OR Pickelhaube Tin M95 V D Hayden
- Thread starter JohnS3rd
- Start date
2nd.Leibhusar
Well-known member
That's a beauty, John 
Love the colour....
Love the colour....
John Josef
Well-known member
I love it, Shes a beauty congratulations
Sadly the chinstrap did not make it intact from the Uruguay auction house. However, with a little bit if glue and persistance it was repaired. Thank you one and all for the positive comments.
Best regards,
John
One of my favorite types of helmets, Congrats John, that is a keeper!
James
James
Thanks James,
I agree that these kit helmets are in a class of their own and were used for a very short time.
Best regards,
John
Andy be Prussian
Well-known member
I love it. I don’t see these in the field gray color often. Congrats on the find!
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Well-known member
Lovely Helmet.
ww1czechlegion
Well-known member
A great looking hard to find green painted example! Congratulations John!
Like Brian mentioned, this is a first time for me seeing one of these with white painted size and date inside the shell.
Best Wishes,
Alan
P.S. I've had four of the black color examples, and I need to work on finding another one, this time to keep and not re-sell.
Like Brian mentioned, this is a first time for me seeing one of these with white painted size and date inside the shell.
Best Wishes,
Alan
P.S. I've had four of the black color examples, and I need to work on finding another one, this time to keep and not re-sell.
CLOVIS 57
Well-known member
Superb!!! Bravo.
These helmets (Weissenburger, V der Hayden and Bing) are not “Ersatz”, as they were trademarked, Probe presented and accepted by the Army High Command. They were then the subject of contractual orders between the Army and these manufacturers.
The Weissenburger helmets from Stuttgart-Cannstatt stand out from other “Ersatz” sheet-metal helmets thanks to their meticulous workmanship, with a visor and neck cover crimped around the shell. The basane cap is also caught in the circular setting. Trim (visor edge, rear spine) is of the highest quality.
The tip is also crimped to the hull in its central hole, and the rivets are fictitious, simply stamped into the circular base of the tip.
Even the cockades are specific, with a smaller central hole and a cut-out for the lug, rather like the Saxon M91;
The Weissenburger were manufactured under license by V.der Hayden in Berlin.
Weissenburger usually feature the Württemberg plate, and V.d.H a Prussian eagle. The Weissenburger are never marked, while the VdH are marked with white paint (but sometimes the marking is erased).
Here's the special M14 fastener:
The M14 model (brass fittings) features a very specific front plate attachment, namely a strong horizontal bridge, broached by a toothpick-like piece of wood, and is lacquered black.
The M15 model (all-steel) features a different type of plate fastener: a central screw-nut, broaching the plate, with a split head visible from the outside. The M15 is painted in Feldgrau.
These helmets (Weissenburger, V der Hayden and Bing) are not “Ersatz”, as they were trademarked, Probe presented and accepted by the Army High Command. They were then the subject of contractual orders between the Army and these manufacturers.
The Weissenburger helmets from Stuttgart-Cannstatt stand out from other “Ersatz” sheet-metal helmets thanks to their meticulous workmanship, with a visor and neck cover crimped around the shell. The basane cap is also caught in the circular setting. Trim (visor edge, rear spine) is of the highest quality.
The tip is also crimped to the hull in its central hole, and the rivets are fictitious, simply stamped into the circular base of the tip.
Even the cockades are specific, with a smaller central hole and a cut-out for the lug, rather like the Saxon M91;
The Weissenburger were manufactured under license by V.der Hayden in Berlin.
Weissenburger usually feature the Württemberg plate, and V.d.H a Prussian eagle. The Weissenburger are never marked, while the VdH are marked with white paint (but sometimes the marking is erased).
Here's the special M14 fastener:
The M14 model (brass fittings) features a very specific front plate attachment, namely a strong horizontal bridge, broached by a toothpick-like piece of wood, and is lacquered black.
The M15 model (all-steel) features a different type of plate fastener: a central screw-nut, broaching the plate, with a split head visible from the outside. The M15 is painted in Feldgrau.
CLOVIS 57
Well-known member
John, this helmet is a transition between the black-painted M14, with brass trim, and the Feldgrau-painted M15, with iron or steel trim. The shell is an M15 (thin steel visor edge), the chinstrap is a brass M91, and the plate appears to be painted brass. I'd just have to check whether the tip magnetizes or not. At the start of the war, the plates had a vertical central trigger guard, but from the beginning of the 15th, the trigger guard was replaced by the central screw, already on the brass eagles (cuproaluminium).
I am lucky to have both the VdH Black Tin and the Feldgrau versions shown here. Both of mine are Prussian with the Feldgrau having chemically darkened brass fittings. The VdH has the lettering and size in gold paint plus, I am lucky enough to still have the horse hair skull cap present. Years ago, I had a student bring in a feldgrau Prussian tin artillery (no liner) into school to show me, I have never seen another one of those! I have owned a Gbr. Bing but had to sell it. 
The Wurtt version shown, I have never seen up for sale here in N Am. I believe that there are also Saxe pieces in other collections? There are posts here on the forum with photos showing my helmets, James's and others. I would encourage our new members to read up on these rare helmets both here on the forum and Tony's "Bunker".
The Wurtt version shown, I have never seen up for sale here in N Am. I believe that there are also Saxe pieces in other collections? There are posts here on the forum with photos showing my helmets, James's and others. I would encourage our new members to read up on these rare helmets both here on the forum and Tony's "Bunker".
Andy be Prussian
Well-known member
Clovis, thanks for the break down of these helmets and the manufactures involved. I’m really eager to learn more about the manufactures of all ersatz pickelhauben
seagull
Well-known member
I'll second that (above). Interesting that the 1914 date and contract details take the Weissenbergers and V. der Hayden OUT of the category of ersatz. I had never before considered that to be an obvious truth. Far be it from me to question your facts Clovis but when you say that V. der Hayden made Prussian helms and Weissenberger made the Wurrtemburgers I assume that data is drawn from evidence of surviving contract details?
Reason being that my own V. der Hayden (gold lettering/size marks/"Berlin" still legible) showed distinct marks of the Wurrtemberg Stag antlers and Lion's crown in the otherwise pristine paintwork. I found a Wurrt. wappen for it, offered it up in position and - it corresponded exactly to those marks. I am convinced that it never had a Prussian wappen but, without benefit of a time machine, I can't be 100% certain!
Again, many thanks for all these fascinating details.
Steve
Edit: if anyone has or knows of a notched Reichskokarde as Clovis has shown here I would be grateful for a lead on getting one!! Thanks.
Reason being that my own V. der Hayden (gold lettering/size marks/"Berlin" still legible) showed distinct marks of the Wurrtemberg Stag antlers and Lion's crown in the otherwise pristine paintwork. I found a Wurrt. wappen for it, offered it up in position and - it corresponded exactly to those marks. I am convinced that it never had a Prussian wappen but, without benefit of a time machine, I can't be 100% certain!
Again, many thanks for all these fascinating details.
Steve
Edit: if anyone has or knows of a notched Reichskokarde as Clovis has shown here I would be grateful for a lead on getting one!! Thanks.
CLOVIS 57
Well-known member
Hello Mouette,
I don't know if the translator is translating correctly, but I said “generally” because Weissenburger-Cannstatt is in Württemberg, and VdH-Berlin in Prussia. But it's true that there are some inverted montages. (VdH with Württemberg plate, or Weissenburger with line eagle).
I should have written “mostly”.
While I'm at it, I'll add a view of the headdress. This one is taken from the perimeter setting, which is exclusive to this factory, and instead of a seam at the back, there's a snap.
I don't know if the translator is translating correctly, but I said “generally” because Weissenburger-Cannstatt is in Württemberg, and VdH-Berlin in Prussia. But it's true that there are some inverted montages. (VdH with Württemberg plate, or Weissenburger with line eagle).
I should have written “mostly”.
While I'm at it, I'll add a view of the headdress. This one is taken from the perimeter setting, which is exclusive to this factory, and instead of a seam at the back, there's a snap.