Yes I love ersatz pichelhaube.

Dear friends, thank you for your enthusiastic appreciation. Now I'll try to answer some of your questions. All the tshapska is quite different from the others ersatz in felt like the one manufactured by luckenwalde mutzenfabrik that you surely know.
The felt body is grey-green and all the fitting, as prussian eagle, chinstrap’s buckles, visor trim and mortar board are in magnetic metal painted in feldgrau colour. The top, produced in thin sheet metal (eisenblech) is not removable.
However, the tshapska is not particularly heavy. I compared the weight of this specimen with the weight of a Luckenwalder Hutfabriken tshapska with the three-ply all felt mortar board and the difference is only + 32 grams.
Despite its relative greater weight, the tshapska's body is not crushed by the weight of the mortar board.
It is my opinion that this is due to the fact that in the lower part the mortar board has a particular circular base that increases the support surface on the body of the helmet.
If you then look at the photos of the interior, the thapska has a large metal reinforcement disk on which the top is connected. This metal disk, larger than the other model, is able to better distribute the weight on the body.
I think this particular ersatz tshapska was introduced in early 1915 before the M15 feldgrau tshapska with removable mortar board. There is no regimental marks or manufacture’s.
I would be very grateful if anyone has any information to add.
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Thanks Zeb, that totally explains why there is no depression in the top of the shell. :thumb up: The condition here is just amazing!
 
b.loree said:
Thanks Zeb, that totally explains why there is no depression in the top of the shell. :thumb up: The condition here is just amazing!
Thank you very much.
 
Yes I can echo that comment, I have never seen or handled one of these. I did however, get suckered into buying one of those 1970’s Brit copies years ago....a Prussian version with M 15 wappen. A lesson learned. :)
 
Hey Zebedeus, first of all a belated happy birthday!
And second; what a fabulous set of helmets.
Thanks for sharing them.
 
Beautiful helmets, indeed. I saw the tschapka at the MB auction about two years ago and held it. If I recall correctly, it did not sell at the auction but went on to sell with Regimentals in the UK. I guess you were the buyer, then :thumb up:

Your Prussian felt with cloth chinstrap is absolutely identical to the one I acquired about 6 months ago. Would love to see if the wappen is attached the same way as mine is (by way of large metal washers in the inside).

The metal Bavarian is by far my favorite! If you ever decide to let it go, please do think of me !! :-" :-"

Alex
 
Francobritishcollect said:
Beautiful helmets, indeed. I saw the tschapka at the MB auction about two years ago and held it. If I recall correctly, it did not sell at the auction but went on to sell with Regimentals in the UK. I guess you were the buyer, then :thumb up:

Your Prussian felt with cloth chinstrap is absolutely identical to the one I acquired about 6 months ago. Would love to see if the wappen is attached the same way as mine is (by way of large metal washers in the inside).

The metal Bavarian is by far my favorite! If you ever decide to let it go, please do think of me !! :-" :-"

Alex
Hi Alex, thank you for your kind appreciations. About the prussian fel with cloth chinstrap, please post some pictures and we can compare the manifacture of the two helmets. I'll do some photos as soon possible and i'll add them here.
Zeb
 
Tony without Kaiser said:
This Ersatz Filz Tschako is the rarest piece in my opinion. Impossible to find.

Very nice :thumb up:
Hi Tony,
I almost completely agree with you . The ersatz filz tschako in felgrau felt is really rare to find, but there is an ever rarer model of tschako.
It's a black ersats felt tshako. Have you never seen one?
Zeb
 
Hi Zeb,

I got one offered for sale by a fellow countryman of yours last year, a black ersatz one, but didn't buy it..
I should have bought it.. :(

Greetings, Coert.
 
Zebedeus said:
Francobritishcollect said:
Beautiful helmets, indeed. I saw the tschapka at the MB auction about two years ago and held it. If I recall correctly, it did not sell at the auction but went on to sell with Regimentals in the UK. I guess you were the buyer, then :thumb up:

Your Prussian felt with cloth chinstrap is absolutely identical to the one I acquired about 6 months ago. Would love to see if the wappen is attached the same way as mine is (by way of large metal washers in the inside).

The metal Bavarian is by far my favorite! If you ever decide to let it go, please do think of me !! :-" :-"

Alex
Hi Alex, thank you for your kind appreciations. About the prussian fel with cloth chinstrap, please post some pictures and we can compare the manifacture of the two helmets. I'll do some photos as soon possible and i'll add them here.
Zeb

Here we go Zeb..
 

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The main differences between yours and mine seem to be the side reinforcements
 

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Impressive as your baby is the twin of mine. It is certain that both of them come from the same manufacturer. Both have a lot of construction details that I haven't found in other manufacturers.
Apart the excellent condition thei both:
The felt shape is identical
The particular ersatz cloth chinstraps
The painted feldgrau eagles
The inusual fixing mode of the eagle made with the use of a metal washer normally used to lock the knopf m91 connection
These two are almost identical. The only different detail is that yours has a black leather liner and mine has a natural brown leather liner and the side reinforcement.
In my opinion these characteristics was a peculiarity of the same producer.
 
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