OK guys, it's time for me to be more specific
I am being offered one of those imperial tropenhelms that seem to have been manufactured and used by several countries including Germany, prior to the Bortfeldt models (1902 onwards)...
At first inspection of the outer shell and despite the soiling, the helmet looks identical to a couple of white pith helmets described by Tony Cowan as German here: http://imperial-antiques.com/photologue/gallery/page/7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and as "German M1900" on Chris Dale's great site (see the very soiled helmet halfway down this page: http://s400910952.websitehome.co.uk/germancolonialuniforms/militaria/tropicalhelmets.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false
The only significant difference, I thought, was the
neusilber (nickel silver) Reichsadler seen on my new "mystery helmet" which, combined with the EM Cockade, would mean the helmet was used by Pioneers as explained by Chris.
But after more thorough browsing, I found a thread by Peter Suciu on French Pith helmets where he described his first example -- which seems to have the exact same liner as mine -- as a "French M1886" (http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/17209-french-pith-helmets/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false
...
Photos of the new "mystery helmet" are attached further down for benchmarking. It has no markings except for size (57). The chinstrap is probably not original to the helmet and could be a field or later replacement but that's not what really matters... From what I was told,
Germans purchased helmets from other countries as well as buying from German companies, thus resulting in small variations between helmets prior to 1902... :?:
I am therefore trying to find out if my "mystery helmet" could be one of those French models converted to German-use before Ludwig Bortfeldt's 1902 design became universal for soldiers deployed in China? Keeping in mind the Germans fought alongside the French during the Boxer rebellion in Northern China (1899-1901), I thought this might be a possibility... or not? 8-[