Combination of new find and question re Vulcan fibre

nzef1940

nzef1940

Well-known member
My new find is this nice Hessian Officer Vulcan fibre helmet.

My question is I have always assumed Vulcan fibre was a wartime initiative only and not used on pre war (pre August 1914) Pickelhaubes?

I look forward to being enlightened! Thanks in advance.
 

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Depaheg Patent made vulcan fiber helmets.

Here is a leather liner from an enlisted man's version Depaheg Patent Helmet that has the leather liner maker mark and dated 1914. The wearer's side of this leather liner has the Depaheg Patent maker mark on it.

Best Wishes,

Alan


Depaheg Patent helmet liner marking.JPG
 
Last edited:
Thanks Alan

I have owned another fibre helmet that was totally unmarked - a Saxon reserve officer that was near mint.

Will find the link (an old one and post).

Link to my Saxon fibre Haube from 2010:

A top German ebay score

Greetings from a forum newby. I was lucky to be up early and searched under newly listed, could not believe this one and it was a buy now to boot. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290387603333 The group is amazing with extra bits and pieces not seen in the auction, silver...
www.pickelhaubes.com www.pickelhaubes.com
 
HatEnjoyer said:
If anyone could tell you, I bet it would be Sandy!
Click to expand...
That's too much of honor. Unfortunately, I have no information about the exact introduction time of the Vulcanfiber helmets. In my opinion, Alan has the greatest knowledge about it (wwczechlegion). But I know that there were peacetime quality Vulcan fiber helmets, so the helmet is plausible.
 
While it was surely used as an ersatz production method during the war, a lot of the officer helmets I have seen in Vulcanfiber appear to be high-quality, pre-war examples. Of the two I own one is labeled with the Depaheg Patent logo and the other is unmarked. I had always assumed that in the pre-war era these were sold as a higher-technology alternative to the heavier old-timey leather helmets. Imperial Germany was an industrial/technological/chemical powerhouse before the war, and I wouldn't be surprised if Vulcanfiber was a fashion choice before it became a wartime expedient.
 
nzef1940 said:
Thanks Alan

I have owned another fibre helmet that was totally unmarked - a Saxon reserve officer that was near mint.

Will find the link (an old one and post).

Link to my Saxon fibre Haube from 2010:

A top German ebay score

Greetings from a forum newby. I was lucky to be up early and searched under newly listed, could not believe this one and it was a buy now to boot. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290387603333 The group is amazing with extra bits and pieces not seen in the auction, silver...
www.pickelhaubes.com www.pickelhaubes.com
Click to expand...

WOW, that was a find(y)(y)
 
Jeff R said:
While it was surely used as an ersatz production method during the war, a lot of the officer helmets I have seen in Vulcanfiber appear to be high-quality, pre-war examples. Of the two I own one is labeled with the Depaheg Patent logo and the other is unmarked. I had always assumed that in the pre-war era these were sold as a higher-technology alternative to the heavier old-timey leather helmets. Imperial Germany was an industrial/technological/chemical powerhouse before the war, and I wouldn't be surprised if Vulcanfiber was a fashion choice before it became a wartime expedient.
Click to expand...
Great information.

Many thanks 🙏
 
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