Prussian Guard Inf. EM M1915 Pickelhaube

[RON]

Gents, can you help me identify the stamp on the neck visor of my M15 EM Guard haube?
From what I've seen on Kaiser's Bunker, 'BAG': Garde-Korps (Berlin) clothing depot. However there's what looks like a 'K' before 'BAG' (or 'BAO'?)
What do you make of it? (see closeup in last photo)

 

[PICKELMAX]

Krieg Bekleidung Amt Garde - 1916

 

[RON]

Il s'agit donc bien d'un 'K'... Merci!

So it basically means War Clothing Depot of the Guard. Cool!
Now the question is: Why the adding of that 'K' (War)?
Any distinction from the regular clothing depot abbreviation (B.A.)?

 

[Leigh Kitchen]

A reference to the marking here:
http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/RELAWM15026" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[PrussianMauser]

Jeez, that 'haube is pristine!

 

[joerookery]

Ron,

Perhaps this article might help answer some of your questions?? :-k

http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles/DepotMarks_5_09.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Adler]

That haube would fit nice on everybody's war shelf!

Adler

 

[RON]

Hey Karel, I pretty sure my helmet would easily get lost amongst all the rare beauties in your attic!

Joe: Many thanks for the link Colonel; it gave me the answer...

PrussianMauser: This is definitely a War Bond helmet so God bless whomever came with this very smart idea and saved these for us!

 

[RON]

Hope everyone's having a relaxing weekend?
I finally got my hands on some of the helmets I recently bought after a friend dropped-by from Montreal with a suitcase full of my 'junk' (as he calls it)...

Starting with the M15 Guard Inf. haube, I noticed a few 'issues' with its fittings that weren't obvious in the photos above:
> The chinstrap, although authentic, is way too long for a regular infantry pickelhaube and looks like it was made for a cavalry metalhelme--it perfectly fits my JZP helmet which turned out to have the wrong chinstrap! (will share photos in the corresponding thread)
> Same issue with the spike: Taller than its infantry counterpart; looks like the JZP type
> The Reichs Cockade looks like a Prussian Cockade with the red color added at a later stage (glows under a UV light)
[I've added a couple of photos hereafter with a genuine (erstaz) chinstrap, the correct infantry spike, and a mint set of genuine cockades for benchmarking]
> Last but not least, and this is where I need your help gentlemen, the Guard Star seems to have its 'hooks' recently added/welded. Everything is magnetic steel on the helmet except for these 2 metal 'tabs' which look like they were made from aluminum... Please have a look at the photos below and let me know what you think when it comes to the star and if I should eventually replace it?

 

[RON]

Here's for intance a Guard Inf. M15 Wappen selling on eBay... Are the Star's tabs OK there? You think it would be good to try and win it to replace my star above? (the color on this one looks to be nicer than mine to start with)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300715767807?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[argonne]

Hmm, someone really tried to play with solder behind this guard star... :-x :-x :-x
I think the other star on ebay is the right one for a M15 pattern and would fit your helmet better.
Just my opinion, but however I would ask for some picts of the back!!!
I also think that the star on your helmet should have the feldgrau paint. It´s obviously a M95 pattern.

Philippe :salute:

 

[RON]

Salut Philippe,
The star on my helmet can't be M95 because it's magnetic steel. Only the soldered metal tabs are non-magnetic and look like they're made from aluminum or silver.
Weren't the M95 stars made of brass like the rest of the M95 wappens?
As for the M15 star on eBay, the seller doesn't take questions--I've tried, I get blocked by eBay--although he encourages the opposite... :-k

 

[argonne]

You´re right Ron. If the star on your helmet is magnetic, it´s a M15 pattern of which grey paint si completely gone now...(maybe because of the heat during the "solder working" at the back).

M95 guard stars were not magnetic but also not brass like the M95 wappen. That was a sort of "maillechort" , also called "german silver".

Philippe :salute:

 

[RON]

Here's a closeup of the (JZP) spike that came with my M15 Prussian Guard Inf. Pickelhaube next to my M15 JZP Metalhelme spike and a regular Infantry spike for comparison...
I was lucky enough to quickly find an Infantry spike on fleabay so now I have an extra M15 JZP spike!