Spiked Helmet Question for Tony

[stogieman]

Hi Tony, just picked this up, couldn't resist! All the holes are clean, no multiple holes behind the plate. looks all original, including the scales and straps, liner, etc. The fire-gilding to the eagle is super. Eagle plate has ancient impressions in the leather behind so I am certain it's all original. My questions:
What model and type of helmet??
Why only one cockade? On the right side one cockade in black with a silver affixed ring, no national on the other side, nor any physical evidence it was ever there!
Approximate value??
Thanks much for the look and your help! Medals, badges, no problem, helmets.... I have no clue!!

[Newlyn]

Helmet

Rick, hope you don't mind me muscling in. you've got a nice, very nice, Customs Official helmet. Don't know about the single cockade, but the old Rankin book dates it 1900-1914. I've seen a few police pickels with similar spikes, but that's definetley a Custom's eagle

[Tony & Kaiser]

Perhaps.........

Hi Rick,
That is a very nice looking helmet you have there. I do not know much about these, but Newlyn is correct, it is a Prussian Police Official or Custom’s Official helmet. The plate is the first pattern utilized by Prussian Customs and Police up to 1914. Civilian helmets can be tricky to identify, as they can combine features from enlisted and officer helmets, and other oddities such as round visors combined with squared front visors etc. They can both have round or cross bases for the spike. Note the unique spike with the little ball on the tip and rounded studs on the spike base instead of officer star studs, another oddity of a civilian helmet. The difference between Customs and Police could be as insignificant as the chinscales being curved or flat, but I have no idea. I collect military only, and am not too conversant on civilian helmets. The plate is an official's plate with pierced crown, (officials were considered officers) and it should have all other officer features, such as small visor trim, rosettes on the flat chinscales etc. I assume the liner is not the enlisted pattern with rounded fingers, probably a fine leather with a silk lining? If it is an older helmet, it would not have the silk portion. The usual sign of an older helmet, is that it will the helmet shell is sewn together at the rear under the rear spine. Two explanations for your helmet only having a Prussian Kokarde. First, the Reichs-Kokarde in Red-White-Black was introduced in 1897. The Reichs Kokarde was worn on the right side of the helmet, and the state Kokarde was moved to the left. If your Prussian Kokarde is on the right, it could indicate the helmet pre-dates 1897. A second explanation, is that Helmets that were part of the overall German empire, used both the Reich's Kokarde and the State Kokarde. Helmets that belonged only to a specific State for a civilian organization, wore only their state Kokarde. So, Prussian Police or Customs only wore the Prussian Kokarde. As for value, hard to say. They are not exceptionally rare, but they are exceptionally attractive. Hope this helps, Tony

[Glenn2438]

Rick,

there is a helmet of the same pattern shown in Ingo Löhken's "Die Polizei Uniformen in Preussen 1866-1945". It is captioned as an helmet of the Kommunalen Exekutivpolizei worn from 1895-1918. The pattern was the same for all ranks although the fittings were of yellow metal for NCOs and gold plated for commissioned officers. The book states that the wear of the Reichs Cockade was never ordered although utilised now and again.

Glenn

[stogieman]

Thanks!

Hi guys, thanks much for your help. No silk liner, sewn on visors, brass trim on the visors front and back, plus a brass spine. scales are like fish scales, rounded bumps on each plate, alternating 2, then 3, etc., Round rosettes attach the straps to the helmet. My guess is an early model. My first helmet, new it was customs, but it's nice, even if civvie!
Thanks again for all your help!

[Tony & Kaiser]

Police

Hi Rick,
That was a critical detail, the brass trim on the visors front and back. Customs helmets only have brass trim on the front visor, so your helmet is almost certainly a Police helmet. The ID as to what type of Police helmet from Glen2438 is probably accurate. Tony