Felt Officer Pickelhaube

[Rkinkade]

Do ersatz felt officer helmets exist? There are a couple examples in Eric Johansson’s book. I have a couple cloth covered cork lightweight officer examples, but wondering about felt.

Ron

 

[2nd.Leibhusar]

This is my Bavarian Chevauleger officers helmet made of felt covered with black shellac and visors made of pressed paper/cardboard.

 

[Rkinkade]

Very interesting helmet! And I would say quite scarce. I like the inner spike reinforcement plate (2 piece?) and the cloth tape on the inner edge beneath the sweat band. Don’t know that I have seen that before.

 

[Jeff R]

My example is an ersatz Dragoon officer, and like Sander's helmet it is lacquered pressed felt. In this case it is fitted with patent leather visors, and a brass eagle covered with a thin silver wash. The interior may once have had a newspaper lining, which has mostly disintegrated in the last 100 years. Reddish ersatz sweatband, but with a ribbed silk liner. An interesting combo of pre-war and wartime components.

 

[2nd.Leibhusar]

..fantastic example , Jeff !
A stunning beauty ....

 

[Andy be Prussian]

Great ersatz examples. I’ve seen a couple of these felt officers haubes for sale, including a pioneer one

 

[KAGGR#1]

My example is an ersatz Dragoon officer, and like Sander's helmet it is lacquered pressed felt. In this case it is fitted with patent leather visors, and a brass eagle covered with a thin silver wash. The interior may once have had a newspaper lining, which has mostly disintegrated in the last 100 years. Reddish ersatz sweatband, but with a ribbed silk liner. An interesting combo of pre-war and wartime components.

View attachment 61562
View attachment 61563
View attachment 61564

Excellent helmet
Steve

 

[911car]

My example is an ersatz Dragoon officer, and like Sander's helmet it is lacquered pressed felt. In this case it is fitted with patent leather visors, and a brass eagle covered with a thin silver wash. The interior may once have had a newspaper lining, which has mostly disintegrated in the last 100 years. Reddish ersatz sweatband, but with a ribbed silk liner. An interesting combo of pre-war and wartime components.

View attachment 61562
View attachment 61563
View attachment 61564

I like it a lot!
I cannot remember seeing a beetroot-red liner like this one before.
A unique helmet.

 

[GardeUlan]

Great helmets!

I like the Chevauleger and the Prussian dragoon a lot!

I can contribute to this discussion a Baden pioneer helmet with a typical war time inner lining.

Best wishes,

GardeUlan

 

[John Josef]

Great helmets!

I like the Chevauleger and the Prussian dragoon a lot!

I can contribute to this discussion a Baden pioneer helmet with a typical war time inner lining.

Best wishes,

GardeUlan

WOW is that made of ersatz paper cloth. The texture looks like it, but I've never seen it made in that color with a printed pattern.

 

[Jeff R]

I can contribute to this discussion a Baden pioneer helmet with a typical war time inner lining.

Oh that is beautiful! What interesting construction - what is the shell made of?

 

[GardeUlan]

WOW is that made of ersatz paper cloth. The texture looks like it, but I've never seen it made in that color with a printed pattern.

I‘ve another helmet with a very similar inner lining. A Prussian cuirassier.

 

[GardeUlan]

Oh that is beautiful! What interesting construction - what is the shell made of?

Good question. It looks like cardboard or papier-mâché to me. In any case, an Ersatz-material

 

[John Josef]

I‘ve another helmet with a very similar inner lining. A Prussian cuirassier.

That's really nice, are my eyes playing tricks on me or is that printed paper cloth.

Like I mentioned I've never seen it used on a liner before. I've seen it on the underside of shoulder boards, straps on gas mask cans ect... That really looks cool, and I've never seen it printed in color with a design.

 

[John Josef]

Good question. It looks like cardboard or papier-mâché to me. In any case, an Ersatz-material

No doubt about it, very cool helmet.

 

[brusik1]

I also have a similar Pickelhaube, I am not sure if it is made of paper or leather, it is a bit hard when I knock on it

 

[dave mosher]

I have three lacquered rabbit felt officer helmets: Baden infantry, Guard infantry, Saxon LG 100

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Here's mine, the bomb is made of “croute de vache” (poor-quality leather), and the visor and head-cover bands are made of gilded zinc. The post side, tip base and M15 “Officer” tip are in gilded steel. The sweatband is made of varnished cardboard. Basane red and green is replaced by waxed cloth. Uncovered with simple field chinstrap for troops.

I'm not thinking of a private purchase, but rather an endowment provided by the army to a 0ffizierstellvertreter, appointed to the front to replace the losses of Lieutenants in the early months of the war.

Indeed, while “career” 0fficiers, often from well-to-do nobility, could afford gold-plated helmets, this was no longer the case for Feldwebels appointed “sub-Lieutenant” after a battle.

Obviously, with an officer's helmet cover, the quality was invisible.

It remains an “Extra-Helm”, but the superior quality and nobility of the metals is no longer there. It's no longer a ceremonial, prestige helmet for parade, but a field helmet for a fighting officer.

 

[Rkinkade]

I love all the ersatz examples! Thanks to all for your contributions! have a few similar black finish felt and fiber helmets, but has anyone seen a green/grey or brown un-finished felt officer helmet as shown in the Eric Johansson book? Could these be real or fantasy pieces created by a collector?