Original Item: Only One Available. This is a good representative example of an original Imperial German WWI Prussian Garde Infantry enlisted man's or NCO's M1915 Pickelhaube, retaining the distinctive Guard eagle Wappen, removable enlisted-pattern spike, rear ventilation spine, and both cockades. The Prussian state cockade appears original, while the German national cockade is a reproduction replacement. The helmet shows considerable age and service wear, including loss of the front visor stitching and damage to the interior liner, but remains a recognizable and appealing example of the final wartime pattern of the Imperial German leather spiked helmet.

The M1915 represented the final major simplification of the issued Pickelhaube before the widespread adoption of the steel Stahlhelm in 1916. Wartime shortages and the need to reduce conspicuous polished metal fittings led to the replacement of the brass, Tombak, and nickel-silver fittings seen on earlier helmets with feldgrau-finished iron or steel components. Regulations issued in April 1915 established the use of field-gray iron fittings, while a later September 1915 order introduced removable spikes and other top fittings that could be detached without tools. The resulting removable spike reduced the helmet's profile in the trenches and became one of the most recognizable features of the later M1915 pattern.

The front garde korps wappen features a crowned Prussian state eagle clutching a scepter and sword in its claws, over the King's motto, MIT GOTT FÜR KOENIG UND VATERLAND (With God for King and Country, i.e. Prussia). As this is a Garde helmet, there is a large 8 pointed "German Silver" star in the middle, which is the emblem of the Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler (Order of the Black Eagle). The motto SUUM CUIQUE (to each his own) is marked above an eagle, with laurel leaves below. The Wappen is held in place by two pieces of a ziptie, clearly a very modern addition to this helmet, but the wappen does have a good shadow behind it, so we do believe it at least is original to the helmet.

The crown of this leather helmet displays a vented enlisted removable spike mount on an oxidized steel baseplate. The spike is in good condition, and is easily removable using the "bayonet-style" attaching system.

It also has the correct "vent" on the rear support spine of the helmet which still moves. It is complete with the Prussia (White and Black) and German National Colors (red white and black) cockades around the chin strap lugs, but the national cockade is a reproduction example. In 1897 the new Reichs-Kokarde in Red-White-Black was introduced for all ranks to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kaiser Wilhelm 1st. The Reichs-Kokarde was to be worn on the right side of the helmet, and the state Kokarde was moved to the left, as on this helmet. The included chinstrap is a reproduction example added for display.

The black leather shell shows normal age crazing and wear. The lacquer finished leather is in very good condition having no serious issues. The front leather visor has oxidized steel trim in very good condition but it is a bit disconnected from leather shrinkage. The front visor is also missing most of its stitching so the helmet sags a bit.

The underside of the helmet shows that the nine-tongue leather liner is retained, but the drawstring is gone and several of the tongues are ripped through with heavy tearing at the bend along the edge. There are no markings on the interior that we can see.

Prussian Guard Infantry M1915 helmets are readily distinguished from ordinary Prussian line-infantry examples by the elaborate Guard Star mounted to the front eagle. The same general configuration was worn by several formations within the prestigious Prussian Guard establishment, so without surviving regimental markings this helmet cannot be assigned to one specific Guard regiment. Its combination of the Guard Wappen and late-war feldgrau M1915 fittings nevertheless places it securely within the Prussian Garde Infantry tradition.

This helmet preserves the principal identifying elements of an issued wartime Prussian Garde Infantry M1915 Pickelhaube, including the original-appearing Guard eagle and Black Eagle Order star, feldgrau metal fittings, removable spike, functioning rear ventilation shutter, original Prussian cockade, and surviving enlisted liner. The reproduction Reich cockade, modern Wappen retainers, missing visor stitching, and liner damage are important condition considerations, but they do not obscure the helmet's underlying period character. As a late-war Guard example displaying the simplified construction introduced during 1915, it remains a strong representative piece from the final phase of the Pickelhaube's frontline service during World War I.