ersatz tschapka

F

flasheart

Member
Hello Gents,

Just returned from an all expenses paid trip to some of the world's nastiest places, good to be home.

Saw this one going off and took a shot at it. It looks good to me, certainly nothing at all like the fakes I have seen from the UK, and shaped like my other leather and vulkanfiber tschapkas. The mortarboard is also mounted in the same way as my early leather tschapkas, not with the four studs like I have seen in some, including he fakes.

What about the BA 1 1918 date? What do you think.

Mike

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The main thing that concerned me with this helmet was the BA 1 1918 stamp (this would make it the Lithuanian 12th Uhlan Regiment, with its base in Konigsberg). I thought that the erstaz helmets were an early war expedient and that the soft hats were no longer used once the stahlhelm came into service.

Were ersatz tschapkas still being taken into store in 1918? Was this an anomaly of the eastern front where cavalry could still operate freely and perhaps still wore tschapkas into 1918? Colonel Joe, I am sure you have some insights into this.

This is the second filz tschapka I have seen with a BA 1st Corps 1918 marking. The other is at http://www.warelics.com/Visors.htm .

Mike
 
I am not an expert on Tschapka's but he Picklehaubes were made and issued till 1918 . They were used for rear area ,parade etc. They were not common but pictures of Canadian Corp's from the last 100 days show PickleHaube's in abundance ,after liberation . also in the AEF .
The piece looks nice . But sorry I have no knowledge.
Mark
 
Hello.

An important information had been communicated to me by Mr. Larcade: at the end of the war Beckleidungs Amt were specialized in the supply of specific effects for all the army corps. He give me the example of a reversible anorak of skier carrying the marking from the KBAG. There was not unit of skiers of the guard but the KBGA was charged of the supply of all the effects in fabric. So it's possible to find end war items carrying the marking of another B. A. than that of the regiment for which the effect was intended.

:o

timp_be
 
Were ersatz tschapkas still being taken into store in 1918? Was this an anomaly of the eastern front where cavalry could still operate freely and perhaps still wore tschapkas into 1918?
Click to expand...

I don't know Mike. I know nothing about these helmets except for that they have been reproduced extensively. The liners I think are often a giveaway. Reference the mark I think it is highly suspect. I know of no filtz cavalry helmets used in 1918. I do not know what the OB of I corps was in 1918. Learn something everyday though.

It is also interesting that the only filtz marks that I have seen that are two-sided were on fakes -- albeit a completely different mark than this and a different corps. So nothing concrete just circumstantial.
 
I'm afraid that I don't like it at all; I've seen a few of these just like it that I felt were copies. I'd pay very close attention to the leather liner and chinstrap, as they were the first give-aways on the ones I've examined (artificially aged leather, often using heat). Just my thoughts...

Regards,
Arran.
 
Well Gents,

After receiving warning bells from multiple sources I asked the seller to cancel the sale, which he did without question or discussion, so I suspect that he knew it wasn't right.

A pity, I actually thought that this might be the genuine article.

Mike
 
Good move Mike. As I said to you privately, I am sure mine was good, but returned it only because these are so difficult to re-sell due to the jerks that made copies.
 
I PM'd Mike about the liners in these repros. I would therefore like to echo the liner comment made above. The liner leather is too soft, much like glove leather and the colour is the same on both sides which is incorrect. The dye colour used is also not the correct air burn type that true originals have. Brian
 
Hi Mike,

It's a good idea and a happy end for you, even if I'm sure that you're a bit disapointed with such an adventure. Don't worry Mike, some genuine and nice felt Tschapkas are sometimes for sale but always expensive. Here you're an example that I'm sure it's a genuine one, you can trade it or dream on it but it keeps to be a good reference for anyone who wants to buy such an headgear:

http://www.regimentals.co.uk/shop/viewphoto.php?shoph=36871&phqu=4

Here you're an another reference, these are some famous fakes that I've collected on the Web:











 
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