Pickelhaube Question

[Peter_Suciu]

Hi--I'm new to this forum and I recently happened across this item:
http://www.wartimecollectables.com/p...ardehelmet.htm

Does anyone know wartimecollectables.com at all? I've been focusing more on WWII era helmets but my wife's grandfather actually served in the German army and fought in WWI so this is a piece that I might like to pick up.

I am not sure about the price. Any thoughts would be great.

Thank you,

Peter Suciu

[Newlyn]

Pickelhaube

So hard to tell from a couple of photos. It does look a good early shape, (Later pickels tended to have a flatter crown.) The first thing to check is any extra mounting holes inside the area around the eagle plate, indicating an 'upgrade'. By the way, that statement about the chinscales isn't strictly true, it's a bit more complex. I suppose the price isn't unreasonable, if it's as good as it looks, like everything, the prices are skyrocketing. You got to have a hands on experience. Another give away, look at the area behind the plate, there should be an indication of the imprint of the plate edges, usually, left as the leather has shrunk away from the plate. Didn't notice, is there a perlring, a row of little domed sections around the spike base ? Should be for that period.

[Newlyn]

part two

Just had another look, are those chinscales domed ?

[PaulHD]

I thought the pearlring was a officer only embellishment.
Seems reasonably priced. I've seen Garde Infantrie & Garde
Grenadier officers helme go for well over $1,000.

Sorry, I'm not familiar with wartime collectibles.

[Tony & Kaiser]

Correct for a change

The helmet looks good. It has a post 1895 pattern spike, (five vents) with the correct post-1887 spike. Garde units were titled, and therefore entitled to wear a parade plume. The spike should not have a ball-pattern Perlring, that is the standard correct ring for post-1887. Please look here for details on the evolution of Pickelhauben, that should explain many of your questions. http://www.kaisersbunker.com/pe/pe.htm

The chinscales look slightly convex, but more flat than rounded. Quite often flat ones have a veeeeery slight curve, which does not come close to the severely rounded Cavalry/Artillery/Train patterns. Have a look here at the Cavalry/Artillery/Train helmets and judge for yourself.
http://www.kaisersbunker.com/dunkelblau/helmets/

As for any questions about rank of the helmet, please look at this page on Pickelhaube rank, which also explains the chinscales and Perlrings etc. http://www.kaisersbunker.com/hp/index.htm

I just bought an almost identical helmet and paid slightly over $900 for it. I did not even blink at what I paid, as I have been looking for a long time. Garde helmets with the flat parade chinscales are very uncommon, I would say the price being asked is cheap.

[RoyA]

Tony, it's great to have someone with your knowledge and expertise of Imperial helms in the forum. Still waiting to see a pic of Nina in the bunker.