Fahnrich Upgrade, Parts Helmet, or Reproduction?

SkipperJohn

SkipperJohn

Well-known member
I have watched this dealer recently and he has had some very nice pieces offered.

He now has this item available:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Imperial-German-Prussian-Line-Cuirassier-Officers-Pickelhaube-Helmet/263408891849?hash=item3d5464b7c9:g:anAAAOSwqbxaRWP2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My concerns are:
The patina on the spike base does not match the other brass fittings.
The Kokarden do not match, and in the photo at least one of them appears to be brass.
The trefoils are cast, I believe that originals were too, but these are shoddy, not well made at all.
The chin scale screws are actually bent pins made to look like screws??? Why would anyone do this?

It has 18 bids with 7 days to go, so it will probably go sky high.

What do you think?

John
 
Helmet belongs to fellow member Mark's (Maplecreek) father (maplecreekII) I am not sure on this one, but have purchased and seen many good helmets from him.

James
 
J.LeBrasseur said:
Helmet belongs to fellow member Mark's (Maplecreek) father (maplecreekII) I am not sure on this one, but have purchased and seen many good helmets from him.

James
Click to expand...

I agree. He has had some wonderful stuff for sale recently. I'm just curious about this helmet because it has some very unusual features. I am very interested in knowing what is legit and what is not. If I saw this helmet in a shop I would guess that the spike base, cockades, and screws had been replaced with reproduction parts.
Like many other collectors I have passed on perfectly legit pieces thinking that they were fake, and I have bought some absolute crap thinking it was real.

John :?
 
To me, it looks like this helmet was really beaten up / dented / creased / cracked and somebody did a nice restoration on it. Here's what I see: Front visor was soldered back on (burned leather lining the visor); the cockades and trifoils were cast / replaced (or am I wrong about the cockades?). I don't know that the spike goes with the base or base with the helmet (cardboard spacers in spike). Whether or not the chinstrap is original to the helmet is academic, but it looks like the right replacement to me, if it is a replacement.
I'd also like to know if the trifoils were ever cast (I suspect not).
That's just what I'm seeing It would look nice in my collection.

:D Ron.
 
He was set up at the 2017 S O S
I saw a very nice Husaren Officer that was
bought by Randy T.
Then to Brian Sanders .
I can tell you if Brian buys a Husaren officer
it is correct
Also a very nice Machine Gun officers shako
was sold by him

He is selling his father's old collection
that's all that I know

Steve McFarland
 
The question still stands. Were the trifoils ever cast?

Yes, I bought a beautiful Bavarian officer helmet from them as well. Just commenting on what I see on this particular helmet.

:D Ron
 
poniatowski said:
The question still stands. Were the trifoils ever cast?

Yes, I bought a beautiful Bavarian officer helmet from them as well. Just commenting on what I see on this particular helmet.

:D Ron
Click to expand...

We need to get Tony's input on this one.
He is the only one I know who has a perfect example.

John :)
 
I would be very surprised if original trefoils were ever cast. All originals I've seen have been stamped.
 
The question still stands. Were the trifoils ever cast?
Click to expand...

In my opinion, you will NEVER, EVER find a cast trefoil on an authentic Prussian Officer's Metalhelm. Period. [-X

Only stamped trefoils where used with screwed on posts both on Fahnrich and Officer's helmets.

I own both Officer and Fahnrich helmets.

I have seen a similiar cast trefoil and split prong screw on a helmet once before. It was on a "Theater/Costume Helmet" which would pass as a real one at a distance but not on close inspection.

I will also point out that just from a weight saving measure which I am sure the officers where trying to achieve a stamped trefoil would weigh a lot less than a cast one.

10gfa6q.jpg


John
 
Wow!! That is a very impressive picture/collection, thank you for posting it here on the forum. :thumb up:
 
Its possible the helmet was found as only a dented shell, and restored from parts. It does not have a proper Kürassier officer's eagle Wappen with straight tail feathers, it has a Foot-Troops eagle Wappen with the VVV where the tail feathers begin. As Kürassier stamped brass trifoils are impossible to find, a replacement pair appear to have been cast. Perhaps Kokarden as well. The chinscales are also narrow Foot-Troops pattern. And as mentioned, it must have been badly beaten up, and the shell has had all the dents banged out.

Still, these are very expensive helmets and as a filler, many might be fine with it being a restored helmet to obtain an economical example :study:
 
Stunning helmets, John :bravo: :bravo: :bravo:

Thanks for the education on this helmet guys. I thought that it looked a little off and now I know why.
It sold for $2004.00 US and would have been a steal if it was all original.

John :)
 
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