Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely example of an Ersatz (Replacement Material) Stahlblech Steel Pickelhaube. When WWI broke out, there was a great need for additional helmets and equipment for the mobilization. A shortage of cow hide from Argentina combined with the excessive draw upon German industry to outfit the massive army being mobilized, resulted in a severe shortage of leather for manufacturing Pickelhauben. To meet with this immediate shortage, the Germans began in 1914 manufacturing helmets from Ersatz (substitute) materials.

The Stahlblech Ersatz-Helme differs from the Eisenblech (tin plate) Pickelhaube as the helmet is pressed from one sheet of steel. Front and rear visors are part of the pressing and are not separate pieces like the traditional boiled leather Pickelhaubes. These helmets often show evidence of being turned on a lathe by the circular patterns found on the shell as can be seen on this example. As these helmets were structurally quite strong, there was no need for the reinforcing front visor trim or rear spine. In lieu of the front visor trim, the entire bottom edge has been rolled-over to form a beaded edge, a feature later used on the M1916 Steel Helmet which replaced the Pickelhaube. The helmet has been painted a light gray which is faded.

This helmet features a oxidized steel frontplate (wappen) with the Crowned Heraldic Griffin clutching a sword and resting on the Baden state shield. Below this is the Grand Duchy's motto: MIT GOTT F. FUERST U. VATERLAND (With God for Prince, or Grand Duke, and Fatherland).

The crown of this helmet displays a steel vented enlisted spike mount on a steel baseplate. The spike is in good condition, and as per the later pattern it does rotate off correctly. It is complete with the Prussian (black and white) and German National Colors (red white and black) kokarden (cockades) around the chin strap lugs which still retain the chinstrap attached. 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. With this helmet not having the Grand Duchy of Baden cockade, the wappen or cockade may have been replaced.

The soldered bolt and nut system used to secure the front Wappen onto the helmet was changed to a system for retaining Wappen on the front of helmets that had been used as far back as 1845 for Bayern (Bavarian) helmets and 1867 for Sachsen (Saxon) helmets. A soldered loop was affixed to the back of the Wappen which passed through corresponding grommeted holes on the front of the helmet. A leather wedge was then passed through the loop on the interior to keep the Wappen in place. Both Leather wedges are unfortunately no longer present.

Overall a lovely example of a service used Ersatz steel Pickelhaube. Items such as these ones rarely surface in today’s market, marking this a wonderful addition to any Imperial German collections.

Comes more than ready for further research and display.