Lost Skeleton
Well-known member
In 2002, I purchased a magnificent IR 94 Landwehr officer's Pickelhaube from Brian Sanders that was perfect in all respects save one — the Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach Landeskokarde was bogus. The helmet is pictured in Head Dress of Imperial Germany: 1880-1916 by Paul Sanders:
http://www.schifferbooks.com/head-dress-of-imperial-germany-1880-1916-1299.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Masquerading as the IR 94 Kokarde was a Preußen Kokarde that had been painted incorrectly — the foundation black is untouched, the double silver ring is olive green, and the center, a pumpkin yellow. Not only are the colors wrong, but the priority is incorrect:
After years of searching, I was able to find the correct Kokarde on eBay. When it arrived, however, I was disappointed to see the double ring more closely resembled tarnished silver than gold — contrary to its appearance in the eBay photos. Still, it was an improvement over its predecessor:
At the MAX, I was elated to find the textbook replacement. The seller was asking $100, but I haggled and brought it home for $80. Wasting no time, I installed the Kokarde, and I believe the result speaks for itself:
So, after a dozen years of patient searching, I was able to restore a scarce helmet to its former glory. Click on the photo for greater detail:
http://www.schifferbooks.com/head-dress-of-imperial-germany-1880-1916-1299.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Masquerading as the IR 94 Kokarde was a Preußen Kokarde that had been painted incorrectly — the foundation black is untouched, the double silver ring is olive green, and the center, a pumpkin yellow. Not only are the colors wrong, but the priority is incorrect:
After years of searching, I was able to find the correct Kokarde on eBay. When it arrived, however, I was disappointed to see the double ring more closely resembled tarnished silver than gold — contrary to its appearance in the eBay photos. Still, it was an improvement over its predecessor:
At the MAX, I was elated to find the textbook replacement. The seller was asking $100, but I haggled and brought it home for $80. Wasting no time, I installed the Kokarde, and I believe the result speaks for itself:
So, after a dozen years of patient searching, I was able to restore a scarce helmet to its former glory. Click on the photo for greater detail:
