Good Afternoon,
Recently, a friend asked me if I could find out anything about a pickelhaube that been found in his grandfather's closet after his death. How his grandfather got a hold of it is unknown. It looks to be an American pickelhaube and bears a strikingly similar appearance to one that appears in a photograph on this site:
http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles/AmericanPickelhaube.htm
The pickelhaube to which I am referring is ¾ of the way down the page in a photograph that has 2 different pickelhaubes shown, one with an “A” in one of the wappen and the other with a “1”. The pickelhaube with the “1” in the wappen is the one I am referring to. The differences between the one in the photograph and mine are as follows. The wappen of the American Eagle in mine doesn’t have arrows clutched in either talon. It only has branches (olive, I am assuming). The cruciform spike plate is identical but instead of knobs at the end of each arm, it has stars. The “kokarde” (piece that attaches the chin scales to the helmet, I believe) is also a bit different. Everything else is pretty much the same. The only markings that I have found are two words (“Kraft” and “Maker”) stamped into the back spine on the inside of the rear visor. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts as to the authenticity of this helmet being an American pickelhaube versus a cannibalized product of several parts. My greatest concern would be the front plate b/c clearly this is an American eagle but it is not your iconic version (arrows in one talon, olive branch in the other). The chin scales appear to be genuine (utilizing a 2, 3, 2 link) and backed with a soft leather.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
Snowkill
Recently, a friend asked me if I could find out anything about a pickelhaube that been found in his grandfather's closet after his death. How his grandfather got a hold of it is unknown. It looks to be an American pickelhaube and bears a strikingly similar appearance to one that appears in a photograph on this site:
http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles/AmericanPickelhaube.htm
The pickelhaube to which I am referring is ¾ of the way down the page in a photograph that has 2 different pickelhaubes shown, one with an “A” in one of the wappen and the other with a “1”. The pickelhaube with the “1” in the wappen is the one I am referring to. The differences between the one in the photograph and mine are as follows. The wappen of the American Eagle in mine doesn’t have arrows clutched in either talon. It only has branches (olive, I am assuming). The cruciform spike plate is identical but instead of knobs at the end of each arm, it has stars. The “kokarde” (piece that attaches the chin scales to the helmet, I believe) is also a bit different. Everything else is pretty much the same. The only markings that I have found are two words (“Kraft” and “Maker”) stamped into the back spine on the inside of the rear visor. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts as to the authenticity of this helmet being an American pickelhaube versus a cannibalized product of several parts. My greatest concern would be the front plate b/c clearly this is an American eagle but it is not your iconic version (arrows in one talon, olive branch in the other). The chin scales appear to be genuine (utilizing a 2, 3, 2 link) and backed with a soft leather.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
Snowkill
