G000556 HESSEN EM/NCO'S "TRAIN BATTALION" M1895 PICKELHAUBE.

BACKGROUND: Development of the pickelhaube may be traced back to the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV who initiated the original design and introduced it for wear by most of the Prussian line Infantry regiments on October 23RD 1842. The pickelhaube underwent numerous modifications starting in 1860 and continuing right up until 1915. Hesse-Darmstadt was one of the earliest non Prussian States to adopt the Pickelhaube, doing so in 1849.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1895 pattern, Hessen EM/NCO’s blackened lacquered leather construction pickelhaube with red brass fittings. The pickelhaube features a rounded body and crown with stitched on, extended, rounded corner, front and rear visors. The pickelhaube has the Hessen pattern brass helmet plate (wappen). Wappen is in excellent condition, with original attachment loops. The helmet plate features Hesse, striped lion, holding a sword. The lion is surrounded with a wreath of laurel and oak leaves. The helmet plate is attached to the pickelhaube by two metal loops which extend into the interior through corresponding holes to the front. (No extra holes & complete with original grommets). The top crown of the pickelhaube has the distinctive Hessen clover-leaf spike bass and fluted spike, all in red brass. All four of the original dome headed retaining screws are intact with their original square nuts. The reverse center of the pickelhaube has a vertical, red brass, reinforcement spine with the sliding ventilation shutter intact near the top edge. The spine is secured to the pickelhaube by a spilt pin rivet and a screw with a retaining nut. The forward leather visor has magnetic sheet metal trim to the forward edge secured by two large dome headed rivets. The pickelhaube has M1891 style, side posts positioned on either side of the body for securing the chinstrap and the national and state cockades. The national cockade is a nice original example while the state is a recent/modern replacement (very well done). Comes complete with its original convex scales. Scales are in very good condition with the exception the center buckle is missing and the brass securing nut that holds them together at the front is a replacement. (Does not affect the display of the helmet at all). Train Battalions wore the convex scales until 1915, when regulations required them to switch to the standard leather strap.

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