Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very good original Imperial German Prussian artillery officer’s Model 1895 style Pickelhaube, commonly referred to as an Artillerie Kugelhelm because the conventional pointed spike is replaced by a spherical ball top. The helmet retains its gilt fittings, Prussian eagle Wappen, officer-pattern chinscales and cockades, removable ball top, leather sweatband, and silk skull cap. Its configuration is consistent with a privately purchased officer’s helmet of the late Imperial and WWI period.

The Pickelhaube underwent numerous changes during the 19th century before reaching the form familiar at the beginning of WWI. Officer helmets were privately purchased, and their quality could vary considerably according to the individual officer’s means and preferences rather than simply his rank.

Commissioned officers from Leutnant through Oberst generally wore helmets sharing the same principal officer-grade features. These included lined visors, officer-pattern cockades, chinscales, star-shaped fasteners at the top fitting, and the decorative “egg and dart” Perlring around the base of the spike or ball assembly.

The overall condition of this officer's pickelhaube is very good. All of the helmet's furniture is highly-detailed gilt aluminum bronze alloy, but there is certainly some loss to the gilting. The Prussian wappen (coat of arms) features a large eagle with the King's motto, MIT GOTT FÜR KOENIG UND VATERLAND (With God for King and Country, i.e. Prussia). It is retained by the correct washers and square nuts, which match those attaching the spike base to the top. The wappen has definitely been on the helmet undisturbed for a very long time, and has sunken into the finish on the helmet.

The brass chin scales are in good condition, solid and functional with full leather behind them and large split pin attachment present. Both kokarden (cockades) are present, and are the correct higher-quality officer variety. 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. Both cockades are present on this helmet, and they are in very good condition.

The top spike is a classic example, with all four star shaped attachment split pins intact, and the correct round base. The "egg and dart" perlring around the bottom is in great shape. The top of the ball can be unscrewed for the attachment of a parade plume, as was common with officer pickelhauben.

The helmet's interior reveals no depot marks or maker marks, so it was most likely bespoke. The underside of the front visor is green (now warped), while the rear is red, a color combination that we see on most of the officer pickelhauben we handle. There is definitely heavy age to the exterior black finish, which has multiple cracks and crazing, as well as areas of deterioration and flaking. The front and rear visor are still firmly attached to the helmet, but the front visor is now missing most of its stitching, with some left on one side.

The inside liner is still present, along with the silk skull cap, but they are quite worn. The leather sweatband is still supple and complete. The silk skull cap has some fraying and minor tearing with the small stiffeners starting to peek out from the silk.

The combination of the Prussian artillery ball top, detailed eagle Wappen, complete chinscales, dual officer cockades, and surviving leather and silk liner identifies this as a strong example of an Imperial German artillery officer’s Kugelhelm. The loss of gilding, crazed lacquer, warped front visor, missing visor stitching, and worn silk lining are all important condition factors, but the helmet retains the principal officer-grade components that define the type.