Show Us Your Pristine M15

Lost Skeleton

Lost Skeleton

Well-known member
Things have been a bit quiet here, so I thought this idea might be fun. We've all seen a lot of grotty M15 helmets in our day, and sometimes regard them as representing harsh economy and inferior quality.

However, when one has the opportunity of examining an unissued helmet, often a Liberty Loan prize, the M15 can be a real eye opener.

This is, perhaps, the best example I can offer. There must be others out there. Please jump in.

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Chas.
 
It's nothing too radical, but since all the helmets above have tan liners, I'd be quite interested in learning the date of manufacture. My Württemberg is stamp dated 1916. It is also a very small size, 54. I see Tony's Baden is a 53.

My questions are:

(a) Is the tan liner exclusive to post 1915 manufacture?

(b) Are the sizes smaller than or equal to 56?

(c) Were the helmets never issued due to their small size and redundancy in the 1916 era of the Stahlhelm?

Here's another Baden, size 55, bearing no date.

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My final contribution, and a personal favorite, a transitional M15 with an M95 magnetic spike. The helmet is dated 1915, size 57, and lavishly stamped.

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Chas.
 
I have several M15's with black liners, I will check out the dates.

The Baden I show above with tan liner is a size 58!! One of the biggest Haubes I have.

James
 
I am new here and have a lot to learn about haubes. I guess this is a good shread to start with! Some fantastically beautiful haubes posted here gentlemen.

Is is reasonable to assume that Haubes in that pristine condition are likely to be "bond helmets"?

Cheers
 
Yes Alex...Bond Helmets they are! Both the US and Canadian Govts brought them back from captured stores to use as Bond Drive prizes. James the Prussian Bond M15 that I recently sold was also a size 58cm. It also had the tan liner. Great thread Chas! Brian
 
Yes, mine are bond helmets, except for the Baden, this was a vet bringback, and has his name etc. written in the liner.

James
 
Guys, how do you know they are bond helmets? They may be, sure. But may I suggest, that saying they are absolutely Bond helmets, is conjecture. There is no way to know for sure. The only ones that I feel are war bond assembled, are the ones with the inner support disk incorrectly placed on the outside. T
 
Tony,

First, I must say that as a beginner in the world of Haubes I feel honoured to be able to respond to one of your post. I have visited your web-site on many occasions and I have always found it extremely instructive and beautifully designed.

Therefore, nice to coss your way in this Forum!

Reverting to the "bond helmet" issue, isn't it reasonable to assume that most of those pristine helmets are "bond" ones. Surely, any bring-backs picked up from the front or even from "liberated" depots would either show sign of wear or perhaps battering suffered during shipping. Nonetheless, I would agree with you that there cannot be a certainty that minty helmets are necessarily "bond helmets" but there must be a strong suspicion that they are.

I would love to see more of your treasures gentlemen so please keep them coming!!!

Best regards fom the UK
 
Tony- I agree with you for the most part, however, I am for sure my two are Bond helmets as they are from the son of the gentleman that was in charge of the local bond drive in my area. He kept these two and now I have them.

James
 
Here is my M15 'FAR 44 1916' marked kugelhelm. Near mint, almost certainly unissued. The black lacquer on the body has some dimples but has never been touched or polished. The liner in nearly flawless and the drawstring is still tied from the factory. Original 1917 dated chinstrap and minty kokarden. The only wear on this helmet is on the kugel and a little around the sides where the liner folds over the body.

Mike

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Thank you for posting this Chas!
The guy from whom I bought the Mecklemburg helmet, quite a while ago in SF, also had for sale a crappy bavarian M15. Unfortunately the spikes had been inverted!.. He never wanted to take my word for it (or was it a maneuver?..) and I had to also buy the other helmet just to get the precious Mecklemburg spike... Considering the remote chance I had to find a M15 Mecklemburg spike as a spare part (how many of you have ever seen one?..) I do not regret it!
Bruno
 
Hello,
Never seen so beautiful Ml 15 as this Mecklemburg and Dragoon, =D> except the 19th Ml 15 dragoon in Lainé's photographs of 1970's.


About rare Ml 15 spikes, sometimes luck : I bought on ebay a prussian helmet, with ... an Hessian fluted Ml 15 spike...



\:D/
 
Just excellent Bruno!!! I also have never seen an example of an M15 Mecklemburg except in the reference books! Congratulations. Brian
 
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