Prussia, Kingdom. An Infantry Reserve Officer's Pickelhaube

(Pickelhaube). This helmet is constructed from polished black leather, re-finished, with mild crazing throughout, the exterior stitching remaining intact, it has solid polished metal fittings, which includes the spike (with two ventilation holes and an ornate design at the base), with spike mounting base (with four eight-pointed star pins), rear spine, front visor trim and chin strap (multi-scaled with sliding lock), there is a three-colour cockade of Imperial Germany on the right side and a black cockade representing Prussia on the left side, with original capped pins connecting to the brass chin strap, which is supported by an intact underlying leather chin strap, with central buckle for adjustment, the helmet plate is brass with the Prussian eagle insignia, the eagle bearing a shield on its chest with the cipher of King Frederick, with a silver Iron Cross inscribed MIT GOTT FUR KOENIG UND VATERLAND 1813 (With God for King and Country 1813), the underside of the visor is lined in green, while the underside of the neck guard is lined in red, the inside is lined in brown leather, with a retractable two-piece synthetic liner with wire supports in the dome, it measures 17.5 cm (w) x 24 cm (l) x 25 cm (h), and in very fine condition.

Footnote: For a published example, see Thomas N.G. Stubbs, Imperial German Military Officers’ Helmets & Head Dress 1871-1918 (Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History, 2004), 126.