Testing my new camera

Many many years ago I came upon a junkyard near the city of Hamlin that I believe had part of her estate in it. I bought a series of pictures and prints. That started me on collecting. If only I had purchased more at that juncture. However the place was really not very well maintained.

wpe79830.jpg
 
An absolutely fantastic helmet Bruno, congratulations! :bravo:

That new camera does excellent work as well! =D>

Best Regards,

Alan
 
it is not the helmet of the princess Victoria Luise, daughter of Kaiser W II, but the helmet of the husband Ernst August von Hannover (III)Herzog von Braunschweig 1887-1953.
The helmet was made in the 1920-30 and then donated to the german museum, later a collector got it.
 
Fully agreed. In fact I never assumed or suggested this might be Viktoria Luise's own helmet (to start with, it is quite a large size...). I just know, as you do, that she is the one who donated it to the museum in 1961. But I ignored that it was her husband's helmet. This is very interesting information. Thank you for it.
 
Bruno I assume this is the example I had the pleasure of examining in Maine last year? A historical family piece. Facinating construction, quite different than a pre-1918 helmet. Congratulations again. . :salute:
 
quite different than a pre-1918 helmet.
Click to expand...

Tony,

Can you explain that a bit? I always thought that the thread size on the posts was indicative of vermin models of what else can your eye?
 
joerookery said:
quite different than a pre-1918 helmet.
Click to expand...
Tony,
Can you explain that a bit? I always thought that the thread size on the posts was indicative of vermin models of what else can your eye?
Click to expand...

I examined carefully that helmet at the Haskell auction, and it was confusing. What got my attention immediately was the “look and feel” was not at all consistent with a period Pickelhaube of any sort. Very well made, but it did not feel right. Plus the Totenkopf was not period, but not a copy, it was extremely well made. However, when I flipped it over, the liner was a dead give away. Very thick, newer, cream colour, with forehead perforations. To me it was clearly post war made, as it certainly looked like it was German manufactured and made to be exactly what it is. Not put together or faked. What I noticed most, is that it is identical to a post-war Norwegian or Swedish Pickelhaube. I can’t recall the chinscale rosettes, but on the above two mentioned countries, they are usually (?) screw posts, not period split brad. Bruno can confirm, but I think (?) those are Rastatt inventory stamps on the liner.

I think it is a fantastic piece, and who else could own an IR92 Pickelhaube (from any era) that was once the property of HRH Viktoria Louise? Although I never fully understood how this was confirmed to have been her property.

VerienIR92.jpg
 
You are absolutely correct, Tony. A post-war production. And yes, the stamped numbers are typical of the Rastatt museum. Your insight is amazing. Here is the original inventory slip from Rastatt:

 
Chinscales are attached with split brads (+ washers). A friend of mine from Europe, who is an expert, saw it before I did; he wrote "The helmet is fantastic... but it is post-war)". I could only confirm when I saw the piece.
Bruno
 
Tony without Kaiser said:
joerookery said:
quite different than a pre-1918 helmet.
Click to expand...
Tony,
Can you explain that a bit? I always thought that the thread size on the posts was indicative of vermin models of what else can your eye?
Click to expand...

I examined carefully that helmet at the Haskell auction, and it was confusing. What got my attention immediately was the “look and feel” was not at all consistent with a period Pickelhaube of any sort. Very well made, but it did not feel right. Plus the Totenkopf was not period, but not a copy, it was extremely well made. However, when I flipped it over, the liner was a dead give away. Very thick, newer, cream colour, with forehead perforations. To me it was clearly post war made, as it certainly looked like it was German manufactured and made to be exactly what it is. Not put together or faked. What I noticed most, is that it is identical to a post-war Norwegian or Swedish Pickelhaube. I can’t recall the chinscale rosettes, but on the above two mentioned countries, they are usually (?) screw posts, not period split brad. Bruno can confirm, but I think (?) those are Rastatt inventory stamps on the liner.

I think it is a fantastic piece, and who else could own an IR92 Pickelhaube (from any era) that was once the property of HRH Viktoria Louise? Although I never fully understood how this was confirmed to have been her property.

VerienIR92.jpg
Click to expand...

Thank you Tony. That was clear and I learned something! :thumb up:
 
A very interesting and revealing discussion of this historic helmet. I have only one thing to add...the officer sweat band is stitched where the ends meet and not glued which is completely abnormal to what we typically see on an officer helme.
 
Let me just drop in here again.

I had this helmet in my hands, when it was – along with very nice a collection of fine helmets - for sale in Germany in 2002.

Unfortunately the dealer, whom I really like, due to the provenience asked an astronomic price that I couldn’t afford.

I was a little bit surprised that there was no reference to its origin, when this helmet was back on sale in the US last year. I don’t know the final result of the sale, but I guess it was lower than the 22.000 Euros that I was supposed to pay in 2002….

This leads me to my question. Have these post WWI and pre WWII helmets the same value as "original" items form the time before 1918 or not?

Thank you.

Garde-Ulan
 
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