Model 1871 Oldenburg

SkipperJohn

SkipperJohn

Well-known member
This is not an Ebay item but I figured this was the best place to ask the question.
I am looking at a Model 1871 Oldenburg Artillery helmet. The helmet has a squared tongue "extra" pattern liner indicating that it was a private purchase. Nothing else on the helmet would indicate private purchase. The helmet has a single Kokarde and appears 100% authentic, though fairly well worn. The Wappen is correct for Oldenburg.
My question is:
Who wore this helmet?
Tony's website says that Oldenburg adopted the Pickelhaube in 1843 and the Kugel ball in 1867 (http://www.kaisersbunker.com/pt/artillerie.htm), but I can find no information on Oldenburg Artillery prior to 1899. Battalions 2 & 3 of FAR 62 would have worn the Oldenburg Wappen but the 62nd FAR wasn't formed until 15 March 1899. Also, after 1897 this helmet would have two Kokarden, not one.
So who would have worn this ???????

John :?
 
John,

Jean Louis Larcade wrote in his second book:

" On the 22.8.1867, the Oldenburg artillery has been integrated in the prussian army. On the 1.10.1867, it formed two mounted batteries of the prussian FAR10. In the year 1874, those two batteries are now called 2. and 4. battery of the FAR26. Lately, in the year 1899, they moved to the new formed FAR62 and formed the 2. and 3. mounted batteries of this unit."

And further: " With AKO of 3.3.1870, the single prussian line Adler of the Oldenburg artillery received the Oldenburg wappen on its chest".

So at this time, the Oldenburg artillery still formed the two mounted batteries of the FAR10. So your helmet could have been worn there, or later in the FAR26.

About the "extra" pattern liner with squared tongues, I have observed a few time that this was sometimes the case for some artillery or cavalry EM helmets. I do not know the exact reason yet....Maybe a simple EM at the start that decided to absolve a 12 years volunteer military service. So he could purchase a more confortable helmet. I am owning a M67/94 EM DR19 Oldenburg helmet, worn by a Wachtmeister and dated 1899. It shoes most of the specifications of an EM helmet (side posts M91, smaller spike, bright visor trim, kammer markings on the rear visor) but also shows a private purchase liner, a Wappen with screw posts and nuts (not loops and leather wedges) and a cruciform metall plate in the shell under the spike, instead of a circular one.

Some particularities that one can sometimes see...

















Philippe
:wink:
 
Thanks Philippe! I searched my resources and didn't find anything on this. Since the Oldenburg Artillery was integrated into a Prussian Regiment do you know if Oldenburg did the same thing as Bremen, Anhalt, and (I believe) Baden, and wear a Prussian Kokarde on the right side of the helmet and their state Kokarde on the left?

Wonderful helmet you have there :bravo: :bravo: :bravo:

John :-k
 
SkipperJohn said:
do you know if Oldenburg did the same thing as Bremen, Anhalt, and (I believe) Baden, and wear a Prussian Kokarde on the right side of the helmet and their state Kokarde on the left?
Click to expand...

John,

Again, Mr. JL Larcade in his first book: " Before 1897, the officers in Oldenburg units wore only the prussian cockade on the right side of helmet. But the EM in those units wore two cockades: prussian on the right and Oldenburg on the left side."

Very complicated thing before 1897. For example, if a guy from Baden was enlisted in the OJR91, DR19, or in the two Oldenburg batteries of the FAR10 or FAR26 before 1897, he wore the prussian cockade on the right and the Baden cockade on the left side, not the Oldenburg cockade! So the possibilities were much!

Philippe
:wink:
 
Wow!
I have to admit if I found an Oldenburg helmet with a Prussian and a Baden Kokarde I would definitely think something was amiss.
Thanks for the education.

John =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>
 
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