M1871 Pickelhaube pics, Regiment info request?

[Bill M]

--Hey, guys. Just picked this one up and wanted to see what you guys think. There's something about these older ones that got lost on the way to those used in WW1, more graceful and rounded, less stocky. Lotsa nice brass too!
--There are three markings on it, one for Infantry Regiment 130 and I believe two seperate ones for IR 70 (one on the interior, on on the underside of the 'rear visor' in a box). I am going to include pictures of these marks, does anyone have any information about these regiments? What about the marks '56' and '1878'?

[Bill M]

Side...

[Bill M]

[Bill M]

Mark 1

[Bill M]

Mark 2

[Bill M]

Mark 3, underneath the "Hinterschirm" (sp?).

[Tony & Kaiser]

Markings

Hi Bill,
Wonderful helmet, a beauty. I prefer the early helmets myself, and have about a dozen or so pre 1891. A tip for photographing markings, is to wet the area with your finger and quickly take the picture. The markings stay dark for about 5 seconds and take a better photo. The 1878 is the year of issue. Not of manufacture. This pattern of helmet was made between 1871 to 1887. The 56 is the size. For the two regiments, IR 70 was the 8. Rheinisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr.70 Saarbrücken XXI Armee Korps. IR 130 was the 1. Lothringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr.130 Metz XVI Armee Korps. Again, a great helmet. Tony

[Bill M]

--Heya Tony. Thanks for the info, yes '56' would be the size wouldn't it? Silly me! Good tip for photographing the numbers too, I'll have to try that.
--I've been looking these over for some time now always afraid to make the purchase - mainly because I have the capacity for addiction, always thinking that the perfect pickel would always appear after I bought my first, and then, and then...
The aesthetics of the 1871 are best suited for my tastes, I may not have to go nuts after all, so it may have worked out perfectly (much to my girl's relief!).
--I gravitate toward Germany's unification period, so the M67's were my first consideration. I like the rounded dome, but also prefer the spine being present - so, as I said: perfect. I believe the 1871's also have a longer 'rear visor' than the other issues, no?
--Hell, I'm very happy with it. I've wanted one of these since I was a kid, so I feel right now similar to the way I felt when I bought my first Iron Cross! Again, let's not hope that it follows in the EK's footsteps - big difference in pricing there!
--P.S. speaking of being a kid, I had always though that George Lucas should have taken it a step further and thrown a spike on top of Darth Vader's stahlhelm!

[Tony & Kaiser]

Collecting is a drug

Hi again Bill,
Yes be careful, once you buy one Haube the tendency to become addicted is always looming in the background. Have a look at these pictures to see what I mean, these pics are two years old, it's worse now. There is no hope for me, but you could still have time to save yourself.

http://kaisersbunker.com/bunker/b01.jpg
http://kaisersbunker.com/bunker/b02.jpg
http://kaisersbunker.com/bunker/b03.jpg
http://kaisersbunker.com/bunker/b04.jpg
http://kaisersbunker.com/bunker/b05.jpg

You are fortunate to find a M1871, M1867s are almost impossible to find, with that silly plate prong business. Here is my sole M1867 example: http://kaisersbunker.com/dunkelblau/helmets/dbh02.htm I am convinced that almost all were certainly (in typical German fashion) modified to accept the M1871 plate and the rear spine which explains their scarcity. You are right, my M1871s tend to have a longer rear visor than even the M1860s I have. No explanation for that one.........influence of fashion perhaps? Tony