Original Item: Only One Available. This is a nice condition Imperial Prussian Landwehr Reserve Infantry enlisted man's Mannschaften (other ranks or EM / NCO) pickelhaube. It is complete with all original parts, one of the nicest we have received recently.

The M1895 was the final pre-1914 evolution in a long series of spiked helmets. It displays lovely condition with German golden / brass fittings and Wappen (Prussian spread eagle helmet plate) and comes complete with supple original leather liner and Original Chinstrap. The spike on top denotes infantry issue and retains correct chin strap lugs, cockades, and chin strap. Pickelhaubes with German Silver fittings and Wappen were worn by Line Infantry Units (dependent upon regiment), and Pionier (Engineer) units.

This helmet features a brass alloy frontplate (wappen), with a silver landwehr Iron Cross fitted into a recess in the chest of the eagle. There is also the small adjustable vent on the spine that supports the rear skirt, only seen on the enlisted helmets. All fittings on the helmet are matching brass.

The front wappen features a Prussian state eagle clutching a scepter and crown. There is a large "Iron Cross" emblem on the breast of the eagle, 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 standard leather wedges on the inside of the shell, which are both in good shape.

The helmet has the German National Colors (red white and black) Kokarden (cockade) around the right chin strap lug. The Prussian cockade is around the left. 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 Attached chin strap is complete and original, which have always been incredibly hard to find, as they were rather fragile, even when new.

The interior features an original leather liner, which shows honest use and degradation from age. The interior shell has faint depot stamps and a 1904 and 1906 date. The regiment marking is F.R. 34 which we believe to be for the Fusilier Regiment Queen Victoria of Sweden, 1st Pomeranian Infantry Nr. 34.

The exterior of the helmet shell is really in very shape, with a nice enamel finish, showing the usual crazing and checking from age as well as “shrapnel” type nicks and dings. The front visor is still attached with intact stitching, another rarity. Both front and rear visors are still attached.

Overall an excellent display piece of a very hard to find example of a reserve pickelhaube, which is hard to find in any condition! Perfect for any WWI collection!

The 34th (Pomeranian) Fusiliers "Queen Victoria of Sweden" was a regiment of the Imperial German Army through the First World War. The regiment had its origins in the Swedish Queen's Life Guards on Foot and fought in several Swedish wars of the time. After the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the transferral of Pomerania from Sweden to Prussia the regiment got its new name; 34th (Pomeranian) Fusiliers (German: Füsilier-Regiment (Pommersches) Nr. 34).

In fall 1908, the new royal couple, Gustaf V and Victoria of Baden got a state visit by the new queen's cousin Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. They exchanged honors, with Kaiser Wilhelm II becoming a Knight of the Order of Vasa, and Gustaf V becoming the honorary Chief of the 3rd (Queen Elizabeth) Guards Grenadiers and his wife Victoria the Chief of the 34th (Pomeranian) Fusiliers, whom got its new name 34th (Pomeranian) Fusiliers "Queen Victoria of Sweden". The banner of the regiment became a trophy of the Russian army.