Cuirassier Helmet Cover

O

ottodog8

Active member
Hi All,
Not having the site available for a few days made me realize again how great it is. Many thanks to Brian and Margo for keeping this thing going.
Now to the task of reassembling the knowledge.
I am looking at a cover for a cuirassier helmet in a local shop. The helmet is there too, but it isn't the best example (it's an m15). I may be able to persuade the owner to part with the cover alone, but I don't know anything about them. I do have both officer's and enlisted covers for
leather helmets so I do have a clue.
The cover in question is the slip on type, with the stiffeners in the front and rear brims. The material seems OK, very similar to mine and others I have handled. There is no leather in the point of the spike. There are no markings. There is a seam running vertically up the front, right in the center. The thing I really question is the fact that there is elastic in the edges between the front brim and the lobstertail. Did they even have elastic back then? Maybe it's a dumb question, but the rest of it looks pretty good. Any opinions? If it is real, what is it worth?

Thanks,
Steve
 
Hi Steve:

I know exactly what you're describing. I have a "wartime" IR 92 Officer's Überzug that I purchased from Regimentals a few years back. This cover, like the one you describe, has some type of elastic cord running through the side welts between the front and rear visor pockets. The cover is not marked D.R.P. (Deutsches-Reichs-Patent). Although, in all other respects, it is correctly made and does not flouresce under black light, I'm inclined to think it's a reproduction.

I would be very wary of these. The seam up the front sounds like bad news. If you could blacklight it at the shop, you might be on better footing. Here is another Regimentals offering:

http://www.regimentals.co.uk/shop/viewphoto.php?shoph=31055&phqu=3

I'd love to find one of these myself.

Good luck,

Chas.
 
Many years ago, I had an opportunity to purchase three lobster tail type field covers. I sent two back (they were $40.00 each and I could only afford one!) and kept a nicely unit marked example. As I recall, the other two were a JzP and a Kürassier example. I kept an issue JzP. The seams are in the front and the back. There is no reinforcing in the spike portion. The cover is marked J.z.P./R.3, B.A.XV 1911, Escd.2. The hooks are brass. The inside is a nice reed green, but the outside has faded to a tan color.

Chip
 
Thanks for the input, every bit helps. I also found some answers in the mammoth Kraus book on the German Army In WWI. On page 63, part of a caption describing an officer's cover says "Elastic bands were often also added to the sides to ease the fit". Good news for you Chas. On page 330 is a photo of an M15 cuirassier helmet with cover, showing the seam running right down the center of the front, identical to the one I'm looking at. It's looking good for the home team!

Steve
 
Steve:
Please posts some pics after you purchase this cover. I think everyone would like to have a look.
Regards, Brian
 
No joy on the cover. The shop owner wants to keep it with the helmet, and it costs more than I have in the slush fund right now. Maybe later on.
Steve
 
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