Help with New Pickelhaube

Peter B

Peter B

Well-known member
I have just purchased a Prussian Pickelhaube and would appreciate some help with a few things.

Any information on the interior stamp markings and help in figuring out the soldier's name would be appreciated. The guy I bought it from thought it was Janseg but it could be that or Jansen from what I can see. The weird dropped letter under what might be an "n" is what made him think "g". If you look at the "g" in the regiment bit at the bottom you will see it doesn't really look like a g. I am thinking Jansen and maybe a ghost of another letter there.

Also, what normally holds the wappen on it? You can see someone has put improvised toothpick holders.

Finally, any hints on trying to find out more on Musketier Jansen(g) I of the 1st Company, 28th Regiment from Koblenz. I have done some internet research and found a bit on the 28th. Funny thin is the wife and I will be in Koblenz this summer.

Thanks.

Peter
 

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Not sure how but it dropped four of my pictures.
 

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Welcome, wappen are always held on by leather wedges pushed through the loops soldered on the back side. There are older OR’s wappen that have screw posts and square nuts to hold the piece on to the helmet. Most officer helmet plates have screw posts and nuts but there are some examples which have soldered prongs on the back which are inserted into the shell and then spread apart.
 
Your model 1895 helmet was accepted into the regimental stores of Infantry Regt 28 in 1896. Not sure either if the name is Jansen or Janseg. Regarding information, one of our European members may be able to help out.
 
Greetings all! I'm pretty sure the name "Janseg" doesn't exist in my neighbouring country Germany, while on the other hand "Jansen" is a fairly common name there. So my vote is for Jansen with an n at the end. What the "squiggly" is doing underneath the n I don't know though...
 
Thanks Jaap. That's what I think as well. Found Janseg and Janseng in Holland and maybe Belgium but I bet you it's Jansen in Germany as you say.

Peter
 
Would anyone know if the 1st Company would be in the 1st Battalion of the 28th Regiment? Marking only says 1st Komp. Inf. Regt. Nr. 28.

Thanks.

Peter
 
Hi Peter,
Congratulations on a nice helmet. I'm pretty convinced it's "Jansen"; it looks like he glued his name tag on top of that of the previous "owner", and part of Jansen's tag has worn away to reveal part of the previous owner's name, however the top of the "e" and the "n" in "Jansen" are conclusive for me. These name tags were very standard.
I'm sorry to say that in my opinion the chin strap is a modern repro, and that means that the Kokarden might be too, but overall a very nice helmet in good condition and clearly marked with name and regiment.
Jansen is a very common name in Germany, hence the "Jansen I", as there were several "Jansen"s in the regiment (or maybe even at company level) , so numbers were added to the names to differentiate between them.
Regards,
Lars
 
Thanks Lars.

I did already know that the strap and kokarden are reproductions but thanks for pointing that out. I am pretty sure I have found the owner. A Musketier Anton Jansen I was wounded in 1914 and is from the 28th Regiment. Found him in the casualty lists.

Cheers.

Peter
 
A nice helmet even more greater is the fact that you can track down the owner

Great find
 
Peter, That is a very nicely marked Pickelhaube! Here are a couple of M1874 pouches IDed to the same regiment.

Koblenz is a great city, and I was last there a couple of months ago. Hopefully you will have time to visit some of its historical sites and museums. A wealthy German couple rebuilt the massive statute of William I in the 90s on Deutsches Eck (intentionally destroyed at the end of WWII by a US artilleryman). The Military Technology Museum (Wehrtechniches Studiensammlung) is just across the Mosel River, outside of the Altstadt. In addition to armor and aircraft on the ground floor, there are 5 floors of German military firearms. There is also the best military bookshop in Germany next to the museum. And then there is Festung Ehrenbreitstein across the Rhine, which dominates the entire area.
 

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So after having looked at some of Brian's restoration postings I realize what good shape my helmet is actually in. I.e. good stitching, no mis-shaping etc.

I am also of the school of keeping it original vice restoring (unless repairs were required to keep it in good condition). However, the green corrosion on the wappen does bug me a little bit.

Is there any way to remove that without removing the nice patina? if there isn't I am happy to leave it as it.

Any thoughts or advice appreciated.

Peter
 
There are a couple of ways to remove verdigris without effecting the patina. They are not always successful, but your piece is not too bad. Test it with a cotton swab on the reverse of the Wappen to make sure the patina is not effected.
The first way (my preferred) is with vinegar. You can either soak the entire copper, brass, or bronze piece in vinegar for about twenty minutes and then use a swab to remove the verdigris, or you can soak just the affected area with vinegar and slowly remove the green with a Q-tip.
The second way is to use lemon juice. Do the same as above. Some people add salt, but this can be abrasive and will effect patina. I have had only limited success with the lemon juice.
Another way that people are swearing by, I haven't done this yet, is by using WD-40. They say that a small spray of WD-40 on a Q-tip and wiping the affected area will completely take the verdigris away. You may want to Google this before you try it.
I personally would stay away from ammonia. Ammonia eats copper and brass over time. It is known to weaken shell casings and I don't trust it. You can use ammonia to tarnish brass and many fakers do this.

You have a very nice helmet there. Congratulations.

John :bravo:
 
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