Original Item. Only One Available. This is a scarce original Imperial German WWI Prussian enlisted artillery Ersatz felt Pickelhaube, commonly known as a Kugelhelm because of its distinctive ball top fitting. Produced during the wartime transition from traditional leather helmets to substitute material construction, this example retains its brass Prussian front plate, ball top assembly, rear spine, original national and state cockades, and original leather chinstrap. The liner is entirely missing, and the felt body exhibits substantial cracking and material loss.

Following the outbreak of WWI, the rapid expansion of the Imperial German Army created an immediate demand for helmets and other equipment. Shortages of leather and increasing pressure upon German industry led to the production of Ersatz, or substitute, Pickelhauben made from materials including felt, fiber, tin, and steel.

Germany already possessed a well established felt hat industry, allowing manufacturers to adapt existing pressing and blocking methods to helmet production. Felt shells could be formed more quickly than the traditional stitched and lacquered leather bodies, although they offered little structural strength or protection.

Early felt Ersatz helmets were commonly fitted with available M1895 brass or German silver components. As wartime production continued, gray finished steel fittings were increasingly adopted under the M1915 regulations. Surviving felt helmets are therefore encountered with several combinations of fittings and construction details.

This example has a formed felt shell fitted with brass hardware. The front bears a brass Prussian Wappen depicting the crowned state eagle holding a scepter and orb above the motto:

MIT GOTT FÜR KOENIG UND VATERLAND

The translation is:

With God for King and Fatherland

The top is fitted with the rounded artillery ball, or Kugel, in place of the pointed infantry spike. This fitting represented a stylized cannonball and identified the helmet with an artillery formation.

The ball top is somewhat loose and rotates when moved. It does not appear to be in immediate danger of separating from the helmet, but it should be handled carefully and should not be repeatedly turned or tightened.

The helmet retains a brass rear spine but does not have metal trim around the visors. Felt Ersatz Pickelhauben were manufactured in numerous variations, and surviving examples may be encountered with or without visor trim and rear reinforcing spines. The rear spine on this helmet provides additional support to the otherwise flexible felt shell.

The original national and Prussian state cockades remain positioned around the chinstrap attachment fittings. The right side bears the Imperial national cockade in black, white, and red, while the left side has the Prussian state cockade in black and white.

The national cockade was introduced in 1897 in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kaiser Wilhelm I. It was worn on the right side of the helmet, with the wearer’s state cockade placed on the left, as configured on this example.

The original leather chinstrap remains present with its brass fittings. The survival of the chinstrap and both cockades is particularly important on an Ersatz helmet, as these components were frequently removed, replaced, or lost.

There is heavy cracking and material loss to the felt body beneath the national cockade. Additional moderate cracking is present elsewhere across the shell, together with minor losses along the edges.

The exterior is in fair condition overall. Heavy dirt and scattered staining are present, consistent with military use, handling, and more than a century of storage. The helmet remains structurally fragile because of the cracking and missing material.

The original leather liner is entirely absent. Two large leather wedges remain inside the helmet, although these are most likely later additions rather than original liner components. The original steel band that keeps the helmet's shape is retained. The only visible interior marking is an inscribed size: 53.

Prussian artillery troops had worn the ball-top Kugelhelm since the mid-19th century. The rounded fitting distinguished artillery helmets from the pointed Pickelhauben associated primarily with infantry and many other branches while retaining the general form of Imperial German military headgear.

The use of felt reflects the material shortages and emergency production measures of the first years of WWI. Although these helmets preserved the recognizable appearance of the Pickelhaube, their simplified construction and flexible shells made them less durable than traditional leather examples. The leather and felt helmets were progressively superseded at the front by the protective steel Stahlhelm beginning in 1916.

The brass artillery ball top, Prussian eagle plate, rear spine, original cockades, and rare leather chinstrap preserve the defining features of this Ersatz artillery helmet. The missing liner, loose ball fitting, heavy cracking, material loss beneath the national cockade, staining, and edge deterioration are substantial condition factors, but the helmet remains a representative study of early wartime felt construction and Prussian artillery insignia. It would be appropriate for a collection focused on Imperial German artillery, Ersatz equipment, Pickelhaube development, or the transition from traditional parade headgear to the steel combat helmet.