Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice condition “smart-looking”, officer pickelhaube from a Prussian Grenadier Dragoon Landwehr Regiment, as indicated by the "Squared" front visor and Cruciform Spike support. The helmet was most likely used during World War One. This example displays a lovely polished brass Prussian "Grenadier-Adler" spread eagle helmet plate (wappen) with a small gilt iron cross to the front of the Wappen denoting it as Landwehr or Reserve.

The Pickelhaube of commissioned officers holding a rank from Lieutenant to Colonel are all identical in features, but not quality. The quality of helmets within these ranks depended entirely on how much the individual wished to spend. A lowly Lieutenant's helmet may be of much higher quality than one worn by a Colonel. As expected, officer helmets were of a much higher quality than the issued version and utilized the "squared finger" liners until 1880, when the internal leather sweatband and silk skull-cap came into use.

Regardless of the unit, officer Pickelhaube share common features such as: the undersides of visors are lined, Officer Kokarden are carried, and the "egg & dart" Perlring was matched with star-pattern spike base brads, and chin scales were worn. The officer's Pickelhaube was basically unchanged from 1871 to 1899 when it had a more domed shape, and from 1899 to the end it had more of a skull shape. Otherwise, with the exception of the addition of the Reich's Kokarde in 1897, the officer's Haube was mostly the same from 1871 to 1918. As with most pickelhauben, they are made from boiled leather, which is then lacquered black.

The overall condition of this officer's pickelhaube is very good. Almost all of the helmet's furniture is highly-detailed gilt brass nickel alloy, but the wappen appears to have been polished extensively. The front grenadier 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). There is a silver landwehr Iron Cross fitted over the eagle’s chest, which is marked in very small text with the Kingdom of Prussia's Motto:

mit Gott
Für König
und Vaterland
1813

This translates to "With God for King and Country," i.e. Prussia, over the year 1813, when King Frederick William III of Prussia established the Iron Cross award. It is held in place by the correct square bolts.

Both kokarden (cockades) are present, and are of high-end two piece construction, with detailed casting. In 1897 a 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. The paint on both is still almost completely intact, and they look great.

The officer spike atop the helmet is intricately decorated at the base with the usual "egg and dart" motif. The top of the spike screws off, revealing the fitting for a parade plume. Additionally, this pickelhaube has the old-style cruciform spike base, which after 1860 was still used ONLY by the Prussian Dragoon regiments. All other Prussian groups moved to a round base. This base still retains all 4 of the brass stars.

The shell shows some moderate crazing but has held up its shape rather well. The front still has its green lining, and the rear is lined in red. There seems to have been minimal leather shrinkage on this example, and it displays great. The front visor trim is in good order without looseness. 

The original leather sweatband is in great shape, as is the silk skull cap. The interior crown is inscribed with the size, 56.

The combination of insignia and form of this helmet mean it may have been worn by an officer of Mounted Grenadier Regiment Freiherr von Derfflinger (Neumark) No. 3 (3rd Dragoon Regiment). A good research project.

Ready for display.