Steve Nick
Well-known member
Although this style of silver fitted Enlisted Ranks Picklehaube was worn by the Life Regiment as well as the Bavarian Railroad Battalion, the four Pioneer Battalions and the telegraph Battalion, I prefer to think this helmet belonged to a One Year Volunteer of the Life Guards due to the quality of the helmet and its fittings.
The helmet is a bit unusual in that although the helmet is private purchase the choice of fittings are modest and exhibit no indulgence in upgrading through the use of what are usually perceived as officer grade parts such as an officers spike with perlring or multi-piece kokarden.
The only officer quality parts are the visor trim and a voided crown on the Wappen. The interior is typical of a private purchase helmet however. It also features a red felt band between the leather liner and the shell.
I’m speculating that the owner may have been a well-off student who was simply serving his two years in the Army and then moving on with no aspirations to NCO or Officer rank.
There is an owners’ name penciled inside the shell but I can’t make it out. There is also a maker’s mark which I have never seen before and haven’t been able to identify. ( looks like S K in an oval stamping)
All the fittings are non-magnetic. I assume the material is German silver. Even the Bavarian kokarde is silver, the only steel piece is the Reichskokarde.
The spike unscrews to accommodate a tricther for wearing of a white horsehair parade plume. I may be wrong on the colour but I think white was used by Guard Regiments?
This may be my next candidate for the Brian Loree "dented shell restoration" process as the spike has a bit of a lean to it.
As you can see, the helmet Is missing two of the domed studs that secure the spike base. These are the threaded variety and are 10 mm in diameter. If anyone has two of these that they can spare I’d be interested in purchasing them.
The helmet is a bit unusual in that although the helmet is private purchase the choice of fittings are modest and exhibit no indulgence in upgrading through the use of what are usually perceived as officer grade parts such as an officers spike with perlring or multi-piece kokarden.
The only officer quality parts are the visor trim and a voided crown on the Wappen. The interior is typical of a private purchase helmet however. It also features a red felt band between the leather liner and the shell.
I’m speculating that the owner may have been a well-off student who was simply serving his two years in the Army and then moving on with no aspirations to NCO or Officer rank.
There is an owners’ name penciled inside the shell but I can’t make it out. There is also a maker’s mark which I have never seen before and haven’t been able to identify. ( looks like S K in an oval stamping)
All the fittings are non-magnetic. I assume the material is German silver. Even the Bavarian kokarde is silver, the only steel piece is the Reichskokarde.
The spike unscrews to accommodate a tricther for wearing of a white horsehair parade plume. I may be wrong on the colour but I think white was used by Guard Regiments?
This may be my next candidate for the Brian Loree "dented shell restoration" process as the spike has a bit of a lean to it.
As you can see, the helmet Is missing two of the domed studs that secure the spike base. These are the threaded variety and are 10 mm in diameter. If anyone has two of these that they can spare I’d be interested in purchasing them.
