As promised here are some pics of parts of my collection. I think from the many replies to my introductory post that you all think I collect only battlefield relics. This isnt actually true, they are only a part of my collection, but it is a good place to start. And on pickelhaubes.com where better to start than with these pics?
I was considering putting this post in the haube discussion thread as there is no doubt that these helmets are original and not `messed` with.
Some of the features on these helmets which remember have been taken from a combat environment fly in the face of the regulations.
Heres the first pic..I must confess I look happy, but then who wouldnt?
This was taken some years ago in a large dugout on the Somme. The helmet was buried under about 5 feet of chalk roof fall. Fortunately it had become wedged between two large blocks, which had crushed and bent it out of shape, but which had also protected it. It is of course an 1895 pattern Prussian line infantry pickelhaube. At the time of finding, it was utterly complete. The strap and one of the cockardes were actually stored inside the helmet where they had been placed all those years ago. The helmet still has one of the hooks for the field grey cover rusted to the rear visor, and remains of the cloth were still attached to the spike.
The liner and the tie strap (leather) were utterly complete. I was amazed, but the chalk, being well drained, had obviously preserved it in perfect conditions of humidity etc.
Normally when I find leather equipment, I have a set routine I use for conserving and preserving it. Firstly I always seal it in a plastic bag, normally with a nappy wipe or 2 to keep it moist. When I get the item home, I soak it in a solution of surgical spirits with glycerine dissolved into it at about 20% The glycerine goes into the leather replacing the water and stopping shrinkage. The item is finished by giving it 2 or 3 baths of acetone. This according to the british museum removes excess glycerine and drives out any remaining water. I have used it for years on many items and it normally works.
Sadly in this case it didnt work so well. I opted out of the acetone bath as I thought it would probably destroy any of the original finish on the haube. The liner, despite all my best efforts fell apart, tho the tie survived. I still have the liner but it is in many pieces. I have thought about backing it with toilet tissue or model aircraft tissue and some diluted epoxy, but havnt tried it as yet.
Well..I live on a boat, so humidity is always an issue, even with de humidifiers. The helmet just kept weeping moisture (glycerine is hydroscopic i believe) and it just kept deteriorating. In the end I admited defeat and in order to save the helmet from total destruction, I bathed it in acetone, and treated it with an epoxy solution diluted down with cellulose thinners. I dabbed it on with a lint free rag over the outside of the helmet, and although this sounds extreme, it worked. It hardened up the shell which had become so floppy in parts it was like a wet flannel.
Its a real shame I had to do this, but as the following cleaned pics show, it did save the helmet. I still have a little work to do, the strap, which had been eaten by rats!! needs to be rejoined in the middle and the haube could use another good buffing. I didnt try and reshape the helm, it was found in this shape, its part of its history and I wanted to preserve that. I tried not to overclean the metal work also. Sadly the one cockarde that I found in the helmet was so weak, I had to paint the rear side with epoxy before trying to clean the front. This means its just to thick to fit under the strap, owing to the build up of rust on the rear.
Apologies for the poor pic quality. It will get better
Next up..sadly pics of me finding this one are locked on my old pc. This is a Hessen 1915 pattern haube
This was found in the same dugout as the Prussian haube, but a year or so earlier I think. This was actually under no more than 1 or 2 feet of chalk and was in the entry room. It was as you see it. It hasnt been reshaped (I never do that its part of the history) The liner was gone, there was just no trace of it remaining. However, as you can see from the pics, it had been abandoned with its field grey cover fully attached, all the hooks are still rusted to the visors. The spike was removed, but a 1915 pattern spike was found in very close proximity to the haube, so I can only assume this was the spike from the haube. At any rate I display them together, rightly or wrongly. It was complete with both cockardes still in place on the side posts. Once they were cleaned, it became apparent they were both the same!! I guess it was more important for the helmet to show the correct profile under its cover than to actually have the correct regulation cokardes? An interesting period and totally original modification that every modern collector would probably assume was a post war addition? Next time you find that totally untouched barn find with two reichs cockardes under the cover..dont pooh pooh it!!
There was no strap found with this haube although remains of an 1895 pattern strap were found in close proximity.
I treated this haube in exactly the same way as the 1895..surgical spirits and glycerine..it worked!! why? I have no idea. Thats all I did. I am midway between re stiching the rear visor at present. The front is finished. Other than that all I did was clean it, soak it and give it a bit of the old spit and polish.
I cleaned the wappen and the cockards with a very weak solution of oxalic acid, to remove as much surface rust from the paint as possible. It worked well, but unfortunately, the wappen simply fell off its locating hoops one night..living on a boat is not always romantic!. Being ferous, it was not very strong and it broke into several parts :x I still have 1 part to re-fix as you can see. In the end I opted to attach it using a water based glue, so that I can remove it when I find a better way. The wappen itself is also fixed together with toilet tissue and water based glue.
You can also see in the pic, several spikes and wappen, aswell as a set of chin scales and some other cockards. The Bavarian wappen on the left of the pic is a reserve one. It was found in a very small dugout, in the vosges. It was totally screwed up, as if someone had taken it and just rolled it up in thier hand. This wasnt normal damage, it was almost rolled up. The wappen on the right is Bavarian line issue and was found in a dugout on the St mihel salient.
Can you see the spike on the left, with the leather "jacket" ? 1895 pattern with the remains of its cover still attached. Same dugout as the hessen and prussian haube. There were no other remains with this..no wappen, no anything, which threw me a bit. In total I found the remains of 7 hauben in this dugout, over the space of 15 years, including a See battalion shako!. It was a huge headquarters dugout, and buried mostly beneath 5 to 8 feet of roof fall. Sadly, on my last visit I found the entrance had collapsed, completely sealing whatever remains behind tons of chalk. I am very happy I wasnt in there when it happened. A lesson well learnt. After so many years of visiting the same place I guess I was getting a little blase. I didnt treat it with the same respect I tend to give new holes.
Here are a few more pics. When I get time and if I havnt bored you all to death, I will take some close ups. I have many many chin strap parts, ranging from issue to top end private purchase quality. As a ref. source im guessing its very valuable.
The last pic is my doggie. My best friend for over 10 years. Sadly he passed away on oct 4th 2010 It still hurts. He was only an old lab/collie cross, but he was a real friend. This pic still breaks my heart.
Well I hope I havnt bored you all. I will try get some more pics up soon and alsoif anyone can suggest a better way of posting or hosting images without the adds!! please let me know.
Hope you all enjoy the post..any questions Im happy to answer.
Andy
I was considering putting this post in the haube discussion thread as there is no doubt that these helmets are original and not `messed` with.
Some of the features on these helmets which remember have been taken from a combat environment fly in the face of the regulations.
Heres the first pic..I must confess I look happy, but then who wouldnt?
This was taken some years ago in a large dugout on the Somme. The helmet was buried under about 5 feet of chalk roof fall. Fortunately it had become wedged between two large blocks, which had crushed and bent it out of shape, but which had also protected it. It is of course an 1895 pattern Prussian line infantry pickelhaube. At the time of finding, it was utterly complete. The strap and one of the cockardes were actually stored inside the helmet where they had been placed all those years ago. The helmet still has one of the hooks for the field grey cover rusted to the rear visor, and remains of the cloth were still attached to the spike.
The liner and the tie strap (leather) were utterly complete. I was amazed, but the chalk, being well drained, had obviously preserved it in perfect conditions of humidity etc.
Normally when I find leather equipment, I have a set routine I use for conserving and preserving it. Firstly I always seal it in a plastic bag, normally with a nappy wipe or 2 to keep it moist. When I get the item home, I soak it in a solution of surgical spirits with glycerine dissolved into it at about 20% The glycerine goes into the leather replacing the water and stopping shrinkage. The item is finished by giving it 2 or 3 baths of acetone. This according to the british museum removes excess glycerine and drives out any remaining water. I have used it for years on many items and it normally works.
Sadly in this case it didnt work so well. I opted out of the acetone bath as I thought it would probably destroy any of the original finish on the haube. The liner, despite all my best efforts fell apart, tho the tie survived. I still have the liner but it is in many pieces. I have thought about backing it with toilet tissue or model aircraft tissue and some diluted epoxy, but havnt tried it as yet.
Well..I live on a boat, so humidity is always an issue, even with de humidifiers. The helmet just kept weeping moisture (glycerine is hydroscopic i believe) and it just kept deteriorating. In the end I admited defeat and in order to save the helmet from total destruction, I bathed it in acetone, and treated it with an epoxy solution diluted down with cellulose thinners. I dabbed it on with a lint free rag over the outside of the helmet, and although this sounds extreme, it worked. It hardened up the shell which had become so floppy in parts it was like a wet flannel.
Its a real shame I had to do this, but as the following cleaned pics show, it did save the helmet. I still have a little work to do, the strap, which had been eaten by rats!! needs to be rejoined in the middle and the haube could use another good buffing. I didnt try and reshape the helm, it was found in this shape, its part of its history and I wanted to preserve that. I tried not to overclean the metal work also. Sadly the one cockarde that I found in the helmet was so weak, I had to paint the rear side with epoxy before trying to clean the front. This means its just to thick to fit under the strap, owing to the build up of rust on the rear.
Apologies for the poor pic quality. It will get better
Next up..sadly pics of me finding this one are locked on my old pc. This is a Hessen 1915 pattern haube
This was found in the same dugout as the Prussian haube, but a year or so earlier I think. This was actually under no more than 1 or 2 feet of chalk and was in the entry room. It was as you see it. It hasnt been reshaped (I never do that its part of the history) The liner was gone, there was just no trace of it remaining. However, as you can see from the pics, it had been abandoned with its field grey cover fully attached, all the hooks are still rusted to the visors. The spike was removed, but a 1915 pattern spike was found in very close proximity to the haube, so I can only assume this was the spike from the haube. At any rate I display them together, rightly or wrongly. It was complete with both cockardes still in place on the side posts. Once they were cleaned, it became apparent they were both the same!! I guess it was more important for the helmet to show the correct profile under its cover than to actually have the correct regulation cokardes? An interesting period and totally original modification that every modern collector would probably assume was a post war addition? Next time you find that totally untouched barn find with two reichs cockardes under the cover..dont pooh pooh it!!
There was no strap found with this haube although remains of an 1895 pattern strap were found in close proximity.
I treated this haube in exactly the same way as the 1895..surgical spirits and glycerine..it worked!! why? I have no idea. Thats all I did. I am midway between re stiching the rear visor at present. The front is finished. Other than that all I did was clean it, soak it and give it a bit of the old spit and polish.
I cleaned the wappen and the cockards with a very weak solution of oxalic acid, to remove as much surface rust from the paint as possible. It worked well, but unfortunately, the wappen simply fell off its locating hoops one night..living on a boat is not always romantic!. Being ferous, it was not very strong and it broke into several parts :x I still have 1 part to re-fix as you can see. In the end I opted to attach it using a water based glue, so that I can remove it when I find a better way. The wappen itself is also fixed together with toilet tissue and water based glue.
You can also see in the pic, several spikes and wappen, aswell as a set of chin scales and some other cockards. The Bavarian wappen on the left of the pic is a reserve one. It was found in a very small dugout, in the vosges. It was totally screwed up, as if someone had taken it and just rolled it up in thier hand. This wasnt normal damage, it was almost rolled up. The wappen on the right is Bavarian line issue and was found in a dugout on the St mihel salient.
Can you see the spike on the left, with the leather "jacket" ? 1895 pattern with the remains of its cover still attached. Same dugout as the hessen and prussian haube. There were no other remains with this..no wappen, no anything, which threw me a bit. In total I found the remains of 7 hauben in this dugout, over the space of 15 years, including a See battalion shako!. It was a huge headquarters dugout, and buried mostly beneath 5 to 8 feet of roof fall. Sadly, on my last visit I found the entrance had collapsed, completely sealing whatever remains behind tons of chalk. I am very happy I wasnt in there when it happened. A lesson well learnt. After so many years of visiting the same place I guess I was getting a little blase. I didnt treat it with the same respect I tend to give new holes.
Here are a few more pics. When I get time and if I havnt bored you all to death, I will take some close ups. I have many many chin strap parts, ranging from issue to top end private purchase quality. As a ref. source im guessing its very valuable.
The last pic is my doggie. My best friend for over 10 years. Sadly he passed away on oct 4th 2010 It still hurts. He was only an old lab/collie cross, but he was a real friend. This pic still breaks my heart.
Well I hope I havnt bored you all. I will try get some more pics up soon and alsoif anyone can suggest a better way of posting or hosting images without the adds!! please let me know.
Hope you all enjoy the post..any questions Im happy to answer.
Andy
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