What are the odds of this happening? Another Hessian M15 Spike on eBay in less than 30 days

ww1czechlegion

ww1czechlegion

Well-known member
I believe it is very unusual that in less than 30 days time, 2-Prussian M15 Helmets showed up for sale on eBay and each helmet has a Hessen M15 Fluted Spike on it. One was on eBay France earlier this month, and the other was on eBay USA last week. What are the odds of that happening? Here is the link to the first one that showed up on eBay France:

A very rare spike..

Here's a helmet for auction on Ebay.fr that has a rare spike on it. This is not mine, I just found it on Ebay. https://www.ebay.fr/itm/354745290855?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=709-53476-19255-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050
www.pickelhaubes.com www.pickelhaubes.com

I logged on to eBay last Thursday afternoon to discover what new items had been listed that day. I almost could not believe my eyes when I spotted another M15 Prussian Helmet with an M15 Hessen Fluted Spike. I almost couldn't click fast enough on the "buy-it-now" button after quickly viewing the photos. It has been a few years since I've found a helmet on eBay that I wanted to purchase that had a "buy-it-now" feature on the auction listing, and at a reasonable price. I joke that Rob has been fortunate in buying most of them the past several years when they have been listed on eBay with "buy-it-now" feature. This "blind squirrel" can still find a nut.

I will show some before and after photos of what the helmet looks like.

Here are 5-Photos posted by the seller on eBay. The photos show what the helmet looked like when it was listed on eBay.


a Hessen spike helmet eBay May 2023 1.jpg

a Hessen spike helmet eBay May 2023 2.jpg

a Hessen spike helmet eBay May 2023 3.jpg

a Hessen spike helmet eBay May 2023. 4jpg.jpg

a Hessen spike helmet eBay May 2023 5.jpg

The seller stated: "Has been sitting on a shelf for years." I wasn't certain if it was a felt pickelhaube, or if it was similar to the one on eBay France that had lost most of the black finish on the helmet shell.


Here is what it looks like after I cleaned it up today:


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Notice the above photo: There is a hole above the side post mount device where there once was another side post mounted. This helmet shell was likely cut down from an older, taller model of helmet.



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This helmet has definitely been Arsenal Repaired or Re-Worked. There are clear signs of 2-plugged holes behind the front plate or wappen. The inside of helmet shows 2-leather patches that cover the plugged holes. We see this sometimes with Hessen helmets.

Could this possibly be a helmet that was issued to Hessen Troops? There are very faint markings on the viewer's left underside of the back visor. Unfortunately I can only make out what appears to be a date of "19.." I cannot make out the full date. I am not sure what the mark is on the viewer's right under side of the rear visor.

The wearer's right side of the helmet shows signs of the helmet formerly having a side post mounted higher up on the helmet, slightly above where the present one is mounted. We can see the hole from that former location of a side post. The helmet was probably a cut down older model of helmet shell.

Here are some more photos:


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Leather helmet body has shrunk a bit and the front visor trim has pulled away from the edge of the leather visor.


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A Hessian Helmet May 2023 eBay Purchase.jpg

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I placed the spike on my M15 Hessen helmet that I bought at the Show of Shows in 2020.

Hessian M15 Pickelhaube from the Show of Shows 2020

Hello, Here's my modest helmet acquisition from the recent Show of Shows, a nice Hessian Model 1915 Helmet with the correct issue marking "R.B.A. 18" stamped inside. I've been looking for one of these for a very long time. These "R.B.A. 18" Depot Issued helmets are often found with the round...
www.pickelhaubes.com


I may try to use "Evaporust" product on the Hessen spike in order to remove the surface rust. It will take some time to soak the spike in Evaporust and also carefully observe the process over a period of time, in order that it does not strip off the gray finish from the spike.




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Repro Hessen Kokarde on helmet:

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Congratulations Alan,
Well done! Super find!
It certainly looks like a officially reworked helmet, I read "1901" or "1904" on the rear visor, and a "3" in the regimental marking. It should be possible to read that regimental marking in the correct light / with an enhanced photograph.
Does the Hessen Wappen fit on the Ebay helmet?
Regards,
Lars
 
Thanks Lars!

My M15 Hessen Wappen has only 1-wire loop on back side. The other loop needs to be re-soldered. I can place the wappen on the helmet and try to look through the grommet hole and see if it looks like it could be a match. I suppose that I could measure the distance between the 1-intact loop and the area where the other wire loop broke off. Either way should give me an indication whether or not the wappen will fit this new helmet I found.

Best Wishes,

Alan
 
Nice find Alan!
My Hessen M15 also has those plugged up holes, but is correctly stamped RBA18 too, so correct for a reworked example.

Congratulations on finding the correct spike, I'm still looking for one.

Regards, Coert.
 
coert65 said:
Nice find Alan!
My Hessen M15 also has those plugged up holes, but is correctly stamped RBA18 too, so correct for a reworked example.

Congratulations on finding the correct spike, I'm still looking for one.

Regards, Coert.
Click to expand...

Many thanks Coert!

I wish that the other helmet on eBay France had not gone for so high of a price and that you would have been able to acquire it.

I was very, very luck to find this one and to acquire it for a fraction of the price that the helmet on eBay France sold for. It was pure luck that I was in the right place at the absolute right time on eBay after it appeared. No skill involved on my part to acquire this one, just 100% luck of the timing.

As Lars has mentioned, I will need to look at it in different lighting and see if I can discover any unit or RBA issue stamp on the visor.

Best Wishes,

Alan
 
Congratulations Alan! Be very careful with the Evaporust it will remove the rust but also the M15 finish if left on. If it were mine, I would not dip it but use a Qtip to apply on small areas, observe, wash off then reapply until you get the results you want.
 
On the pictures the rust doesn't look that bad, it seems to fit in rather nicely with the top of the Hessian helmet, not sure if I would do a lot if anything. Probably Brian's advice is the best :)
 
Maybe the second auction got inspired by the first one.

The Prussian type Hessen M15 (round base) was originally equipped with a smooth spike , but this spike remains a rare bird , so well done. (y)
 
J.LeBrasseur said:
Nice find Alan, I could have sworn from the pics you sent me it was felt, glad to see it cleaned up and spike put on your Hessian!

James
Click to expand...
Thanks James! Yes, I wasn't sure if this was a felt helmet, or if it was a badly damaged leather helmet missing the black finish on the exterior when I bought it on eBay. I was happy to discover that almost all of the black finish is intact when I took the helmet out of the box, and I wiped the layer of grime off with a damp rag.

Best Wishes,

Alan
 
b.loree said:
Congratulations Alan! Be very careful with the Evaporust it will remove the rust but also the M15 finish if left on. If it were mine, I would not dip it but use a Qtip to apply on small areas, observe, wash off then reapply until you get the results you want.
Click to expand...

Thanks Brian! Yes, I'll be careful with the evapo-rust product. I've used it several times before, and I remember that I must be careful with it.

Best Wishes,

Alan
 
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