"Very scarce Reserve Officer’s busby to the exclusive and legendary 1st Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr 1 cavalry regiment.
This is an overall very fine busby. The body is covered with possum fur, without any fur loss. The massive silver Totenkopf Wappen measures 2 ½" x 2 ¾ and has an attractive patina. The death’s head’s eyes and nose are backed in black velvet, giving it a sinister look. The chin scales are gold-toned and leather-backed, and pinned-up Hussar style. As is correct, only one Kokarde is present (on the wearer’s right) for the Reich, which changed over from a Prussian Kokarde in 1897. Above the Wappen is a bullion officer’s Feldzeichen (field badge).
A unique feature of this busby is the Prussian reserve officer’s cross affixed to the center of the field badge, giving it even more eye appeal. The reserve cross makes this busby doubly rare as elite, exclusive regiments like the Leib-Husaren had very few reservists, and these were usually very important persons with the cachet to be accepted on a reserve basis--and not blackballed! Thus reservist officer's 1. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr 1 busbies are rarely--if ever--encountered.
The busby’s red Kolpak identifies it as a 1. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr 1 example. (The white Kolpak is correct for the 2. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Königin Victoria von Preußen Nr 2.) The kolpak has a couple of very small moth nips, but in no way detractive. The interior shows a fine, light-brown leather sweatband and gray silk liner in excellent condition, but with minor separation to the liner where it attaches at the back.
This example is from the Jim Turinetti Collection, author of numerous excellent Imperial German helmet references and field guides.
A scarce fine example of the officer’s busby to a prestigious cavalry regiment with an alumnus including August von Mackensen, and other nobility. The Kronprinz is most often identified with this regiment, and is seen photographed in a Leib-Husaren rig more than any other. Similarly the Kaiser, himself, is most often pictured in 1st Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr 1 regimentals, or as a Garde du Korps colonel-in-chief."
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