M1915 in Brass

[k bandow]

Hey all!

This is one of two Pickelhauben I got in last week. I had only seen examples of these brass M1915s in a French reference book I own. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be able to own one, but sure enough, one popped up!

One side note - The spacing of the front plate loops is very interesting. Seems done in the period, and you can see where they were originally when produced.

 

[b.loree]

Interesting helmet, I have never seen one of these before. The piece was originally grommeted for either a Saxon or Bavarian wappen. The eagle has obviously had the original loops moved. The left loop is rusted steel with modern solder. The right loop is proper brass with the typical grey puddled original solder. Hard to understand why this was done. If it were mine, I would put either the. Saxon or Bavarian plate on it which matches the grommets and makes it a more valuable piece. Obviously, this is your decision though.

 

[pickelhauben]

Can you check things with a magnet ?
The old loop location lead looks to have been brass plated.

If it is legit this is a great find.

 

[k bandow]

Can you check things with a magnet ?
The old loop location lead looks to have been brass plated.

If it is legit this is a great find.

I sure can! I think it may just be a filthy brass loop on the left, but I will test it out tonight.

 

[k bandow]

Interesting helmet, I have never seen one of these before. The piece was originally grommeted for either a Saxon or Bavarian wappen. The eagle has obviously had the original loops moved. The left loop is rusted steel with modern solder. The right loop is proper brass with the typical grey puddled original solder. Hard to understand why this was done. If it were mine, I would put either the. Saxon or Bavarian plate on it which matches the grommets and makes it a more valuable piece. Obviously, this is your decision though.

Thank you for your comment, Brian! I will clean the dust and fuzz off the back of the front plate tonight and check whether that loop is steel or brass. I think it might just be brass, but I won't know for sure until I test it. I don't want to change too much with the helmet, just replace the rotted liner, seat those split pins on top properly again, try to get the dent out of the shell, and fix the issues with the visors.

 

[k bandow]

I just wanted to include a few more photos of the spike. If you were to give the helmet a quick glance with the spike on, you would swear it was a normal M1895.

 

[b.loree]

I would put your magnet on that spike.....could be a spray painted M15 ??? To my eye, your close ups of the spike show pebbling to the finish which suggests spray on gold paint.

 

[Kaiser Wilhelm II]

Brian is Right, you can see the same thing in the Spike Base itself, that would be a shame, I too would take a magnet to it.

 

[k bandow]

I will be testing with a magnet tonight, but I am pretty sure it is just aging to the brass.

Here are the examples in the French reference book I own.

 

[k bandow]

Last night, I did some testing with a magnet. The spike and base are magnetic, and both loops on the back of the front plate are non-magnetic. The spike and base, while magnetic, are fire gilded, and would polish just the same as a brass spike. See how polished it is under where the split pins were.

 

[k bandow]

I am taking the helmet down to do a little TLC and then put it back together (once I score an original liner). The patina of the spike perfectly matches the patina of the spine, which is non-magnetic.
The eagle front plate has been on there a very long time.

 

[b.loree]

So an M15 that was gilded for some reason....probably to match the other brass fittings?? Interesting.