M1895 EM Pickelhaube

Excellent article!
Thanks for the link Philippe.
Is there a way we could get this link put in our Kokarden thread under Pickelhaube discussion?

John
 
There is very good information there, but unless I see a photo of two Kokarden side-by-side with one marked ORIGINAL and the other marked COPY, even with my reasonable French I was confused. What is good and what is bad and why?
 
Hi again,
Here is the whole thread about this helmet on the french forum. Clovis is explaining those small details between copy and original in his intervention of the 15.09.21 / 22:06:


Philippe
;)
 
Thank you Philippe. I tried to register and was unsuccessful. I would be very interested if Clovis would not mind sharing some of his knowledge here on this Forum in a thread in English. I wouldn’t be the only one to benefit, Kokarden are often difficult.

Perhaps here? https://www.pickelhaubes.com/xf/threads/the-prussian-kokarde.15372/page-2#post-105743

I have a feeling after reading an article from Clovis on the differences between original and replica, many of us would find that we unfortunately have a few replica issue Kokarden in our collections.
 
I believe that the Kokarden could go either way. Here are a few tips that I use when trying to determine originality. First, the Kokarden were stamped instead of cast, so if they look cast (bubbles, subdued areas, etc) they are not original to that helmet. Anything older than 1860 bears closer scrutiny. Second, since the Kokarden were stamped the flare on the inside hole goes outward toward the chinstrap fitting. The first reverse photo you have looks good to me. The second reverse photo shows that the flare has been turned back inward. That inward turn is usually a sign to me that it is a reproduction. Third, take a look at the rust. You can often tell old rust from new (buried in the backyard) rust. I can't really explain this, but maybe you can understand what I mean. Last, you should weigh the Kokarden. I have found, 100% of the time with new repops, that a reproduction Kokarde weighs almost twice as much as an original, even if it is stamped. All that being said, these Kokarden are very convincing.
As for the chinstrap, it too could go either way. The reverse side should not be dyed; however, many of these turned dark grey, dark brown, or almost black with use. I have several like this. Sweat screws up leather something fierce. Also, some collectors in the past, in trying to "save" the chinstrap coated them in leather dye, black shoe polish, etc. It may be one of those, original but messed with. The fittings on the chinstrap should be roughly 1mm thick (see here: https://pickelhauben.net/m91-chinstraps-side-posts/ ). If they are thinner than that you should be skeptical. Glue on a chinstrap, especially at the buckle ends, is a dead give-away that something is wrong. This does not include glue that some former collector has used to try to make a cheap repair, though that is not a pleasing aspect either.
It's a beautiful helmet and I would be proud to own it.
Congratulations!

John
John,
Thank you for the insight you have provided to this question of the authenticity of German Pickelhaube parts. We who collect anything of interest, be it helmets, medals, cars, German, French or American, are suspectable of being fleeced. Unfortunately, some are overly cautious or suspect of trickery which causes extreme anxiety in this hobby.
Best regards,
John
 
I have a feeling after reading an article from Clovis on the differences between original and replica, many of us would find that we unfortunately have a few replica issue Kokarden in our collections.
You may be right, Tony...And it also concerns other Pickelhauben "satellit parts" like chinstraps and chinstraps fittings 🤨
Always observe, compare and try to get a feeling. This feeling is never falling from the sky...It may takes a lot of time to be able to judge...Very difficult stuff here, and the fakers are getting better 😨 It´s sometimes very difficult to see the difference, it also applies to me.
Philippe
;)
 
I am with Philippe. These are copies. But why do we claim these are copies? Because we, and others on this forum, have an almost infallible way to spot faked cockades, and this is EXPERIENCE. After seeing hundreds and hundreds of these over many years, if not decades, you acquire this knowledge, especially by observing intact helmets with their original cockades, and diverse copies at different stages of ageing (natural or not). I agree it is not always easy to put in words though. To cite Philippe, you “feel” it or not. This is how many of us learned, the hard way, and being burnt more than once…

Let’s be humble though: sometimes a doubt remains, but Tony sounds far too humble in this respect: I am sure he can spot a faked cockade two miles away…
 
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