Article about: Hi, I wonder can anyone assist with this question. Do you know of any company that manufacture a repro of the WWI cloth helmet covers for the lobster-tail Kurassier helmet? A genuine one tur
I didn't actually 'give' it away. I did a swop. I'm nice...but not THAT nice! As to being my friend....well I think you already are.
I'm restoring a couple of pickelhauben at the moment, photos attatched. Thought you might be interested.
One is an M-95 Fussartillerie battlefield relic, very badly damaged, but I think interesting for what it is. With the FWR cipher Grenadier Wappen only used by 4 FA regimenter, #'s 1, 2, 3 and 6. Some people might give up on it due to it's condition, but I always find these very damaged relics rather attractive. For me they are history. Then there is an M-91 Feldartillerie vulcanfibre helmet, made by Depaheg Patent, complete with all its fittings, removable kugel top for parade plume. I had a jeweller get the kugel back into shape, since it was badly bent, as you can see. Lastly a helmet from the Sanitatskorps, marked for BJA XVIII f, and named to Sanitats Gefreiter Kierey.
I also picked up what I think is rather a nice item, an M-91 Preussens Feldartillerie pickelhaube of the 2. Rheinisches Feldartillerie Reg Nr. 23, 6. Batterie, 2. Abteilung, made by Clemen, and stamped for 1897 & 1912, with 1st Garniture mark. It was brought back by James Quin, Royal Field Artillery, who joined the BA aged 19 in 1915, after giving a false age, gassed at Loos in April 1918 and suffering pharyngitis, conjunctivitus, oedema of both eyelids and and head burns. Discharged from the army in 1919, he died here in Dublin in May 1980. I like the history! I must get some photos. Korkarden missing and only one half of the chinscales, but otherwise in perfect 'mint' condition.
As to restoring, if you ever come across an M-15 Kugel (just the balltop, not the base) or a Saxon Wappen, M-95 or 15, I'm looking for same!
DPWICK....great collection of 'Kugelhelms', the foot artillery is particularly rare despite its condition, the middle helm the 'Depaheg' is an Officers helmet, this type of helmet, vulcanfibre were private purchase, as all officer helms were, notice the 'cut out' details on the eagle, the crown, and the officer double ring cockades, not to mention the egg and dart 'perlring' around the base of the spike/ball mount, the chinstrap should be resting at the front. The M15 is a stunner, just requires cockades and a leather chinstrap. By the way... with regards to the marking 'BJA' on the rear visor, the 'J' means that it has been at a field repair depot for a spot of repair and then re-issued. they were picked up off the battlefield, sent to repair units, made good again, stamped and reissued. I like to repair and restore Pickelhaubes, ive just finished an M15 Saxon, from a white gloss painted relic to a restored helm, see before and after photos.
That is one superb restoration on that Saxon helmet! Wonderful. I ment to say previously that there is a very strange thing about the M-95 FA helmet, or rather what is left of it. It is a genuine artillary helmet, not one with a later added artillary top, as the kugel base studs are obviously the issue ones that have never been opened since they were fitted, and both the base and the folded over stud prongs are imprinted into the helmet. But, though the back spine itself is missing, the hole for the sliding vent is clearly visible! An artillary helmet pre-WWI with a sliding vent cover? Possibly they used a helmet that had already been punched for the vent? That's unusual to say the least. Pity its in such very bad condition. I'll get photos when I get it and the vulcanfibre one restored.
An artillary helmet pre-WWI with a sliding vent cover? Possibly they used a helmet that had already been punched for the vent? That's unusual to say the least.
DPWICK, you are correct, Field Artillery regulations deemed all pre-war artillery helms, the kugelhelm,to keep the M91 rear spine with no sliding vent cover....however in practice, this often was ignored, due to shortages in 1914...and it was common during the war for infantry helmets to become artillery helmets and vica versa (re-stamped, overstamped, etc)...due to repair depots/re-issues.
Yes, I was thinking post-1914 use whatever was to hand, but a little cleaning showed that all fittings are brass, which would seem to date this helmet to pre-1914.
Re: Helmet cover
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Re: Helmet cover
by DPWICK
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