cloth-covered cork?

pointystuff

pointystuff

Active member
http://cgi.ebay.com/Helmet-German-Pre-WW1-Spiked-Prussian-L-G-R-8-/290548112829?pt=AU_Militaria&hash=item43a6045dbd
 
Hey Ron,
Yes, it is authentic, this is the one type of helmet that can be found with a leather-oilcloth trim like we see on the fake felt helmets.
Best
Gus
 
Hey Guss,
So what's the catch? Why is price fairly low?
(apart from the fact it seems in a bad shape/disintegrating from the description)
 
The leather trim found on fake filz helmets may be a misguided attempt at duplicating the canvas edge shown on the cork helmet.
Could it be that the Germans used linseed oil to treat the canvas (oil cloth)?
 
It's difficult to tell from the photos, but the plate doesn't seem to go with the rest of the helmet. This may be due to plating or the use of a different kind of brass, but it seems awfully clean when compared to the rest of the hardware.

Any thoughts???

:D Ron
 
I would tend to believe thatt he Wappen is not original to this helmet, it could be that some one polished it and not the other brass parts, because they could remove it from the helmet.
Best
Gsu
 
I contacted the seller who seems quite honest and replied with the following:

>>>
(...)
Good point, and I'm sorry, I can't tell you as I bought it as is (in about 2002), and have not replaced the wappen. So I can't elude to if it is a replacement or not. Looks period, with honest wear (to plate).
<<<

I think it would've been a beautiful catch had it been in a better shape (the cork shell has started to disintegrate according to seller) with a more 'genuine' wappen.
 
Remember, the Regimental markings on the helmet do correspond to this wappen as does the Army Korps mark. Wappen is gilt other fittings are not which may account for the difference in colour.
 
Like I said Brian, just a thought. One of those things that's difficult to tell from photos and it's nice to get something like this 'in hand' to know how fragile it really is. I've an M-95 with the same bright wappen and have always been a bit suspicious of it; but it seems to be original to the helmet... although it's not gilt.
The fabric separating from the cork doesn't seem as big of a problem as the cork deteriorating would. Again, it would be nice to take a good look at this one, since it seems to be a pretty good helmet from the photos.

:D Ron
 
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