An M95 Oldenburg felt lacquered pickelhaube

[Adler 1]

Thanks for showing these pictures Alan. I think it's once again proven that the center wappen can sit higher than it should be... nothing wrong with that. I hope timp_be can also see now that there were rules and standards but they were not always followed 100%...
Anyway, I still like my felt pickelhaube and I also know it's not messed with...

Adler 1

[IVAN]

beautyful piece !!

[collector rich]

In my opinion

Hello, if I may throw in my 2 cents worth. If Alan is satisfied with the piece
that's all I would need.

Alan has helped me in every aspect of this hobby, I don't think you can find a better
Advocate for authenticity.

Rich,,,,Collectorrich

[Adler 1]

Thank you gentlemen!

Alan is a very knowledgable collector indeed and I do agree with him most of the time.

Adler 1

[Kengir]

What a rare beauty, Adler! Congratulations on finally getting your hands on the one that's alluded you for so long! Hope the patience has made it all worth it!

I'd definitely say Alan has provided more than enough evidence to show center wappens could be found higher than expected. These anomalies happened, and when they happened consistently enough to show up in numerous photographs, I think it's safe to say the outright skepticism isn't necessary, especially when the wappen shows no signs of tampering.

-Jeremy

[ww1czechlegion]

Hello,

Rich is being far too kind to me in his comments. I make mistakes in collecting, and made a major blunder in 2011 that I will never forget.

One of the many aspects that I like about Karel's helmet is that all the gray color metal fittings match in their color. Another aspect is the unit marking inside the back visor. The helmet is a "dream" for any collector, finding it in this condition and with these two excellent aspects is almost impossible to find one like this in an entire lifetime of collecting.

I'm going to post 4-photos of a similar helmet that I have a very different opinion of. It is a helmet that I think will be hard to sell to anyone that is in the least bit skeptical. If there is an Oldenburg helmet for member timpe_be to have concerns about, it is this one I will post photos of from a famous dealer. The "Koenig" portion of the banner even shows on this helmet from the dealer. Does that make the helmet 100% original, just because the "Koenig" portion of the banner is visible? My point of adding these photos is that I myself would have worries about this type of helmet when the color of the gray metal fittings do not match. I am not saying this could not have happened during WW1, or that Weitze's helmet is not original. I would have more worries about this helmet with the mis-matched colors, as compared to an Oldenburg wappen sitting up high on the eagle and covering the "Koenig" part of the banner when the colors of the 2-parts match eachother.

Notice how the gray color of the Oldenburg wappen is different from the color of the Prussian eagle front plate, and the rest of the metal fittings on the helmet I have posted from Weitze? The helmet does not have any regimental markings either. I am not saying it is not original. I simply think it is a far different helmet than the one that Karel owns and posted on this thread of his.

I realize that the eagle and Oldenburg wappen on Weitze's helmet could have been made by different manufacturers, or could have been painted at different times with different paint dye lots when they were made. Things like that can happen in manufacturing.

Best Regards,

Alan

[ww1czechlegion]

Last two photos of Weitze's ersatz Oldenburg pickelhaube.

[Adler 1]

It looks indeed very suspicious because of the color difference, but this can be due to the pictures and in real it might be an amazingly simular colour. I certainly would have to see that one in real to draw conclusions.

Having no regimental stamps are not always present, certainly with those small states. I have several pickelhauben for enlisted men that bear a wearer's name and have no regimental stamps... That's possible too. I would give Weitze's pickelhaube a chance when the colour matches in real...

Don't these little differences make collecting so interesting?

Adler 1

[ww1czechlegion]

By member Adler 1
It looks indeed very suspicious because of the color difference, but this can be due to the pictures and in real it might be an amazingly simular colour. I certainly would have to see that one in real to draw conclusions.

Having no regimental stamps are not always present, certainly with those small states. I have several pickelhauben for enlisted men that bear a wearer's name and have no regimental stamps... That's possible too. I would give Weitze's pickelhaube a chance when the colour matches in real...

Don't these little differences make collecting so interesting?

I agree, we'd have to see the color in natural lighting most likely. But if there are color differences, many people will be skeptical, even though any color differences could have actually happened during the war time with different color paint dye-lots and different manufacturing times or different manufacturers for the different parts. As we used to say in a business I was formerly involved in: "There are 100 different shades of White".

Most of the enlisted helmets in my collection don't have regimental markings. The ones that do have them are my most prized helmets. That's what makes Karel's example such a special and rare example, having regimental issue markings to match the front plate. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime find for a collector with this special regiment marked ersatz helmet, IMHO.

Best Regards,

Alan