seagull
Well-known member
Another sadly abused old warrior bought from an old friend selling up some years ago. Someone extensively messed with it, adding a (wrong) new leather tongue to one side of the (real but still not correct) chinscales - but not addressing the lack of a buckle on the opposite side !, probably added the 115mm Line Eagle wappen (which fits perfectly), and somehow 'made' a strange rear spine (complete with hammer marks- now in the junk box). At the same time they failed to rectify the missing stitches in both visors, the wreckage of the liner and the missing rear portion of the cross base for the spike. Well, my wife knows about my propensity for bringing home waifs and strays (brought home a stray horse one time, but that is another story). The leather of this helmet is by far the thickest of any I have, probably the reason the skull is still in pretty good shape, even the two visors are about 3mm thick and the rear inner skull is reinforced with another thick leather 'insert'. I have wondered if this was perhaps a Mod 1860 reduced in height or is it a later Line Dragoon ? There are no visible markings on the very dark interior so I get no clues there and can only go by what I see which is:
- The Mod 1860 EM broken cross spike base (I can repair that.) with a spike that unscrews, for a regiment permitted the Haarbusch, the 'ghost' on the leather says this is original to the skull.
- The damaged spike base is attached by one (original) split brad and two (original) screws but one has a modern nut and washer.
- The square front visor with the remains of an EM heavy gauge brass trim (I may be able to fix that - I certainly don't expect to find one).
- The (now absent) rear spine has two fixing points and no vent hole - should it have the plain EM un-ventilated spine with internal or external screw bolts/brads?
- The Chinscale fixtures: I had initially wondered if steel screw bolts were appropriate? but then noticed that the holes at the side show a really small hole alongside each, one of which has the minute remains of a metal pin inside it: does this indicate use of the 1891 Knopf? whatever was once there is long gone.
I appreciate that this old warrior is something most people would hide under an Uberzug but I would like to make it right, as it was in its last honest incarnation, so would appreciate any comments, advice or wild speculation! I know this is going to increase my "Wanted Ad" list and cost me, but you either care about these relics of the past or you don't. I do.
Thanks for looking, Steve.
- The Mod 1860 EM broken cross spike base (I can repair that.) with a spike that unscrews, for a regiment permitted the Haarbusch, the 'ghost' on the leather says this is original to the skull.
- The damaged spike base is attached by one (original) split brad and two (original) screws but one has a modern nut and washer.
- The square front visor with the remains of an EM heavy gauge brass trim (I may be able to fix that - I certainly don't expect to find one).
- The (now absent) rear spine has two fixing points and no vent hole - should it have the plain EM un-ventilated spine with internal or external screw bolts/brads?
- The Chinscale fixtures: I had initially wondered if steel screw bolts were appropriate? but then noticed that the holes at the side show a really small hole alongside each, one of which has the minute remains of a metal pin inside it: does this indicate use of the 1891 Knopf? whatever was once there is long gone.
I appreciate that this old warrior is something most people would hide under an Uberzug but I would like to make it right, as it was in its last honest incarnation, so would appreciate any comments, advice or wild speculation! I know this is going to increase my "Wanted Ad" list and cost me, but you either care about these relics of the past or you don't. I do.
Thanks for looking, Steve.
Attachments
Last edited:
