mle 16 turtle camo

[AndyM35]

Thank you very much for your reply Nick. I'd like to contact Andrea (I don't know him) but according to Andy it takes a little time for him at the moment, and I dare not disturb him. If someone knows him well, maybe he can send him the photos. In all I really like this helmet because it allows everyone to let their imagination run, and it's true that I had a crush on it when I acquired it a few years ago.
Thank you all for the interest that this helmet has aroused

I sent the photos to Andrea a few days back, and his reply was as I stated, that he had not seen anything like it before. But certainly post it to German Helmet Valhalla where he is a moderator and heavily involved in the Imperial German steel forums. He will definitely reply there.

I believe it was Oliver Lock that John was referring to as ‘taking time out’. Oliver is quite active on some of the WW1 groups on Facebook too. His new book on German WW1 helmets is excellent.

Andy

[aicusv]

Yes the little guy is a Kaminfeger, and is a good luck symbol in southern Germany. Chances are the wearer was from Württemberg area. My wife's family had little figures of them all over the place.

[Anderson]

Maybe, but look into the important profession of the lamp lighter in the late 1800's/ early 1900's. Here's a picture of a German lamp lighter. The ladder being their main tool.

[aicusv]

Here is an image of a Kaminfeger,