Hessen Leibgarde-Infanterie-Regt 115 - Help!

Maple Creek

Maple Creek

Active member
Here's one that just came in the mail today. Fresh out of the woodwork! Unfortunately, the woodwork is not a good place to keep these things and this one is due for a bit of restoration. On the plus side the hard to find Hessen kokarde was still with the helmet along with the original reich kokarde.

I'm seeking some help with this restoration project. I could use advice along with parts:

1) Rear visor
2) Rear spine
3) Domed mounts for the spike base

My idea is to locate the metal parts needed and have them nickel plated.

Finding an original rear visor will be difficult, but one will turn up eventually. I used to have stuff like this laying around, but I gave most of it away to collector friends.

Could anybody recommend somebody to do the nickel plating?

Hessian_3QtrsR.jpg


Hessian_3QtrsL.jpg


Hessian_Back.jpg


Hessian_Liner.jpg


Mark D.
 
Finding original parts to match might be tough.
On the other hand, the idea of plating over an original brass part makes some collectors cringe, too.

A jeweler might be able to help with the plating.
 
Hi Mark:
This is restorable but will be one of those projects that could take years to complete. The only problem with new nickel plating is that it will look VERY NEW compared to the rest of the fittings. I presume you know how to reshape the top of the shell? I would try and find a suitable rear visor first, stitch it on and then look for the rear spine. The visor and shell combined determine what spine will fit. B
 
PointyStuff- The idea of contacting a jewler is good. This would at least be a good starting point. The nickel plating services on the internet seem to be mostly for industrial scale work. Regarding replating original pieces, I'm disinclined to do this. For the chinstrap parts, I was planning to use reproduction components that I have on hand. Same for the domed bolts for the spike mounts. The hard thing is to find a reproduction rear spine that would work. I've never seen reproduction rear spines for sale. I might use an original if I can't find a good reproduction. Finding a replacement rear spine for this helmet is particularly difficult because the little sliding part is lower down on the Hessen helmets compard to other pickelhaubes. This is to accomodate the cruciform spike. It might be possible to modify a standard spine somehow.

Brian- Thanks again for help with the photos. I really have no idea how to straighten out the shell. I fitted some styrofoam parts in the inside to push it out, but if there is a better long-term solution, I'd love to hear it.

Mark D.
 
Styrofoam will destroy a helmet. If you use it, be sure to wrap it in something that is ph neutral. Any local museum can help you with that.

:D Ron
 
Poniatowski, Many thanks for this link. This looks like a GREAT resource and may be the solution to most of my parts problems. I'm still on the lookout for an original rear visor. Sometimes collectors keep stuff like this around (from damaged helmets), so I'm hopeful that one will eventually turn up.

I appreciate the tip re styrofoam. I recall this advice from Tony Schnur's website also.

Best Regards,

Mark D.
 
Hi Wonderfull old helmet, and a good candidate for restoration.

Here is a another link for restoration http://turnerlaughlin.com/index.php?page_id=1

I have known Cameron & Chris for decades and they are excellent. Their webiste is in the construction process at present. If you click on the headgear section and go the Napoleonic headgear you will see examples of assorted shakos & Tschapkas that Cameron has built from scratch. He is a true artist.

Hope this is of some help.

Larry
 
For starters, the fittings were not nickel plated. They were nickel-silver, also known as German-silver. Nickel plated parts will look very wrong. If you are doing a restoration, you would be better off getting original steel M15 parts and buffing them to bright steel on a wheel. These would be cheap and do the trick while you kept your eyes open for correct nickel-silver parts, but good luck.

dbh61.jpg
 
Hi Tony,

Ah yes... that one is a beauty! I did check out the "Bunker" a few days ago and have been studying this helmet. Thanks for the suggestion about buffed steel parts. I might give this a try.

I'm trying to decide if I should polish the helmet, or just clean it.

I wondered about nickeled vs. nickeled silver. Thanks for setting me straight.

Cheers,

Mark D.

Tony & Kaiser said:
For starters, the fittings were not nickel plated. They were nickel-silver, also known as German-silver. Nickel plated parts will look very wrong. If you are doing a restoration, you would be better off getting original steel M15 parts and buffing them to bright steel on a wheel. These would be cheap and do the trick while you kept your eyes open for correct nickel-silver parts, but good luck.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Larry, Thanks. A few days ago I searched and found your old discussion thread on these folks, and had already put their contact information in my planner. If I can ever find an original rear visor, I might send the pickelhaube to them to stitch the pieces together.

Cheers,

Mark D.

Larmo said:
Hi Wonderfull old helmet, and a good candidate for restoration.

Here is a another link for restoration http://turnerlaughlin.com/index.php?page_id=1

I have known Cameron & Chris for decades and they are excellent. Their webiste is in the construction process at present. If you click on the headgear section and go the Napoleonic headgear you will see examples of assorted shakos & Tschapkas that Cameron has built from scratch. He is a true artist.

Hope this is of some help.

Larry
Click to expand...
 
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