Help Identifying and Finding who the Original Officer was

V

Von Stechow

New member
I am glad to make everyone's acquaintance here. :D

I have some nice things that I have inherited but they need some work and stabilization.

So I do have pics and will put them up here
I am looking for several specific pieces of info - leads to that info
Who was the officer that owned them (on my part finds the family name but the last officer in the family dies before WW1 but I do find a Rittmaster Stechow listed on a web site of officers in WW1 ) http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stechow_(Adelsgeschlecht)

How / who can fix / stabilize the items
Best way to display?
I have not decided if I want to keep them (collect weapons but Im not serious) or sell or donate to a museum

So what do I have you are wondering -
Family name is von Stechow Freiherr von Berlichingen i./l.von Saldern
the family crest (2 of them) also show up in King Wilhelm's imperial crest
all this info is from the saber ( Freiherr is German for Baron)
Have the pickelhaube with point and feather headdress (white and black egret feathers)
Have epulaps and adjuncts gold braid
silver belt w/ buckle and sword hanger
Cloth cap
all items are in original boxes but boxes due to my multitude of travels and my dad's travels are not in the greatest of shape
I have many pics - worried about the space I am using up - I will see about reducing the size -

I am looking forward to hearing from everyone
 
Von Stechow,

First of all, welcome to the Pickelhaubes forum!

Second, WOW!!! What a wonderful grouping! Amazing that you have been able to keep it in such great condition!

This leads me to my first question. What specifically are you worried about in terms of stabilization or work?

The pickelhauber is a General's Pickelhauber with a little verdigris on the chinscale. You can clean that yourself with some care. Do you have pictures of the interior of the helmet?

I can immediately suggest that you place the cloth cap in a sealed container with mothballs to preserve it and prevent mothing.

I would also suggest an airtight hard sided container for the plum to ensure it does not get damaged in case the original case is comprimised.

Do you have pictures of the epaulettes?

John
 
VS,

the sword is a commemorative piece which has the name of three cavalry officers commissioned on 18 August 1895 and who presumably were all friends and attended the same War School (Kriegsschule) course together prior to commissioning:

Sekonde-Lieutenant v. Stechow of Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 12
Sekonde-Lieutenant v. Saldern of 2. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr. 2
Sekonde-Lieutenant Freiherr v. Berlichingen of Husaren-Regiment Nr. 7

The General's helmet is more problematical as none of these gentlemen were old enough to attain to rank of General before 1918. Only one Prussian General fits the time frame: Otto v. Saldern-Ahlimb (1843-1918), commander of the 1. Garde-Feldartillerie-Brigade (1895-99) but presumably he would have worn a ball topped helmet (Kügelhelm).

So the question is, are any of the items named or labelled?

Regards
Glenn
 
Wow a lot of info from Glenn - thanks - your info is quite interesting -

Yes I have a lot more pics but wanted to reduce them in size from 1.5 to something that did not take up as much space on the website.

So - more information
I also have 3 other sword blades
one from artillery
one no id markings and is quite short
and one blade with no hilt

Now this might shine some light - all was purchased by my father at the end or WW2 in the Colone area - the thought was that the generals stuff / dress saber all came from the same family / residence but were not part of the 3 other blades.

As for markings - nothing inside no initials - no manufacturing stamps nada.
The interior of everything is in great condition silk headliner intacts sweatband intact (almost looks unused)
Cloth nothing moth eaten
Issues verdigris
all leather is extremely dry - need to re hydrate and helmet needs polish badly fading not shiny any more (don't know if to try to fix that or not)
Silver belt / cleaning silver is really tarnished - but blue backing cloth / ?? cardboard stiffener is becoming un stitched from the silver.

Let me see if I can attach some more pics
 
one more thing I forgot - the cloth cover for the pickelhaub has the letters
D.R.P. on it

I have seen one picture of the feathers with while and black in them - from what I understand usually they were on color only. That pic was showing the kings guard.
 
VS,

one thing is for certain. None of the three individuals named on the sword became Prussian General Officers. The epaulettes are those of a Prussian Generalmajor z.D. (zur Disposition), that is a retired officer, who in the event of mobilization, had agreed to be recalled to active service as necesary.

Regards
Glenn
 
Glenn,

Just want to say that, as an amateur historian, I am always amazed and impressed by the amount and quality of information you are able to come up with on individuals. I will be following this latest bit of research with great interest.

Patrick
 
Most private purchase covers were available and were form fitted. No hooks were used but rather the visors were fitted into hardened pockets. A common marking found on private purchase style covers or the letters DRP, which stands for Deutsches Reich Patent or DRGM, Deutsches Reichsgebrauchsmuster.
Click to expand...

http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles/Uberzug.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
OK then here is a thought of what went on

Remember my dad bought them from a German (paid in food etc)
Sooo....

what I have might have come from one location or multiple locations - I would guess from one location (family trophy room or the like) but that is just a guess and since there is no markings inside the cases anywhere (manf labels only) it looks like a lost cause...
I am trying to ID the time frame of the Pickelhaub - due to the short front and rear visors I am thinking it is a newer rather than older one that has been cut down
The hardware on the helm are fastened with nuts and washers (yup got them all)

there is a lot more info on the web now than there was 15 years ago when I last searched.

Glenn you seem to be an expert - on the sword is there any way to tell who was the actual owner vs the 2 friends?
Also my mother (another thing dad brought home from Germany) translated it a little bit differently von Stechow Baron of Berlichngen now the next part made no sense to her the i./l. von Saldern

I do have several reference books -
The sword and bayonet makers of Imperial Germany 1871-1918 by John Walter
A concise guide in color European Civic Coats of Arms - Paul Hamlyn
German Army and Navy Uniforms & Insignia 1871-1918 - E.J. Hoffscmidt & W.H. Tantum IV
The Franco-Prussian War by Geoffrey Wawro
and if I can find it German Sword and Sword making - Richard Bezdek

If anyone needs anything looked up maybe I can help.


Well I reduced the pic size and will attach them all here - hope I'm not using up to much disk space
 
And still more - hope people do not get tired of this

If anyone wants to see the high resolution pics or any particular angle I would be happy to oblige
 
I am certainly no expert when it comes to the subject of swords! However, given, that of the three regiments into which these guys were originally commissioned in 1895, only the two hussar regiments:

1. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr. 1 and 2. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr. 2 had a Guard Star on the grip (a Totenkopf was additionally authorized in 1896), then I would tend towards the owner being Sekonde-Lieutenant Otto v. Saldern of the latter regiment. He retired before the war as a Rittmeister in Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 22 although did see further service in WW1 on the staff of the II Army Corps Home Command and retired as a Major.

Regards
Glenn
 
Good Morning Glenn (well evening to you really I guess)

I appreciate the info and doing some internet research

Where did you get the info as to the regiments / sword grip descriptions as to the guard star?

It also turns out that Saldern is a very old family name there in Germany / Prussia
found a very interesting write up here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Christoph_von_Saldern" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


General request - the leather Helm has been shrinking over the years - who / what is the best thing I can do for it?
How do I clean the verdigris
In many ways I am thinking it might be best to have an expert check / clean / help the helmet
The woven silver belt? well that is a big deal - how to clean / restore the backing (sew it back on)
Of the feather plums - generally in good condition - 2 broken off feathers
I have been told to use part of the tooth pick in glue into the shaft and then glue the broken off piece onto that so that the break has support
As for the sword it is in great shape (petroleum jelly is a great sealer / rust inhibitor) but the sheath is dull and blotchy

Would like to make a plexiglass box / cover to display the equipment.
I have a friend you can get me a mannequin head so...

Thanks everyone for looking and supplying info
 
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