M1894 German WWI Spiked Helmet Prussian " Gardes Du Corps " Enlisted
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:87883 | Country/Region of Manufacture: Germany |
| Featured Refinements: German WWI Helmet |
Thisis a restored example of the famed Gardes du Corps Prussian Guards cavalryhelmet, with its spike--not the "parade" eagle--which was worn forservice in the field. I acquired this helmet from a fellow collector andfield musician (now deceased), and he had, in turn, acquired it from a mutualfriend and fellow member (also now deceased) of the First Maryland Regiment(RevWar), in 1969. The fellow who originally found the helmet was a USArmy intelligence N...CO stationed in Germany, and he saw two German kids kickingthis helmet down an alley. He yelled at them, and they ran away, so hepicked up what was left of the helmet-- the shell, the spike (which is tall--may be an NCO spike) and base (thenheld on with twisted wire), most of the chinstrap and some scales, and theliner. By the time that I got the helmet, most of the dents in the crown had been repaired by my pals, and the liner had been heavily oiled with neats' foot oil.
I carefullystraightened out the remaining repairable dents, and added the replica spikebase studs, which I acquired from a fellow advanced pickelhauben collector. Ifound the front plate in a cardboard box of German spiked helmet plates, under the table ofan elderly lady, who was selling antiques in a back alley off London'sPortobello Road in 1971. It is an original plate of the period. The plate may be an unfinished plate, or, most likely, a Garde Kurassier plate, as the background behind the black eagle is not tombak plated. It is NOT a shabraque, valise, or martingale plate, as one viewer has suggested, nor is it a replica. It is a helmet plate, and the silver finish on it was already worn when I acquired it. There are no"extra holes" in the front body of the helmet, and the screws on the plate fit through the existing holes perfectly.
A good friend ofmine re-attached most of the brass flat chin scales to the chinstrap, as thetwo sides only had the tombak attaching bosses and a few curved scales left onit. The difference in the chin scales is onlynoticeable, if you REALLY know your pickelhauben! One of the chin scales apparentlywas omitted in the restoration, or later came unattached (I can't recall nowwhat happened), but I have that one, and two others-- an "end" and a"beginning" that I will send with the helmet when it is shipped. Iacquired the correct kokarden from a well-known militaria dealer in the Wash DCarea in the mid-1970s. The helmet is marked "GdC" under thechinstrap post, and has the maker's name ("JUNCKER") stamped in thecrown. Ihave resisted parting with this helmet during the past four years of my "militaria collection downsizing project", as I have treasured it for so many years, having restored it, and saved it for future generations. Besides, it was always such an "eyecatcher" in my Kriegeszimmer! However, now is the time to pass it on to someone who really wants it, and who will saveit for even more generations of collectors, and especially those who value the originalobjects that are our touchstones with history. I am seriously"downsizing" my collection due to medical issues, and I am lookingfor good homes for these items, some of which I have studied and treasured formore than fifty years. I am so gratified to find that many of these itemsthat I acquired for study and research are finding good homes with wonderfulcollectors. Keep watching this site for Scottish, Irish, British, German, and American military items from 1861-1919. If you are an overseasbidder, please be advised that theamount of customs varies from country to country, and is based on the insuredvalue of the shipment. We are disposing of and shipping thesecollectibles at their insured (final bid) value, so your country’s customs maybe far more than you assume them to be—please, please, please check with the authorities prior to bidding. Shipping willbe to your registered eBay shipping address only.
I carefullystraightened out the remaining repairable dents, and added the replica spikebase studs, which I acquired from a fellow advanced pickelhauben collector. Ifound the front plate in a cardboard box of German spiked helmet plates, under the table ofan elderly lady, who was selling antiques in a back alley off London'sPortobello Road in 1971. It is an original plate of the period. The plate may be an unfinished plate, or, most likely, a Garde Kurassier plate, as the background behind the black eagle is not tombak plated. It is NOT a shabraque, valise, or martingale plate, as one viewer has suggested, nor is it a replica. It is a helmet plate, and the silver finish on it was already worn when I acquired it. There are no"extra holes" in the front body of the helmet, and the screws on the plate fit through the existing holes perfectly.
A good friend ofmine re-attached most of the brass flat chin scales to the chinstrap, as thetwo sides only had the tombak attaching bosses and a few curved scales left onit. The difference in the chin scales is onlynoticeable, if you REALLY know your pickelhauben! One of the chin scales apparentlywas omitted in the restoration, or later came unattached (I can't recall nowwhat happened), but I have that one, and two others-- an "end" and a"beginning" that I will send with the helmet when it is shipped. Iacquired the correct kokarden from a well-known militaria dealer in the Wash DCarea in the mid-1970s. The helmet is marked "GdC" under thechinstrap post, and has the maker's name ("JUNCKER") stamped in thecrown. Ihave resisted parting with this helmet during the past four years of my "militaria collection downsizing project", as I have treasured it for so many years, having restored it, and saved it for future generations. Besides, it was always such an "eyecatcher" in my Kriegeszimmer! However, now is the time to pass it on to someone who really wants it, and who will saveit for even more generations of collectors, and especially those who value the originalobjects that are our touchstones with history. I am seriously"downsizing" my collection due to medical issues, and I am lookingfor good homes for these items, some of which I have studied and treasured formore than fifty years. I am so gratified to find that many of these itemsthat I acquired for study and research are finding good homes with wonderfulcollectors. Keep watching this site for Scottish, Irish, British, German, and American military items from 1861-1919. If you are an overseasbidder, please be advised that theamount of customs varies from country to country, and is based on the insuredvalue of the shipment. We are disposing of and shipping thesecollectibles at their insured (final bid) value, so your country’s customs maybe far more than you assume them to be—please, please, please check with the authorities prior to bidding. Shipping willbe to your registered eBay shipping address only.
