base, and wappen, and the patina and original finish look beautiful. The cockades are reproduction as is the chinstrap, but I had the chinstrap made with original metal hardware buy a guy in Ukraine. I use Auto Sol metal polish and Renaissance Wax metal polish to protect and bring out the finish in my metal helmets.

 

[Sandmann]

Great job

 

[Zebedeus]

Well done! Congrats

 

[Yeohelmetguy]

... interesting to watch the transformation... the end product is really quite striking... well done!!!

David

 

[pickelhauben]

You did a great job.
Can't tell in the pictures , did you straiten the spike ?

 

[Pontrest]

You did a great job.
Can't tell in the pictures , did you straiten the spike ?

Thank you. I didn't straighten the spike yet; I have to fashion my spike straightening jig, but I'll post pictures once I do.

 

[Pontrest]

... interesting to watch the transformation... the end product is really quite striking... well done!!!

David

David, thank you. I appreciate the compliment. I like the way it turned out.

 

[Pontrest]

Well done! Congrats

Thank you.

 

[Pontrest]

Great job

Thank you.

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Very good work. Congratulations

 

[Pontrest]

Very good work. Congratulations

Thank you. Much appreciated.

 

[yaro990]

Great project! Congratulations

 

[ccj]

Looking forward to seeing the result of your work

 

[Pontrest]

Great project! Congratulations

Thank you.

 

[Pontrest]

Looking forward to seeing the result of your work

Thank you. I'll post final pictures when I straighten that spike out.

 

[CLOVIS 57]

In theory, the cuirassier eagle is not identical to the M95 or M15 line infantry eagle. It resembles it but there are differences in details. In fact, the cuirassier eagle is of the same matrix as the M60 line eagle:
---The Vaterlandbandeau goes all the way to the wing tips.
---The upper thighs are connected to the lower wings.
---And the feathers of the abdomen are in V ; The start of the tail is also different. (as on the eagles of Shako, or on the Tchapka, or in the Prussian officers)
In practice, only the helmets of "Lachmann" construction or the rare "Ersatz" were equipped with the eagle of Line infantry. (photo 1 and 2)
Conversely, photos 3 and 4 show an M15 infantry helmet, but with an M15 cuirassier eagle as described above. This can be explained by the recycling of this eagle during the decommissioning of the cuirassier helmets, replaced by the Stahlhelm in 1916.