erzats Baden pickelhaube

[Helmcollector]

Dear collective wissdom....
I have since a few years a pickel haube in my possession, missing both cockardes and the skinstrap that I would like to upgrade....
My eyes fell on this one....Not cheap (the dealer asks 1195 euro) and according to him an 'ersatz' pickelhaube.
I have the French edition of 'uniformes', 'le casque à pointe' in my posession, but the viarity of these helmets makes me dizzy.
So before I even think of purchazing this one, I have a few questions...

- How can you see on these pictures that this is an erzats pickel haube ?
- With the help of the magazine mentioned earlier I can figure out that the stamp on the back propably will be the unit in the German army. The other will be the size, but what about the third stamp. And is the stamp '1916' real ?

Any input is really appreciated !
Erwin

[AndyM35]

The changeover from brass fittings such as the Wappen and spike, to steel as the war progressed were certainly an ersatz measure, as was the very thin leather used for the liner which you’ll note particularly on the tongues. I believe there was also an ersatz measure whereby the chinstrap used a single rivet rather than stitches to secure the folded leather sections of the strap. Unsure if the edges of the liner that appear to have been darkened on either side, were done period or post war. The 1916 stamp and the others all look original and period applied. Also nicely named. At size 52.5, it’s certainly a small Pickelhaube but overall a very nice example.

Andy

[MAP]

Looks like a good standard M1915 model.

Price does seem to be a bit high.

[AndyM35]

As MAP said, a standard M15. In Pickelhaube collectors terminology ersatz is used more commonly when referring to the different types materials used for the body itself, for example felt, cork, tinplate or paper, but particularly the felt varieties. Whether this would strictly be classed as an ersatz is open to debate, but definitely fair to say that it features many ersatz wartime economies in its construction. By 1915 nearly every bit of equipment was being looked at seeking ways of speeding up turnaround times and to the lesson the use of precious materials.

[Helmcollector]

Anyone has an idea of the meaning of this stamp ?

[Kohima]

Actually shown upside down here, it reads, ‘B.A.XIV’ - denoting Bekleidungs Amt XIV - the clothing depot of 14. Army Corps.

The regiment appears to be something along the lines of I.R. *01.
I’m not finding an infantry regiment which corresponds to this in the XIV. Korps, as yet, though this is only from a cursory check of the 1914 organisation.
By 1916, many regiments had been reformed and reallocated a few times, so it may well tally up with the later timeline...

[AndyM35]

Actually shown upside down here, it reads, ‘B.A.XIV’ - denoting Bekleidungs Amt XIV - the clothing depot of 14. Army Corps.

Good work Rob! I was comparing it with lists of depots marks and wondering why I couldn’t find a match!

[Helmcollector]

I decided to buy this helmet mostly because I was intriguied by the nice stamps in it. So I could take some better pictures of the stamps in the rear (the 'hintershirm'). I guess the JR stands for infantry regiment ? There is also a little stamp in a rectangle, with roman number II and a B ? Says something about the state the helmet was in when it was stamped ?
Read somewhere that PB could be 'pioneer batallion', but not sure if the 'P' is stamped as such...