Firma Van der Heyden 'Kit' Helmet

[seagull]

This little helmet came to me well over fifteen years ago minus its wappen and kokarden. The kokarden with appropriate small 'V' cut-out are still to be found (repros will have to do for now) but the wappen finally came my way after an awful lot of looking. I removed the wierdly pink (??) paint splashes from the stag's forefoot but have made no attempt to clean away the small signs of its age or polish it up - I like them like that. Apart from the one liner tongue ripped out this is probably the best condition Van der Heyden I have ever seen: no dents, no big paint scratches and no deterioration of the brass parts. The chinstrap is excruciatingly thin leather and a little fragile so I vote : real. Now, if I can just find those kokarden,..
Steve

 

[J.LeBrasseur]

Stunning helmet, and in great shape, congrats.

This one is on my want list for a long time, have a Prussian and Bavarian, need the Wurttemberg.

Way to go

James

 

[seagull]

Thank you James, I value your good opinion of this long (very long) term pet project. Feeling pretty good about almost completing the plan!
Best regards, Steve.

 

[b.loree]

Congratulations Steve, it is always so satisfying to find that missing part to complete a helmet. Extremely hard to find even the correct Prussian kit wappen for this, let alone a proper Wurttemberg model. I only have the Prussian version of this helmet but it is in excellent condition.

 

[stuka f]

Very nice.

 

[Sandmann]

Beautiful helmet

 

[SkipperJohn]

Very nice and rare helmet.
Congratulations!

John

 

[Tony without Kaiser]

It is astounding luck that you actually found a Württenberg Wappen with the correct tube attachment. I have never seen one before.

 

[seagull]

First saw a Prussian wappen like this back in the early '90s and passed on it as I had no idea what it was - BIG mistake. When I bought this helmet well over 15 years ago, minus wappen and kokarden, I put two and two together and bought it, gambling long term that I would somehow stumble across another unusual wappen. Just my (unusually) good luck to find this wappen with a dealer I know about a hundred miles away. Several months ago I asked Peter Nardini if he had one and he replied he had no idea what I was talking about - in over 40 years of dealing he had never, ever, seen a wappen like this or, presumably, a kit helm. The icing on the cake was to discover an incredibly faint originalpaint scratch on the skull that matched the Stag's antlers. Thanks for the congratulations everyone, I may try to photoshop a smile on the face of my Avatar.
Steve.

 

[poniatowski]

Nice! I have the Prussian version. Your Württemberg version is excellent!

Ron

 

[wayne8661]

Steve,

Here mine that I recently Purchased from a fellow forum member. Interesting that both of these Wurtt Helmets have the vented rear spine.

Does Yours also have a slot cut into the helmet under the vent?

Wayne

 

[seagull]

Hi Wayne, no it's rear vent is completely non functional. I think the 'rivet' on the fake 'slider' is actually the bolt that is it's upper fixing - small nut inside. The usual felt lining pad would, in any case, prevent any air flow as it is never fixed down an just floats around loose. Interesting that your liner has grommets for the lacing - unlike mine. Maybe yours came from a manufacturer other than Van Dr Hayden?
Cheers, Steve

 

[Amybellars]

Mine is not in the best condition but I did not have a wurttemberg kit helmet. No liner, no chinstrap, wappen has the barrel shot but deer antler is missing. Unit marked to 122.

 

[poniatowski]

Mine, since we're sharing. Purchased in the 1970's.

 

[seagull]

Hi Amy, a unit mark! Never seen another Van der Heyden marked like that, now I am back to being envious, again!
Beautiful haube Ron, this (Prussian) is what I originally thought I was aiming toward and if a Prussian one had come along I would have grabbed it fast! Just a fluke mine turned out to be Wurtt.
This thread is fast becoming a reference file!
Cheers all,
Steve