Prussian Guard enlisted helmet M95

ww1czechlegion

ww1czechlegion

Well-known member
Offered for sale is a nice Model 1895 Prussian Guard enlisted pattern helmet.

Helmet has an original set of chinscales and a pair of original NCO kokardes.

Guard Wappen is the older 1891 style with the threaded screwposts, washers, and nuts. The wappen mounting holes are enlarged behind the frontplate, as can be seen in the photos I have posted. Here's a link to an excellent explanation by our member Clovis 57 in the thread I posted when I acquired this helmet earlier this year:

ww1czechlegion

Thread 'M95 Prussian Guard Enlisted Helmet'

I found this a couple of days ago in an antique shop. I also purchased a M15 Prussian Ulan Tschapka with a yellow rabatte, from the same source, which I will post in a separate thread.

I'm guessing that this is a private purchase "extra" helmet, since the underside of the back visor has the nice finish to it and there are no kammerstempel markings visible.

Best Wishes,

Alan



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There are no issue markings, or personal ID label inside of the helmet.

There is a bit of loss of finish on the viewer's right side of the front of the helmet, where the chinscale has sat for decades and must have stuck to the finish on the front of the helmet and on the top of the visor area, as seen in my photos.

This helmet will make for a nice addition to any collection.

Price: $1,450 or "Best Offer" plus Postage.

I prefer payment via PayPal "friends and family". Money order or bank wire transfer is ok as well.

USA Postage: $20 for Priority US Mail with Tracking.

Canada Postage: $40 for First Class International Mail with Tracking.

Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, United Kingdom Postage: $50 for First Class International Mail with Tracking.

Australia, New Zealand, Singapore Postage: $55 for First Class International Mail with Tracking.

Thanks,

Alan





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495 looks here as of this post tonight, with apparently Zero interest in this helmet?

This has been a surprising experience for me here with this helmet. I won't reduce the price any further on it.

I accept personal check and money order via snail mail, or bank wire transfer as well, if someone doesn't want to use PayPal.
 
Alan, I think that the "problems" here may be the lack of units stamps (or their deletion, because I think I can see some markings on both sides of rear visor under some deletion friction traces 🧐 ) and the very big holes in the shell for the wappen.
I also think that the helmet could first have worn a guard wappen with loops at the back because we clearly see that there were two grommets in place in the lower holes pair. Just my two cents ;)

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Philippe
 
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Hi Alan, that is certainly a beautiful, original Pickelhaube. Unfortunately, I already have one; otherwise, this one would definitely have been for me—everyone wants a top-quality Pickelhaube these days, but those are certainly more expensive. As a beginner (4 years in), it’s sometimes just as well not to be able to have everything in perfect condition; the price is right. Just be patient—buyers will surely come along. It’s holiday season here in Europe, and money usually goes towards that sort of thing right now. Keep your spirits up! Regards, Gino.
 
argonne said:
Alan, I think that the "problems" here may be the lack of units stamps (or their deletion, because I think I can see some markings on both sides of rear visor under some deletion friction traces 🧐 ) and the very big holes in the shell for the wappen.
I also think that the helmet could first have worn a guard wappen with loops at the back because we clearly see that there were two grommets in place in the lower holes pair. Just my two cents ;)

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Philippe
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Yes, thanks for your comments, Philippe.

"The underside of the back visor does have a dark area. The finish on the underside of the back area is very finely done, and has an almost "waxed" appearance and texture to the underside of the back visor. I say this because it is very similar to what I have seen on many Eigentum helmets I have had in my hands over the years. Was there a mark that was removed? Maybe, I do not know for sure. If there was an issue mark at one time, would the B.A.G. have removed the marking, if they sold it to a soldier for use as a secondary helmet? Do we know the answer to that?"

I do want to ask if you read what Thierry wrote on the thread I posted about the helmet after I found it?

Here's what member Clovis 57 (Thierry) wrote, in post #22 of my original thread before I offered it up for sale in the sale thread section of the forum:

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That thread is found in the post here, and what Thierry (Clovis 57) said in post #22:

ww1czechlegion

Thread 'M95 Prussian Guard Enlisted Helmet'

I found this a couple of days ago in an antique shop. I also purchased a M15 Prussian Ulan Tschapka with a yellow rabatte, from the same source, which I will post in a separate thread.

I'm guessing that this is a private purchase "extra" helmet, since the underside of the back visor has the nice finish to it and there are no kammerstempel markings visible.

Best Wishes,

Alan



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Here are some comments I want to make that add to what Thierry said earlier on the other thread:

1.) Thierry's second point:
"Unmarked helmet from a Guard regiment or the B.A.G.; it may have been sold by the B.A., since it is a regulation model."

My comment: Is that so unplausible, that the helmet could have been sold by the B.A.?

2.) Thierry's third point/comment:
"This helmet originally had regulation M95 eyelets for a Garde-Adler (Wappen), (not Buckles as the translator engine made an error), but an M91 eagle was affixed (with screws and nuts). The original holes were drilled to specification using an 8mm punch for eyelets. After the eyelets were removed, the holes were enlarged toward the top, but this was not done by a professional leatherworker.
Why?
So that the eagle’s tail would sit just above the visor...
However, this helmet was always intended for the Guard. In fact, Prussian Guard helmets always have a 10-centimeter distance between the mountings, which is the case here." end of quote from Thierry.

My comment: So, if the holes are enlarged, but the helmet has only ever had a Prussian Guard Wappen on the helmet (either an M91 with screw posts now, or previously had an M95 Prussian Guard Wappen with wire loop attachment), why then is anyone "squeamish" about the enlarged holes? The wappen has obviously been on there for a very long time, probably since the WW1 or earlier era, with the indentation on the helmet surface from the wappen wings are clearly visible to anyone. I personally do not know if there is a method to put old dust onto a helmet surface underneath the wappen, and make it stick. I have no reason to try to doctor anything up or create something here.

Here's an additional thought/comment by me: I trust that everyone here, or most everyone here knows the difference between an M91 Prussian Guard Eagle Wappen, and an M95 Prussian Guard Eagle Wappen? The type of mounting device used is not the only difference between them, correct? The detail of the Eagle is also different between an M91 and an M95 eagle, correct? The upper wings on an M91 eagle are more pronounced in that they stick up higher from the surface of the helmet. The M95 eagle does not have that higher detail on the top of the wings, as compared to the M91 Eagle. An M95 Prussian Guard Eagle Wappen looks much flatter in appearance with the details and the way it sits on the face of the helmet, when compared to an M91 Prussian Guard Eagle Wappen.

As Thierry indirectly points out, the holes were made so that the earlier style M91 eagle's tail would sit on the top edge of the visor. The two eagle wappens (M91 and M95) are apparently a bit different in size with their height. (I assume that different makers can be slightly different with the size as well). Thus, the logical reason why this helmet was altered, in order to put a nicer looking, earlier M91 Prussian Guard Wappen onto this helmet.

And, as Thierry has pointed out: "This helmet was always intended for the Guard. In fact, Prussian Guard helmets always have a 10-centimeter distance between the mountings, which is the case here."

So, if this helmet was sold from the B.A. stock to a soldier who was an N.C.O. rank to use as a "second" helmet, why would he not want to have a nicer M91 Guard Wappen on the helmet to stand out and make the helmet look nicer, with the earlier style eagle on what is probably a "second" helmet for the soldier that he could still wear in Garrison, or wear on leave to visit his home? Is this difficult to consider? Does anyone here, including Philippe, find this "implausible"?

3.) Thierry's fourth point/comment:
"The advantage of such a helmet, if it is “Eigentum,” is that it is not a fancy “Extra-Helm,” which allows this Feldwebel to wear it in the garrison because its construction complies with regulatory standards."

My only comment is something I mentioned above in response to Philippe:
"The underside of the back visor does have a dark area. The finish on the underside of the back area is very finely done and has an almost "waxed" appearance and texture to the underside of the back visor. I say this because it is very similar to what I have seen on many Eigentum helmets I have had in my hands over the years. It is one of the reasons when I first found it and posted it here, why I thought it might be an "Eigentum" helmet. Was there a mark that was removed? Maybe, I do not know for sure. If there was an issue mark at one time, would the B.A.G. have removed the marking, if they sold it to a soldier for use as a secondary helmet? Do we know the answer to that?"

I welcome any additional comments on this helmet.

Thanks,

Alan
 
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gino1 said:
Hi Alan, that is certainly a beautiful, original Pickelhaube. Unfortunately, I already have one; otherwise, this one would definitely have been for me—everyone wants a top-quality Pickelhaube these days, but those are certainly more expensive. As a beginner (4 years in), it’s sometimes just as well not to be able to have everything in perfect condition; the price is right. Just be patient—buyers will surely come along. It’s holiday season here in Europe, and money usually goes towards that sort of thing right now. Keep your spirits up! Regards, Gino.
Click to expand...

Hello Gino,

Thanks for your kind words, I appreciate it.

Every year since I first began selling on eBay in 1998, July was always the worst month to try to sell anything, followed by December and January as the 2nd & 3rd slowest sale months.

There are a lot of other factors to consider right now as well, (worry about tariffs, gas prices, other cost of living expenses rising, etcetera.) There has also been a lot of helmets that have come up for sale since May of this year, with the dispersal of several prominent collections here on the forum and on auction. ;) :)

I had an absolutely amazing Show of Shows in Louisville, Kentucky, this past January with my sales. I never would have believed before I went this year, that I would have such great sales results there.

I also have a good collector friend here in Iowa, who has been starting to collect Imperial helmets. He bought another one from me the end of May and has unexpectedly since then backed out on buying a couple of other good helmets from me that he was planning to buy. He ended up having to quit a good job, because he was on the receiving end of sexual harassment from a woman at work, unfortunately. He's a happily married man and wouldn't relent or give in to her harassment at work.

Thanks again, Gino!
 
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