Pickelhauben thoughts

[DPWICK]

There are a couple of things regarding pickelhauben that I find of interest. It struck me how often one finds helmets that seem to have served for many years without any modifications, or only partly updated, despite regulations. For example, I have a nice M-91 (2-vent spike & screwpost Wappen) with M-97 cockades but of course never upgraded to the 5-vent spike or later type Wappen, despite being stamped for re-issue up to 1912. An officers M-91 with again all its fittings as issuedfor 1891 but upgraded with M-97 cockades. Yet another helmet, M-91, has been fitted with the M-95 5-vent spike & M-97 cockades but still retains the screwpost Wappen. It seems that upgrading parts was rather hit-and-miss. Perhaps a sort of 'if it ain't broken don't fix it'?

The other thing regards inkstamps. I am surprised by the number of helmets, obviously issued and used by their condition, that have either no stamps at all or very few. I would assume any helmet, even one never issued and perhaps found in the factory after the war, should have the makers stamp, date and headsize, and issued ones should have either or both the BA and regimental stamps as well. Yet I have a lot of helmets with no stamp of any kind, others with just the makers stamp, some with with only the headsize and date, some with only a BA stamp, some with a regimental number and nothing else, one with a re-issue and fit for service 'f' stamp and nothing else, and only a very few with all the stamps. Given the German armys love of regulations, this seems odd. How did so many helmets manage to avoide most and sometimes all of the variuos stamps they should have received? Has anyone else noticed this seemingly odd state of stamp affairs? All thoughts on this welcome.

[SteveR]

Lots of questions with no answers as far as I know. Regulations were not always adhered to. Once the helmet was issued I believe the owner was responsible to up grade it. If it was private purchase it would not have been modified if the owner didn't want to bother. I also am not sure if after regular service when transfered to reserve status who was responsible for up grades.
SteveR