FsAR 1916 dated brass and steel mix???

USMC-EOD

USMC-EOD

Active member
Hi,

I found this today at a local antique store around the corner for a very reasonable price. This is exactly how I found this.

My first thought was that someone had just stuck an artillery top onto a standard M1915, until I saw the Artillery markings on the leather rear neck guard.
Then i noticed that one of the two grommets on the front was made of brass. The other grommet is made of gray finished steel.

The second thought that crossed my mind was "gee, I wonder if they were using up the last of the brass artillery kugels in order to finish a contract"?

Has anyone else seen a mix of the brass and steel parts being used to finish these helmets from around this period?

Thanks, and I appreciate your input.

Bryan.
 

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I think I may just take your advice and put a brass wappen on it!

Thanks for the confirmation about parts mixing, Amy. The thing that cinched it for me as being a strong possibility for factory parts mixing was having one steel and one brass grommet rivet on the front of the helmet for securing the plate.
The markings were icing on the cake. Very happy with this unusual little M1915!

And James, I appreciate you giving me certain information off line earlier. I will take care of that.
 
I‘ve seen haube’s with mixed parts also. I have a Pioneer Officers helmet with thin gray visor trim and a grey spine, all other fixtures are silver or brass. If you remove the silver spike, the top of the spike base is gray as well. I think in Stubb’s reference book, he referred to those type of helmets as a “M17”
 
My Hessen M15 has brass posts so yet another confirmation that this is totally legit. Of note as well, the hex nut on the spine, not common but I have seen this a few times over the years. The tin kit helmets with brass fittings always have these.
 
Thank you for your comments gentlemen.

The mixed grommets literally made me do a double take and stopped me in my tracks. I initially thought it was a parts helmet. If the wappen had been present, I would not have noticed the differing grommets! I am pretty chuffed about this one.

And Brian, the hex shaped nut on the spine threw me momentarily as well. I have also seen these on the tin kit helmets, but those are not made by traditional helmet makers.

The hex nut looked like it has been on there since it was made, so I figured it was an individual manufacturers anomaly. Thanks for your insight.
 
That's interesting, Phillippe.

Were such distinctions eliminated with the more common and standardized M1915 helmet changes?

I ask, because it seems like a lot of units lost some of their distinctive features due to wartime exigent circumstances and supply chain necessity.

In other words, would M1895 unit requirements trump M1915 mandates, and could a more common, steel line eagle also be proper during this period?

Thanks, and your answer will likely drive which direction I go, toward finding a new wappen for this helmet.

Bryan.
 
A very good question, but I don‘t think so. Small deviations were surely tolerated, but the eagle was the main part of the helmet and the eagle with FWR was something special. Back then, the Germans were proud of their origins and the regiment in which they served. That's why I don’t think that a false helmet eagle would have been accepted.
 
Thank you Sandy.

I will keep my eyes peeled for a brass wappen with an FWR cypher then!

It might take a while, but I will repost my new find after I have found one!

Bryan.
 
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