New to Forum... Help with Garde Kürassier Helm..

B

Biro

New member
Hello Gents

It's nice to finally be a member here - I have browsed this site as a guest MANY times, and see a few familiar names from various other medal related forums...but I've never had a reason to become... 'active'.

But now I do..

I am essentially a medal collector, but every now & then I've toyed with the idea of picking up just ONE pickelhaube or helmet to round out the collection somewhat.

Finally, with the kind help of the 'human haube' Tony & Kaiser, I've taken the plunge and gone in somewhat at the deep end!!

Below is my new M1889/97 Garde Kürassier metalhelm with parade eagle. I'm embarrased to say that truthfully, I didn't even know how to spell Kokarde until a few months ago.... so naturally I have a few questions I hope you'll be kind enough to help me with.

They relate essentially to the PROLIFIC markings I keep discovering as I study the thing.

Here's the helm... I'll follow with the markings and the relevant questions..

thanks men - nice to be here!

Marshall

haub3yq.jpg
 
Next, the marking under the base plate for the parade eagle...

'GKR 1906 2E'. As I understand it, the 2E is a unit mark for Regt 2 Eskadron...

But why thye 1906??

 
But there is also a '75' .... one on the helme underneath the wappen, and one each on the underside of each section of the rear lobster tail..

Some sort of shell no.??

 
I'd be guessing (correctly I think) that this is the maker mark for 'Damaschke'....

Yeah?/No?

Thanks in advance for your help - sorry to appear such a virgin in this very grown -up playground but hey.. you gotta start somewhere!... :cool:

Cheers

Marshall (Biro)

 
Hi Biro,
As helmet number, WOW , that's a splendid beginning...the problem is that you won't get to be just in the number one...you were hopelessly contaminated with the mortal Pickelvirus...you don't have more salvation....an antidote was not still invented...Good luck, you will need...
Otto


PS. yes, 'Damaschke'
 
Hi there Marschall,

I am still stinging from that Heather Locklear comment. :angry7:

Biro said:
1st, the 'GKR 1915' under the kokarde..Why 1915 ??
Click to expand...

It was made in 1915. Same as mine.

Biro said:
Next, the marking under the base plate for the parade eagle...But why thye 1906??
Click to expand...

Chicken was made in 1906. The chickens were held at the quartermaster and issued to the soldier with the helmet. There would have been shelves covered in hundreds of these. Grab a chicken, grab a helmet and spike...sign here........

Biro said:
Under the same plate, there is also a '22'..
Click to expand...

Probably an inventory control number.

Biro said:
But there is also a '75' .... one on the helme underneath the wappen, and one each on the underside of each section of the rear lobster tail..Some sort of shell no.??
Click to expand...

Yes. Probably an inventory control number.
 
Tony & Kaiser said:
...I am still stinging from that Heather Locklear comment. :angry7: ....
Click to expand...

Not stinging too bad I hope Tony... you know she isn't really asleep next to me drunk and neked!! :sad1:

Thanks a bunch for this info - like I said, I truly appreciated your help and I'm pleased as hell with this new guy!

Now, ..... how to get it looking like yours!!?

Marshall
 
Hi Marshall: Very nice helmet and a darned good place to start. The "75" on the helemt body and each section of the losbster tail is an most likely an assembly number. It was common practice to number parts that required fitting for the purpose of keeping the specific parts together during assembly.

Reservist1
 
reservist1 said:
The "75" on the helemt body and each section of the losbster tail is an most likely an assembly number.
Click to expand...

If the helmet just had one storage number, I would lean towards an inventory number as these were expensive helmets and had to be accounted for. But I see now that several pieces are all marked with the same number, so yes, Reservist1's explanation makes more sense. I yield sir! :grommit:
 
Extremely nice helmet!

I would second reservists comments on the build batch numbers.

John
 
Marshall,
Wonderful helmet and a great find. I will bet that it will not be your last. I cannot disagree with anything that has been said here. I would say that Tony is right about the chickens and the quartermaster. Ditto for the comments on the build batch numbers. These numbers would be very important after the helmet was assembled as some parts of the helmet were not interchangeable....... such as the service spike. I would bet that there is/was a spike out there somewhere with a 75 stamped into its base.
Now, ..... how to get it looking like yours!!?
Click to expand...
Now you are entering the area of cleaning / polishing which will open a whole new can of worms. Personally I like the patina and would not touch a thing. Bill
 
Marshal,

Fantastic helmet.

A note on only buying one. About seven years ago, my brother James and I went in havsy's on a brass EM Prussian helmet that was in ok shape. Somehow, I found Brian and wrote him to ask about restoring it and in the conversation that followed, I mentioned that we had always wanted a Pickelhaube and now we had one. He said something like "oh no, you are so wrong. You cannot own just one. You will see."

Well, between my brother and I, we have a small collection of about 60 helmets maybe. My brother has most of them but I have a few very nice examples of what I like.

So, your off on a new hobby. GKR for a first helmet. LMAO.

Paul
 
Hi, Biro,

Welcome to the forum! It's a very great place to be.

Wow, :D a great helmet. I've wanted one of those all of my life, but I will probably never own one. :eek:
 
Hey this ain't fair! I thought the ruling was that you start pandering to this obsession with a grey or at best a brass EM, preferrably beaten, - and now here's Biro with..........this!!

Come on, stick to the rules fellas. Now I got a nice EM-M15 lid to swap you Marshall, for this new gaudy bauble of yours, and you'll feel much better. Well, I will anyway.

No, it's Ace Marshall, but it wont stop here I'm afraid.
 
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