An M95 Oldenburg felt lacquered pickelhaube

[Adler 1]

Ok, it's been a while since I posted a pickelhaube, but I think it was worth waiting...

After looking for several decades for a nice felt lacquered ersatz pickelhaube, it finally happened! A while ago, I was able to purchase this M95 Oldenburg Inf. Regt. Nr. 91 with stamps and all... There's a little crazing in the lacquer here and there but I can live with that, considdering how long it took me to find one and let's not forget the rarity of this fragile haube... How often does one encounter an Oldenburg helmet?

Please enjoy the pictures

Adler 1

[Jleb2]

What a very nice and rare helmet, a nice find and glad you found it.

James

[timp_be]

Hello.

I don't like the plate. If I'm not wrong it must be possible to read "Koenig", the star seems to be too high.

Best regards

timp_be

[Adler 1]

Thanks for your comments guys!

timp_be, in theory you are right, but as you might know, with ersatz helmets things are sometimes a little different than with the standard helmets. In this case the plate sits indeed a little bit to high but that doesn't mean the plate is all wrong as you put it...

Adler 1

[ww1czechlegion]

Fantastic & rare helmet! Congratulations!

I love those markings, they are the icing on the cake!

My issued 94th Regiment reserve enlisted helmet has the wappen sitting up high on the eagle as well, covering the "Fuerst" portion of the banner. I have seen period photos where the wappen sat up higher than what we might expect, covering the "Koenig" or "Fuerst" part of the motto banner.

Best Regards,

Alan

[Adler 1]

Thank you Alan! Do you see any possibility to post one of these pictures for timp_be?

Adler 1

[ww1czechlegion]

I will look through my images today and see if I can find one to post.

Before buying my Issued 94th Regiment helmet last fall, I was nervous seeing the first photos from the family showing the wappen being high up on the eagle like what it is on your Oldenburg helmet. Knowing where my helmet came from (a family with U.S. WW1 and WW2 veteran history in Europe) and seeing the backside of my Reservist front plate I know that the high placement of the Saxe-Weimar wappen is 100% original and was worn high up on the eagle, because there is also the "Fuerst" Reservist Cross below the Saxe-Weimar wappen, located on the tail feathers of the eagle.

Best Regards,

Alan

[timp_be]

Hello.

If there is a reserve cross there is no problem, it's normal that the star is higher, but without...

If ersatz helmets exist it's because lack of material. But if you have the metal to make a plate I don't see why you would make it in a different way...

The "ersatz" are sometimes a good way to explain "special" things...

Best regards

timp_be

[ww1czechlegion]

Here is a CDV Photo of a 94th Infantry Regiment enlisted man. Active status, not reservist.

Notice how the star and 94th wappen sits up higher on the eagle. There is no reservist cross below the star. Although the detail of the photo is not the best, I doubt that the "Fuerst" portion of the banner could be read on this front plate because the 94th wappen sits higher up on the eagle front plate.

This photo is not mine. I will look through my 5-boxes of photos this afternoon and see what I have in my collection.

Best Regards,

Alan

[Adler 1]

Thanks for that picture Alan!

timp_be, I never said I had to explain something special. It's you who tries to say this pickelhaube or the plate isn't original because the center wappen sits to high. Imo there's nothing wrong with it but please explain what you're trying to do here.
Do you need more proof than the picture Alan provided?

Adler 1

[timp_be]

Hello.

If for you there is no problem, it's perfect.

What have I more to explain? For me there is a problem but it's only my opinion. If ersatz helmets exist, IMO ersatz plates doesn't exist and if they would exist the material would be different but not the model.

On the picture from Alan it's very difficult to see if the banner is covered or not. On plates from the Saxon Duchies the banner is sometimes very high.

If I'm not wrong, on the plates from Oldenburg the banner is higher than on common prussian plates, so it's possible to see it. It would say that the used plate can be a prussian one... not impossible but strange.

I'm far to know everything and I only give you my opinion.

Can you remove the plate? Is it possible to have a view from the rear side from the plate and from the star?

Best regards

timp_be

[ww1czechlegion]

Here are a few more photos of Saxe-Weimar wappens, and an Anhalt wappen. I apologize that some of the photos are not the best quality as are the original photos. The last photo I will post is the clearest, and shows a One Year Volunteer helmet or Private Purchase enlisted helmet with the wappen most likely showing the "Fuerst" portion of the banner on the eagle's neck.

Best Regards,

Alan

[ww1czechlegion]

More old photos.

[ww1czechlegion]

more photographs.

[ww1czechlegion]

Last photos.