Claudio

Thanks Glenn, that is great news! It seemed to me also strange that an officer would write his own name so badly on the interior of the helmet, like Rick said that it could have been some collector's name, but it could be that his son or family member did it for him. Thanks! Ciao, Claudio

Thank you all for your inputs. I will send the helmet as soon as possible back to the seller. You just confirmed what I thought. In the future I will never bid on such helmets, being just illustrated on a catalogue (very small pictures). You never stop learning. I guess I was too greedy (the temptation was too big) and tried my luck. Ciao, Claudio

Only the eagle...

Here another detail of the spike, notice the dull kind of yellow color in contrast with the bright and brillant fire gilting of the chinscale, and the different types of the stars used at the base of the spike. Ciao, Claudio

And here a picture of the leather helmet without "chicken"... I would really appreciate more comments on these last two images. Thanks in advance! Ciao, Claudio

Thank you for your comments, Daniel. Here I am posting some additional pics. I really think that the eagle was polished, because it seems to be an original from the back and also quite "worn", too, contrary to the "new" look shown on the obverse. Very likely all the fire gilting went lost while being polished.

Hi Paul, I thought the same... I inspected also the Eagle... it seems there are no double holes or signs that the eagle has been exchange or improved, but on the other hand, it's impossible to tell the contrary! I feel like this time I have been fooled badly!!! That's no good feeling... Here's a pic of the eagle's reverse; as you can see neither the front nor the reverse show the crisp details you would expect from such an Officer's eagle. Any other comments also from other Pickelhaube specialists? Ciao, Claudio

Yes, but I leave like the original owner put it. Very likely he wanted to show the inscription or maybe the taylor/dealer who mounted the bar didn't have a clue. Ciao, Claudio

Today I feel good: I just restored one medal bar.... it looks much better now and this improvement costed me not more than USD 20.-

Detail head size on the back:

From the top:

Detail inside:

Inside:

Detail of the Eagle (Hoheitsabzeichen):

Front:

Front from the right:

Dear forumites, I would like to show you for your opinion or comments a Pickelhaube I just received from Kube. Since it is always very difficult to judge from the catalogue's picture, it's quite risky to bid on such items if you're not present at the auction. What bothers me more about this Pickelhaube is: - The color of the eagle and also of the spike is not a nice gilted color, but a "matt gelb" kind of dull color. All my helmets that I have in my collection have either a very brilliant gilting or a striking good silvering. - On the base of the spike appears to be 3 different stars (out of 4!) - In the interior, the black base were the prongs are fixed appear to have been messed quite a bit, since the traces left. - The round metal devices fixing the cocards seem to be newer or showing a more brillant color than the rest of the chinscale. I would like to hear your most appreciated comments on this pickelhaube and ask you if you agree with my observations and if you have more to add to them. Thanks in advance!!! Let's the show begins with the pictures... (more than 1000 words worth!) Ciao, Claudio

Scharzburg-Sonderhausen, 2. Kl. mit Eichenbruch... in Gold!

Hi Stogie, I didn't receive them yet. Here's the reverse of the ZVO. Ciao, Claudio

Here a detailed close up of the Prince's medal bar. From the picture and shade of grey, I can tell that, very likely, he was wearing a gold-yellow piped Waffenrock, for Cavalry. I think also that it was a double-piping grey-yellowgold, for reserve! Ciao, Claudio

Hi everybody! I am sure many of yours will be interested to see what Daniel found for picture of the above-mentioned prince. It's a great picture showing him wearing his Parade Waffenrock with full medals and orders. You can distinctly see the medal bar, the identical one as the one in my collection. I really have to thank Daniel so much, for his patience and, why not, good luck, to find these fotos (like M?ckel). It's great fun and a huge satisfaction to bring the puzzle together. Now you can see how it looked like in real, when the price wore his Grossenordenschnalle! Thanks Daniel! I owe you one! This foto will never come apart from his medal and ribbon bar again... I swear it! Ciao, Claudio

Hi Antti, Who did this case for you? A Finnish guy? Ciao, Claudio

Sachsen, ZVO 1. Modell, obverse:

reverse:

Lippe, Hausorden, obverse: