Imperial German army headgear, specifically the Pickelhaube, is a real speciality. It is highly collectable but also highly copied. Due to the rarity, it is always advised to do your research and get a second and third opinion before making a purchase; these are not cheap items after all! However, items as such are often the best investment. Items that are over 100 years old – especially in good condition – do not grow on trees. And of course, they are sadly not making any more originals. So have a browse below and see some of the Imperial German helmets, parts and accessories for sale across the web this week.
Other Ranks Prussian Brass-mounted Pickelhaube
The first item is a lovely other ranks Pickelhaube helmet. ‘Other ranks’ simply means the wearer was a non-commissioned officer, or NCO for short. Higher ranks like captains, colonels or majors had much more ornate headgear and they had to purchase their helmets themselves, whereas enlisted men were issued one by the army. These helmets remained Crown property; they did not belong to the soldier.
This example is in nice uncleaned condition. It has its original brass mounts on the leather but the chinstrap had been replaced and the cockades are no longer there. The helmet is regimentally stamped on the under side of the rear peak. Overall, it is in very good condition for its age.
This Pickelhaube is available from Military Antiques for £685.
Imperial German Hussars Busby Badges
Bavarian Other Ranks Pickelhaube
Next comes this completely original and textbook example of an early Bavarian Pickelhaube. It retains all of the early brass fittings along with cockades that are 100% correct for this helmet. The black leather chinstrap has brass buckles and it is in good shape, as are both of the brass side mounts. The Bavarian front plate is nicely patinated with a proportion of the original gilding still intact.
The helmet front plate is held firmly in position with the period leather wedges and the interior black leather liner is in good shape. It is just showing expected general wear. The underside of the rear peak has a faint ink stamp. This is probably a regimental detail, but it is not quite clear enough to read the digits. The exterior has the typical wear one would expect on the outer shellac. Overall the condition is excellent.
Available from CS Militaria £675.
Officer’s Pickelhaube Cover
Helmet covers served a few different purposes. They protected the Pickelhaube from dust and dirt and they also helped camouflage the wearer on the fields and trenches. The shiny fittings on the helmet were quite reflective, which is not what you want when you’re trying to do a covert operation to capture enemy trenches in the middle of the night! Trench equipment as such were a big part of the war effort during WW1.
Enlisted men’s helmet covers had hooks to attach onto their Pickelhaube but officers’ covers had a stiff band on the front and back, to be able to hook it over the visor and the back. Early helmets had a red regimental number sewn onto the front, but this was changed to green after the start of WW1. They stopped using the numbers altogether in 1916 and the helmet covers themselves were also discontinued in 1917. The stiff bands and the lack of numbers tell us that this cover belonged to an officer and was likely made in 1916 or 1917, so it is one of the latest examples.
This cover is approximately a size M and is available from The Collector’s Guild for $279.
M1856 Prussian Infantry Spiked Helmet
Available from MDL Historic Military Antiques £2,450.00.
WW1 Prussian Guard Field Grey Pickelhaube
Available from Regimentals £1,350.
