Hessian Wappen- a moral dilemma

seagull

seagull

Well-known member
Hello all, My first post should include thanks to all who make this forum a superb information and educational resource. It is a pleasure to learn from it and you are to be congratulated on your sharing approach to your subject.
I have a Hessian helm which is really not in great condition but may be private purchase as all metal parts have matching gilding (much surviving) and I consider it worth saving if at all possible. My dilemma is that some vandal has tried to rip off the Waterloo banner (who knows why?) leaving only the final 'O' of the name still in evidence - the small 'wire' tabs are still solidly attached by solder on both sides of the rear. Now what do I do? I have sometimes (rarely)seen modern replacement Waterloo banners on ebay and wonder if I should try to attach one of these? OR, will this be a step too far, taking it from restoration to reproduction? Would it be better to try to find an original banner and do the same thing? Of course if I do either of these the new banner will not match the rest of the wappen for gilding. so I am in a quandary. Being retired in a country with a broken economy means I don't have the option of discarding this helm as a 'no-hoper' and seeking out a more expensive alternative, besides, I would love to bring this one back from the dead! Any advice would be welcome,
Many thanks in anticipation,
Steve
 
Hi, waterloo bandeaus appear on various plates, always for Prussian units with Hanoverian contingents, you can check your plate on my website http://www.imperialhelmets.com/plate/ I've tried to post good pics of almost all main models, you cana lso go to the categories "infantry", pioneer etc where you also have some Hanoverian units. You can try to find an original plate, they sometimes appear on ebay or on other sites, they are rather expensive and the decision must be made after evaluating the helmet itself, you can also let the item "as is" , good luck anyway, kind regards, Steve
 
My apologies Gentlemen, my brain said 'Hanover' but my fingers typed 'Hessian'! A quick check with Stephanes site confirmed that it is indeed a Hanoverian unit wappen and I have taken some (very amateurish) photographs as best I could - I prefer to photograph things in bright daylilight but I am in the middle of a snowstorm here and the sky is black as thunder so, believe me, they are not great! Now if someone can tell me how to post them to the site ??? This EM helm came from a now deceased former Major in the Kings Liverpool Regiment who amassed a huge collection of uniforms in his family mansion on the banks of the river Mersey. Unfortunately as he grew infirm the house (literally FULL of militaria of all kinds) began to crumble around him. He would accept no help with his leaking roof and rotting windows nor would he sell anything in order to give it a caring home. Eventually he expired and his heirs sold everything off to a local dealer- from whom I acquired this rather sad example. Neither it, nor any of my other helms, will ever compare to the brilliant pieces you have in your collections but still it is a small remnant of former glories and I will do my best for it, with your advice to direct me.
Again, many thanks for your interest.
Steve
 
Just discovered the posting pictures tutorial, giving it a try, here's hoping,...
Steve
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Welcome to the forum.

Looks like the old man spent all his money on Brasso from the evidence of the accumulated crud to the reverse of the wappen.

There are a couple of my old pickelhauben somewhere in the Merseyside area; or at least I assume that's where they are after the local scum burgled my house in 1991 (in Frodsham at the time).

They took everything...other than the Betamax video!
 
Hi Istanbulian,
Yes it seems he did invest at least some of his dwindling resources in a tin of brasso. I was told that he used a lot of his items for fancy dress parties - presumably in better days. I have had the idea that I might be able to acquire a relacement 'Waterloo' banner and solder it over the original? leaving the remnants of the original in place to show no intention to defraud? I have acquired a replacement original rear spine and can see no insurmountable problem in at least improving the leather finish. I know this is no jewel, but I am determined that it not be consigned to the trash - it is at least a genuine helm and I would hate to be responsible for further diminishing the number of real haube in the world!
Cheers
Steve
 
I don't think anybody would say to trash the helmet. I've some in worse condition than that one, which serve as holders for helmet covers and such.

I would suggest leaving the plate as it is. Who knows why the bandau was vandalized. Perhaps some soldier thought only the French or British had a right to the banner cut it off. It seems part of the helmet and as long as it has the last "O", so it can be read, I wouldn't trouble myself over it any more than I do about a missing crown from a helmet and plate that was brought back by a WWII vet.

:D Ron
 
On the other hand, original Waterloo plates do sometimes appear on eBay.
There are fakes floating around, too, though.
 
pointystuff said:
On the other hand, original Waterloo plates do sometimes appear on eBay.
There are fakes floating around, too, though.
Click to expand...

True, an original would be nice. If you get a repro bandau or plate, maybe just display it beside the helmet with the original.

:D Ron
 
Steve, Consider leaving it as be, but look for a nice clear period postcard of the helmet that you could display with it. As in, this is the way it was at one time. Personally, I would rather jab that spike in my eye than solder on a fake Bandeau.
 
Thanks for your advice gentlemen, I shall heed it in the following way: I shall restore the overall condition of this helm as best I can and leave the wappen as is, whilst holding out some hope of finding an original plate at some time in the future. As I said from the outset, this was always a moral dilemma - looking to make the situation better but not compromise the originality of the piece.
Next project: acquiring the set of taps and dies to repair wappen screws and make new nuts for some of the other 'lost souls' on my shelves!
Cheers
Steve
 
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