Does anyone know what this Spike Helmet could be?

**Mapuche Warrior** · 07-26-2010, 08:10 PM

Hi Lads,

I purchased this on a whim on the fleaster, but when I received it it seems so light it almost feels like a prop to me. It's made of a very light steel or tin, or maybe even aluminum.. Not sure but there seems no obvious way of getting a liner into this, yet the detail and quality are rather nice, and the green paint looks original..

Any ideas what this could be?

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 07-26-2010 08:10 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**RH1941** · 07-26-2010, 08:19 PM

MW you got it right it is a prop. Gary

**Adrian Stevenson** · 07-26-2010, 08:27 PM

No idea what type of helmet this represents, but I even wonder if it is a childs toy, if it is small sized?

Cheers, Ade.

**Mapuche Warrior** · 07-26-2010, 08:33 PM

The old fella said he got it form an antique store when he was 10, and now he's 66.. but it aint small... it fits my head perfectly..and I am an adult with a medium sized head...

**Croix de Guerre** · 07-27-2010, 03:59 AM

I've seen these before. They were worn in some kind of fraternal lodge ceremonies; I was an antique store a while back and came across a whole pile of weird "helmets" and costumes like this.

**oradour** · 07-27-2010, 12:20 PM

Mapuche Warrior ...not Imperial German or Austro-Hungarian whatso ever !...I have seen similiar helmets for sale on E-Bay in the States, so I would imagine Croix de Guerre is correct in his assumption of being 'Frat' related.

**Mapuche Warrior** · 07-27-2010, 12:54 PM

So is it antique? Was it worn by vets? Or just masons dressing up for ceremonies? Is there a chance it could be a police or some kind of uniform for civil service?

**SteveR** · 07-28-2010, 01:53 AM

Many lodges acted out bible stories as part of their rituals and wore similar metal headgear, carried shields and swords that are similar to 1832 US artillery short sword.
Definitly fraternal.

**CMc** · 07-28-2010, 11:44 PM

I'm inclined to agree that it belonged to some masonic lodge or similar organisation, as far as I know the real tin 'ersatz' pickelhaubes worn by German forces early in the Great War, (to save on valuable leather and money that would be wasted on mass producing the ordinary, treated leather pickelhaube. Of course it was later replaced by the steel helmet.), still resembled the leather version very closely, whereas this differs a lot from the real thing, so was probably just meant as a cheap imitation for some purpose where that was all that was needed, like a lodge ritual etc.